No One Is Good

Many are confused about the true condition of mankind, and what perplexes me even more is that when professing Christians embrace ideas about human nature being good, this directly contradicts what God has already revealed in His Word. This confusion often stems from either a lack of genuine faith or from a neglect of Scripture itself. When believers fail to read and study God's Word for themselves, they become vulnerable to teachings that elevate man while diminishing the seriousness of sin.

Yet when we open the Scriptures, the testimony is clear from beginning to end. God reveals that humanity's greatest problem is not our environment, our circumstances, or even other people. The problem is the human heart. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, mankind has been inclined to rebel against God, resist His authority, and pursue the desires of the flesh rather than submit to His truth.

The prophet Jeremiah declares, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9). This is the reality of fallen humanity. Apart from God's grace, man does not naturally seek righteousness, holiness, or obedience. Instead, we seek our own way.

Scripture is even more explicit in Romans 3:10-12:

"None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." 

This does not mean that every person is as evil as they could possibly be, but it does mean that sin has corrupted every aspect of our being. Our minds, our desires, our wills, and our affections have all been affected by the fall. Left to ourselves, we choose what pleases us rather than what glorifies God.

From the very beginning, God warned humanity about this condition. After the fall, mankind continually demonstrated a pattern of rebellion and self-centeredness. Even before the flood, God observed that "every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). Human history has repeatedly confirmed what God has already said: man naturally clings to his fleshly desires instead of the truth.

The Apostle Paul echoes this reality when he writes in Romans 8:6-8

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

And if we are not studying God's Word, how can we truly claim to know Him? Better yet, how can we say that we love Him or even understand what love is? The world has created countless definitions of love, but God has not left us to our own opinions or imaginations. Scripture tells us plainly that "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Therefore, He alone defines what love is, what it looks like, and how it is expressed. True love is not rooted in human emotions, desires, or personal preferences. It is rooted in the character of God Himself. This is why Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15). Genuine love for God is demonstrated through obedience to His Word, not merely through words or feelings.

To neglect God's Word is to neglect one of the primary ways He has revealed Himself to us. Through the Scriptures, we come to know His character, His holiness, His justice, His mercy, and His love. As Paul writes, "All Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Timothy 3:16), and it is through that divine revelation that we are taught, corrected, and transformed. Without a commitment to studying God's Word, it becomes easy to exchange God's truth for human wisdom and create an image of God that conforms to our desires rather than the God who has revealed Himself in Scripture.

Yet the good news is that the Bible does not merely reveal the sinful condition of man; it also reveals the Savior. While humanity is fallen, rebellious, and desperately in need of redemption, God has graciously provided the cure in Jesus Christ. Man's greatest need is not self-help, self-improvement, or a better understanding of himself. Man's greatest need is reconciliation with God through His Son. "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). The cross is the greatest

demonstration of God's love, where His justice and mercy met in the person of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, if we desire to know God, understand true love, and be rescued from our fallen condition, we must look to Christ and His Word. Apart from Him, we remain in darkness, following the desires of our own hearts. But through faith in Christ, we receive forgiveness, a new heart, and the gift of eternal life. As Peter wrote, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). Our hope is not found in ourselves but in Christ alone, for He is both the perfect revelation of God's love and the only Savior of sinful humanity.

I will end it here. I believe I have gotten my point across. Here are some scriptures you should study to better understand the condition of man.

Genesis 6:5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can understand it?

Matthew 15:18-20 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

Acts 8:22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

Matthew 12:34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

See, all these things reveal the condition of the heart of man. They expose what is really inside us, whether it be faith, doubt, obedience, rebellion, love, or pride. But when we come to the book of Hebrews, God shows us what His Word will do in the life of those who accept it, believe it, and choose to live according to it. God declares that His Word is like a sharp two-edged sword, powerful and alive, able to penetrate where nothing else can reach. It does not merely comfort us, but it examines us, corrects us, and divides everything that is not aligned with His will. It separates truth from error, flesh from spirit, and even exposes the deepest motives and intentions of our hearts. The power of God's Word is so great that it can bring division even within families, between those who receive it and those who reject it. It reaches beyond the outward man and cuts down to the very depths of our soul, revealing who we truly are before God and calling us into complete surrender to Him.

This is why I believe that the book of Hebrews 4:12 is the remedy for what needs to be understood for man to move forward with Christ.

Here are the verses:

Hebrews 4:12-15 

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.  Since then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God; let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

As always, may this blog be a blessing to all who pass through my blog page, and may it bring you a closer walk with our Lord & Savior.

Grace & Peace

Shalom