The Measure of Perfection

Is man basically good? Compared to whom? Today, R.C. Sproul asks us to consider the standard of perfection—that is, the divine perfection of God.

If you say is man basically good? My first question would be compared to what? If we compare the behavior of men versus demons, then we might come to the conclusion that compared to demons we’re doing pretty well. That we’re basically good if Satan is the standard. On the other hand, if the standard of goodness and the standard of righteousness is the perfection of God, whose perfection is made known to us through the revelation of His law and that we look into the mirror of that law and judge ourselves, not against the standard of devils, not against even the standard of each other. But if we analyze ourselves against the standard of divine perfection, then it would be silly for us call ourselves basically good in comparison to God, and according to His law.