At the point of creation good had nothing to do with an act of any kind. While Adam enjoyed close relationship with God, Adam was good. But as soon as that bond was severed what was once good, became bad.
So, where does our concept of good come from?
For the world, good is in all human beings from birth unless circumstances and environment turn them into something bad.
But Biblically, sin is resident in human beings from birth. God’s perspective is, that we are born into sin. We do not later on inherit it, we come into this world with it already at work in us. There is no good in us because there is no God in us. We are not born the temple of the Living God until we have received Jesus Christ and are born again from above.
So how do we explain unsaved people doing things that are commonly defined as good in our society?
Is it possible for a sinner to think of others, and be polite?
Many Christians make the mistake of thinking, that only believers are nice and polite and generous. This is due to a profound lack of sound doctrine in churches today. Primarily, a misunderstanding of how to define what good is, and where it comes from.
I’ve known sinners who were more generous and thoughtful than some Christians I have encountered.
1 Corinthians 13 reveals that Christians can be as self centered as any sinner is in their acts of kindness towards others.
The passage presents an argument that proves doing good things, does not make us good. Good things can be done without love.
Jesus said that many would come to Him in that day and say, “Lord, Lord, have we not…”
Now this does not mean that sinners or believers should cease from doing good things for others. In fact, the truth is, the more Christ is formed in a believer, the more they find it possible to do for others in life from a pure motive.
The difference between a believer and a sinner should be in our understanding of where good comes from, and on what basis anyone would be seen by God, as good.
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
