Dear Editor,
One of the most misunderstood principles in our world is that we need to teach people to be good.
People are sinners by nature and must be transformed by a miraculous work of God.
This is where our churches, educational systems and social programs are failing.
You cannot teach a human being that is dead in his transgressions and sins to be good.
There must be a miraculous awakening that is brought on by God through Jesus Christ.
It doesn’t matter is the person is secular (Greek-Gentile) or religious (Jew, Catholic, Protestant or one of a thousand others) without a transformation that comes from God through Jesus Christ it’s impossible to make them good.
The Scripture teaches us that none are good.
None are righteous not even one. Jesus said, “I know what’s in a man.” Trust me when I say it’s not good.
Romans 8:9 says, “But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.)”
Being a Christian is not going to church, following certain rituals, obeying a bunch of rules, doing good things for your neighbor or voting for conservative political candidates.
A Christian is a Christ-in-you.
They are human beings that have been made new creatures by the presence of the Holy Spirit being in them. 
The world is filled with natural spirited people that dress nice, do good, talk well, they’re even polite and respectful but they are not Christians!
They are sinners that have whitewashed their tombs or bodies.
They are nothing more than self made men.
It’s time we go to God and get remade by the power of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling.
I ask that you continue praying for the Holy Spirit to move into and then out of our churches through those who are created anew by God through Christ Jesus
Pastor Thomas R. Swain,
First Church of God,
Great Bend