The little 3-year-old Johnny is too cute when faced with the evidence of his actions.  Despite a face full of sprinkles he insists he did not eat any!  He does not budge, he does not blink, he does not flinch while lying. He believes it! 🙂

Delight in Truth will take this opportunity to demonstrate that sin is inherent to human nature from birth, and we are not immune from it even at an age before we can discern between right and wrong.

It is evidently clear that no parent in his or her right mind will instruct their toddler to lie.  Even those without Christ have a moral code which typically includes moral laws against lying; whether they follow those laws is a another matter.

This begs the question… if we do not teach our children to lie how do they learn to lie as early as age 2? Why do they exhibit unholy qualities such as shame, anger, jealousy, and revenge as early as 3 years old?

The answer is that these qualities do not have to be taught, they are inherent to our human nature. For this reason I disagree with many philosophers who along the centuries have taught either that humans are basically good, or humans are neutral, neither bad nor good.

Besides the evidence we see in children who are capable of cruelty and evil acts which have not been specifically taught to them, the Bible also holds that human nature is depraved in the worst possible way.

This depravity begins at birth as Psalm 51:5 tells us “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (NIV).  The LORD declares in Genesis 8:21 “every inclination of [man’s] heart is evil from childhood.” And specifically for lying, Psalm 58:3 “The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies”

And this continues into adulthood as Paul teaches in Romans 7:18 “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.”

But I do not want to make a cute little video into a damper for your day… Lets end on a positive note!

Despite our sinfulness and depravity we have the opportunity to become righteous by faith in Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 2 :4-5 “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”  Amen!