While external conflicts are often thought of as nations and people warring against one another, there is a spiritual conflict that is far greater than the that.  It is the internal spiritual condition of mankind that motivates and manifests itself in that which is external.  Though denied by many, there is in every individual a nature that is opposed to God.  That goes contrary to the thinking of some who say that in every person there is that spark of good that merely needs to be cultivated.  If there is success in doing that, then wrongs would cease to exist.  Simply put, that is misguided, false thinking and life itself proves it to be wrong.  Conflicts, violence, criminal acts and warfare are still evident.

Scripture does not support the notion that evil and wrong are the result of depravation, external, or environmental factors.  The problem is within man himself.  “The heart [the mentality of the soul] is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it” (Jer 17:9 NIV)?  The first evidence of man’s fallen condition is seen in the Garden of Eden as Adam, created without sin, chose to rebel against God’s instructions.  The divine directive was clear … “And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die [spiritual death]’ (Gen 2:16-17 NIV).  

Adam’s rebellion resulted in spiritual death, and the acquisition of a sin nature.  The result was …  “for as in Adam all die [spiritually] (1 Cor 15:22a NIV), physical death also entered into the world.  While Adam was created in the likeness of God [sinless], his progeny would be born with a sin nature, in his likeness.  Scripture notes this difference in the original creation of Adam and his offspring … “When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man.” When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth” (Gen 5:1-4 NIV).   Each of us, as the offspring of Adam, bear within our bodies that sin nature. 

King Solomon expressed the spiritual condition of man… “Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin” (Prov 20:9 NIV)?  No one, regardless of their race, color, ethnicity or gender.  “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:22b-23 NIV).  Is there remedy for this hopeless spiritual condition of man?  Reformation has proven to be a failure, and also incarceration for criminal activity. 

The Apostle Paul addressed the fallen condition of man and its remedy.  Having noted the depravity of man in that all that sinned …  he interjected God’s solution … “and (all) are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Rom 3:24 NIV).  Though he wrote to the Corinthian churches of man’s spiritual death in Adam, Paul noted … “so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor 15:22b NIV).  That’s the divine rebuttal to those who are hostile toward the Person and Work of Christ on the Cross. 

The denials of that Truth were evident during Jesus’s ministry on earth.  “The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone” (Luke 5:21 NIV)?  John declared that Jesus as God … “The Word [Christ] became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 NIV).  “For he rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:13-14 NIV).