Researchers over at WalletHub made it their personal mission to determine, out of all 50 states, which were the most and least “sinful.” The results are undeniably intriguing. However, beneath the surface, there lies a deeper reality to this ranking worth exploring. But first, let’s dive into the findings of the “Most Sinful States in America” study.

“Red states and blue states may like to point to one another as the source of all that is wrong with the U.S.,” wrote WalletHub’s financial writer Adam McCann. “[B]ut the truth,” he added, “is that each of the 50 states has its own virtues and vices.” Whether it be drugs, gambling, excessive drinking, or violent crimes, “The cost of state sins is something we have to share as a nation.”

In order to create the list of “most sinful states,” analysts compared the 50 states across 54 key indicators, from violent crime rates to online searches for illicit content, to gauge behaviors like greed, lust, and laziness. According to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo, “People across the nation have their own moral struggles, from violent outbursts and bullying to compulsive gambling, excessive lust and self-destructive consumption.” And yet, he emphasized, it’s the “individual cases of negative behavior” that ultimately lead to a “high share” of immoral behavior in a state’s population. Consequently, “the majority of the state’s residents suffer.”

Concerning overall sinfulness, the study found that Nevada ranked number one as most sinful. This ranking wasn’t just due to Las Vegas’s reputation as “Sin City,” with its robust association with gambling and lust, but also Nevada’s high ranking in gluttony. The Silver State was followed by California, which was ranked as the second most sinful due to its connection to Hollywood, often associated with vanity, as well as high rates of bullying and aggravated assault.

Next came Florida, which had a notably high ranking of “sinful” online searches — specifically “related to adultery, prostitution, and pornography.” Additionally, WalletHub noted that the Sunshine State had a serious problem with greed, anger, hatred, and vanity. Louisiana came in fourth, followed by Texas. At the very bottom of all 50 states was Idaho.

The study highlighted the prevalence of shootings from state to state, as well as other specific factors that tied into the way a state ranked on the “sinful” watchlist. However, the researchers weren’t merely interested in acknowledging the problems that exist, but in their research, they put an emphasis on offering solutions and finding a fruitful path forward. “It’s not enough just to know where certain problems lie,” McCann wrote. “The important next step is figuring out how to fix them and improve each state’s quality of life.”

The WalletHub specialists posed several questions to a panel of experts with the goal of garnering “advice on how to reverse some of these bad trends.” However, what is truly fascinating about this study is how the source matter, whether they realize it or not, is inherently biblical. And yet, they are not seeking biblical solutions.

When reading a study about which states are more sinful than other states, it’s tempting to almost make light of it. Some may be thinking: “Well, obviously Nevada is at the top with all the sin that takes place in Las Vegas.” Others may feel that California is a shoe-in for number two with their radical left-wing policies. Perhaps those living in Idaho are thankful that their state is on the bottom of the list — “Guess I chose the right place to live, huh?”

But really, I don’t believe that is the perspective we should have. As Christians, a study like this should remind us of one thing: We are all sinners. Not only that, but we are all sinners in need of saving. In the eyes of a holy God, the problem is not rooted in “which state has the worst sinners” but the fact that each and every state is made up of sinners. Whether we’re talking about the 50 states of America or any other country in the world, the problem is that we live in a fallen world, in which all of us are either actively living in the flesh or fighting against it.

Romans 3:23 declares, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Ecclesiastes 7:20 is almost painfully blunt when the author wrote that “surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” And 1 John 1:8 plainly states, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” The Bible, in a way that should unsettle us, tells us that we are totally depraved. Not that we are the worst sinners we could possibly be, but simply that we are, in fact, sinners.

But don’t miss this next point, because the Bible happens to make something else undeniably clear that every soul on this earth needs to hear. Sure, the bitter truth of our sinful nature is unpleasant at best and downright terrifying or offensive at worst. But this is what makes the good news of the gospel profoundly sweet. Sure, we’re sinners. And yet, for those in Christ, we are not defined by that sin.

1 John 1:8 may have boldly stated that we all have sin, but the following verse boldly proclaimed that, “if we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Romans 3:23 may have called us out on our fallen nature, but Romans 5:8 emphasized that “God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The heart of Christianity is not that we come to Christ once we’ve worked on ourselves and smoothed out our rough edges, but that we come to Christ as we are — as sinful, broken, desperate sinners.

We come to Christ not when we feel like we’re good enough, but when we finally understand that Jesus is the one who is. We do not come to Christ only when we have it all figured out, but when we acknowledge that His ways are higher and better than anything we could come up with. We come to Christ not with cups full, but completely empty, saying, “Lord, be my portion.” We come to Christ not standing tall, but weak and on our knees, praying, “Savior, be my strength and shield.” We come to Christ knowing that He is our righteousness; He is our peace; He is our hope; He is our life.

It’s impossible to surrender to Christ if we don’t acknowledge that He deserves our all. No one can repent of sin they don’t believe they’re guilty of. The Great Commission is not fulfilled when we compare and contrast which geographical locations have more sinful activity. It is fulfilled when we preach the gospel to every tongue, tribe, and nation. Salvation is for the one who acknowledges their sin, repents, and believes. And repentance, dear reader, is defined as a “turning away from.” It’s not just saying, “I’m sorry,” but actually changing the way we choose to live.

The solution these researchers are trying to find, in relation to the questions they posed, is not going to be found in better laws or substance abuse therapy, because the solution goes far deeper than anything external. Sin is an internal plague requiring an internal solution, and that is found solely in Christ’s atoning work.

So, when we read a study like this, we should be reminded of the fact that we are all sinners in need of saving. That way, instead of making fun of which states need more help than others, we can rightly proclaim, as the theologian Charles Spurgeon did so well: “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned, unprayed for and unpreached to.”

Regardless of lists and ranking, may Christians be known as people who earnestly desire the salvation for all they come across — spreading the good news from east to west, across ocean and sea, and in any place where a sinner may be.