人性是本善还是本恶？基督教怎么看？
Is human nature fundamentally good or evil? What is the Christian view?
简答 Short Answer
人是按上帝的形像被造的（本质上有尊严和价值），但因堕落已经全然败坏（罪影响了人的每个方面）。人既有上帝形像的荣光，又有罪的深刻扭曲。
Humans were made in God's image (inherent dignity and worth) but through the fall became totally depraved (sin affects every aspect). Humans carry both the glory of God's image and the deep distortion of sin.
详细解答 Detailed Answer
基督教对人性的看法既不是天真的乐观（人性本善），也不是绝望的悲观（人毫无价值）。它同时持有两个看似矛盾的真理。
一方面，人是按上帝的形像造的（创1:27）。这赋予每个人不可剥夺的尊严和价值——无论种族、性别、能力或社会地位。人类能创造美、追求真理、建立爱的关系，这些都反映了上帝的形像。即使在堕落之后，这个形像虽然被损坏，但没有被完全抹去。
另一方面，堕落的影响是全面的。改革宗神学所说的「全然败坏」（total depravity）不是说人坏到不能再坏，而是说罪渗透了人的每一个方面——理智（被蒙蔽）、情感（被扭曲）、意志（被捆绑）、身体（会朽坏）。因此，人类文明能创造壮丽的艺术，也能制造奥斯维辛。人心「比万物都诡诈，坏到极处」（耶17:9），但同时仍带有创造主的印记。
The Christian view of human nature is neither naive optimism (humans are fundamentally good) nor despairing pessimism (humans have no value). It holds two seemingly contradictory truths simultaneously.
On one hand, humans are made in God's image (Gen 1:27). This gives every person inalienable dignity and worth — regardless of race, gender, ability, or social status. Humanity's ability to create beauty, pursue truth, and build loving relationships reflects God's image. Even after the fall, this image is damaged but not erased.
On the other hand, the fall's effects are comprehensive. What Reformed theology calls 'total depravity' doesn't mean people are as bad as possible, but that sin pervades every aspect — intellect (darkened), emotions (disordered), will (enslaved), body (decaying). Thus human civilization can produce magnificent art and also produce Auschwitz. The human heart is 'deceitful above all things and desperately sick' (Jer 17:9), yet still bears the Creator's stamp.
📖 经文引用 Bible Verses
📚 推荐阅读 Related Readings
- •The Holiness of God Ch.4-5 (R.C. Sproul)
- •Mere Christianity Book 1 (C.S. Lewis)