What does it mean that “there is none who does good, no not one” (Psalm 14:3; Romans 3:12)?

Answer

Some individuals believe they will enter heaven because they consider themselves to be good. However, Psalm 14:3 states, “They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one” (NKJV). We have all sinned “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”, (Romans 3:23). As Jesus mentioned, “No one is good—except God alone” “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.”, (Luke 18:19).

When the Bible declares that “there is none who does good,” it does not imply that individuals are as wicked as possible or morally incapable of doing anything right. People are capable of performing good deeds. They can show kindness or thoughtfulness, give generous gifts, and assist the underprivileged. Even an atheist can engage in philanthropy. Nevertheless, no quantity of “good deeds” can alter the reality that all individuals are inherently sinful. Psalm 14:2–3 clarifies: “The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Only God is consistently good in all circumstances (1 Chronicles 16:34;Psalm 25:8;Mark 10:18), and He affirms that all individuals are sinful. “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins” “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”, (Ecclesiastes 7:20). No one has a natural inclination to pursue goodness or seek God.

Paul asserts that both Jews and Gentiles are subject to the power of sin. He questions, “Are we better than they? No, not at all; for we have previously charged that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin;” (Romans 3:9). In Romans 3:12, he cites Psalm 14:3: “There is none who does good, no, not one” (NKJV). All individuals require God’s salvation; those who remain unsaved will face the consequence of their sin, which is death. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).

Salvation does not hinge on a person’s goodness; if it did, no one would be saved, as there is no one who does good. The Bible teaches that we can never attain the goodness required to reach heaven (see Matthew 5:20; Titus 3:5). We must acknowledge that we are sinners who fall short of God’s glory. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23). Thankfully, God has provided a path for us to receive forgiveness for our sins and be saved through Jesus Christ. Salvation is rooted in the goodness of Jesus, for “in him is no sin.” “And you know that he appeared to take away our sins, and in him there is no sin.” (1 John 3:5). While we were still in our sinful state, Christ died for us. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). If we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, we will be saved. “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,” Romans 10:9.

Lord Jesus, and if you believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9). Christ alone was sufficient to earn heaven, and He declares righteous those who rely on Him for salvation “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.'” (Romans 1:17).

“There is none who does good” is a universal indictment of mankind. No one meets God’s standard of righteousness; everyone exists in a state of depravity. All have turned away from God and His authority, from truth to falsehood, from rightness to sin, and from wisdom to foolishness. While individuals can perform good deeds, none of these actions are inherently pure, untouched by sin, and none are sufficient to erase the consequences of sin. The only truly good One, God Himself, offers the gift of salvation freely to all who believe (Ephesians 2:8-9) and invites everyone to “taste and see that the Lord is good” “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.” (Psalm 34:8).