Universal sinfulness
Universal sinfulness is the biblical truth that all human beings are sinners before God. Scripture teaches that no one is righteous by nature and that all need God’s mercy and salvation.
At a Glance
Universal sinfulness is the biblical truth that all human beings are sinners before God. Scripture teaches that no one is righteous by nature and that all need God’s mercy and salvation.
Description
Universal sinfulness is the doctrine that sin affects the whole human race, so that all people are sinners by nature and by action and therefore stand in need of God’s grace. Scripture repeatedly teaches that no one is righteous in himself and that all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. In conservative evangelical understanding, this truth is grounded in humanity’s fall in Adam and seen in the actual sins of every person, while Jesus Christ alone is the sinless exception. The doctrine should be stated carefully: it does not mean every person is as evil as possible, but that sin is universal and serious enough to place all people under God’s judgment apart from salvation in Christ.