HOW DID THE WORLD GET SO MESSED UP?

How did the world get so messed up? Few would deny that it is. But, as to the cause, you would get a vast variety of answers.

Some would argue that environment is the problem—if people had a better environment to live in things would be better. Others would say education is the problem—if people were better educated, the world would be a better place. Another would point to economics—if poverty were alleviated, so problems would be.

These are not insignificant issues, but these and most other answers people would give are external in nature. The Bible teaches that the real issue is internal—there is evil about us because there is evil in us. The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart. If we want to know why the world is messed up, we need look no farther than in the mirror. The world is messed up because we are messed up.

That is the bleak reality Paul presents beginning with Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” The Apostle takes us into the Supreme Court of Heaven. God is the Judge. Paul is the prosecuting attorney. The entire human race is on trial. The Apostle then systematically lays out his case and presents the evidence of our crimes against God and humanity. He gives his closing argument to the Judge and concludes, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23) and then sentence is passed, “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom.6:23a).

Bad news—but we cannot stop in the middle of a verse—the remainder of Romans 6:23 says, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That is good news! The mess we are in is horrible, but Christ will come in and clean up our mess if we will but open the door of our heart to Him.