What does "no one does good" reveal about human nature without Christ? The Phrase in Context Romans 3:12: “All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” The Universal Verdict on Humanity - Paul is summarizing a chain of Old Testament citations (Psalm 14:1-3; Psalm 53:1-3) to demonstrate that God’s assessment spans every era, culture, and individual. - “No one” excludes exceptions; “not even one” removes any loophole. - Scripture’s verdict is literal, comprehensive, and final apart from divine intervention. What “No One Does Good” Shows About Us 1. Inborn Corruption • We are not neutral or inclined toward God by nature (Jeremiah 17:9). • Sin is internal, not merely environmental or behavioral. 2. Spiritual Deadness • Ephesians 2:1–3 calls us “dead in trespasses and sins,” living under “the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience.” • A dead soul cannot initiate spiritual life or goodness. 3. Moral Inability • Isaiah 64:6: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” • Even our finest deeds fall short of God’s holy standard. 4. Separation from God’s Purpose • Created to reflect God’s glory (Genesis 1:26-27), we distort that image when estranged from Him. • Romans 3:23: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Corroborating Passages - Psalm 51:5—sinful from conception. - Proverbs 20:9—no one can claim a pure heart. - John 3:19—people “loved darkness rather than light.” - Titus 1:15—“To the corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure.” Why Good Works Cannot Earn Favor - Law exposes, not cures, our failure (Romans 3:20). - Any “good” performed without faith is still self-centered or God-ignoring (Hebrews 11:6). - A perfect, holy God requires perfect righteousness, which fallen humanity lacks (Matthew 5:48). The Only Remedy - Romans 3:24-25—“and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” - 2 Corinthians 5:21—God made Christ “to be sin for us… so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” - Regeneration by the Holy Spirit grants a new heart capable of genuine good (Ezekiel 36:26-27; Galatians 5:22-23). Living Implications - Humility: recognizing our utter dependence on grace. - Gratitude: Christ accomplished what we could never do. - Urgency: the world’s need for the gospel is absolute because “no one does good” without Him. |
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