“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” So says Paul in his letter to the Romans, and yet recent research has suggested that many professing Christians do not believe this to be true. Or at least, not true of themselves.
According to a report from the American Worldview Inventory 2025, 84 per cent of Americans believe that sin exists, but just over half believe that everyone sins.
Only 52% of American adults are willing to concede that they themselves are sinner, a figure that rises to two thirds among self-described Christians.
A third of adults say that they do not sin, but everyone else does, according to the report which was compiled by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University.
Among those who describe themselves as born-again Christians, a quarter will not accept being called a “sinner” and 70 per cent believe that people are “basically good at heart”.
The research also indicated that age may be a slight factor in the belief in universal sinfulness. Around 41 per cent of Generation Z believe that everyone sins, compared to 49 per cent of Millennials, 53 per cent of Gen X and 57 per cent of Baby Boomers.
Dr George Barna, a Professor at Arizona Christian University, said the figures indicated a failure of Christian teaching, citing 2019 Pew research that suggested just three per cent of Christian sermons mention sin.
“When such a central doctrine is rarely addressed, believers will likely lack a clear understanding of their condition before God and the redemptive work of Christ. Over time, this absence contributes to confusion about truth, morality, and the nature of salvation," he said.
“Ultimately, this glaring omission from the pulpit is leaving believers uninformed and unequipped when it comes to understanding the issue of sin. And we’re clearly seeing that confusion in today’s report.”
Dr Barna noted that sin, while being an uncomfortable topic, is key to coming to faith in Jesus.
“If we no longer see sin, how can we understand our need for a Saviour?” he added.
