What does it mean that “there is none who does good, no not one” (Psalm 14:3; Romans 3:12)?
The verses Psalm 14:3 and Romans 3:12 both make the statement that “there is none who does good, no not one.” This is a profound claim about the spiritual condition of humanity that deserves careful examination. Let’s explore the context, meaning, and implications of this biblical teaching.
The Context of Psalm 14:3
Psalm 14 is attributed to King David and it speaks poetically about the depravity of humankind. David observes that “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God'” (Psalm 14:1). The atheism of the fool leads to corrupt living: “They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good” (Psalm 14:1). David rhetorically asks if there is any wise and understanding person who seeks after God (Psalm 14:2). His answer is that all have turned aside from righteousness and truth (Psalm 14:3). Verse 3 then declares the universal condition of sinfulness: “There is none who does good, no, not one.”
In the context of Psalm 14, David is making sweeping statements about the spiritual state of all people. While there may be relative differences in goodness, in an absolute sense no one measures up to the perfect standard of God’s righteousness. Paul will later pick up this verse and apply it in Romans 3 to all people, both Jews and Gentiles, establishing that every mouth is silenced before God because no one is righteous before Him (Romans 3:9-20).
The Meaning of Psalm 14:3 and Romans 3:12
When the Bible says that no one does good, it is evaluating human behavior by the perfect moral law of God. Compared to God’s absolute holiness and righteousness, every person falls short of sinless perfection. Even the most moral, upright person sins and makes mistakes. Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” Both Old and New Testaments affirm that all people are sinners and lack the righteousness that God requires (1 Kings 8:46; Romans 3:23).
This does not mean that unbelievers are as evil as they could possibly be. But it does mean that without Christ, no one can do works that are truly good and pleasing to God. Even acts of human kindness are tainted by wrong motives and fail to reach God’s perfect standard (Isaiah 64:6). Only what is done through faith in Jesus Christ is considered truly good in God’s sight (John 15:5; Hebrews 11:6).
So when the Bible says no one does good, it is commenting on the sinful nature of humanity and our inability to merit salvation through good works. This universal human condition of sinfulness is why we all desperately need the grace and forgiveness that comes through faith in Christ.
The Implications of Psalm 14:3 and Romans 3:12
This biblical teaching has several important implications for our lives:
- It humbles us by revealing our sinfulness before a holy God.
- It moves us to repentance and motivates us to cry out for God’s mercy and grace.
- It helps us put our faith in Christ alone for salvation rather than trusting in our own goodness.
- It stimulates gratitude for God’s forgiveness as we recognize we don’t deserve it.
- It motivates us to demonstrate grace, forgiveness and compassion to others.
- It imparts realism that even followers of Christ still struggle with sin in this life.
- It reminds us that only God is perfectly good all the time.
In summary, the biblical teaching that no one does good, no not one is not meant to disparage human dignity but to declare our universal need for a Savior. It exalts the perfection of God, humbles the pride of humanity, and magnifies the grace that comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone.
This truth strips away any basis for boasting in ourselves and directs all glory to God (Ephesians 2:8-9). It frames the human predicament in biblical terms and establishes our need for the gospel. There is hope for sinners only because of the sinless Savior who gave Himself for us. As Romans 3 ultimately declares, we are “justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus … It is God who justifies” (Romans 3:24, 26).
Related Bible Verses About Human Sinfulness
Here are some additional Bible verses that speak to the universal human condition of sin and our need for salvation by God’s grace:
- Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
- Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
- Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way.”
- Romans 5:12 – “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.”
- 1 John 1:8 – “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
- Mark 10:18 – “No one is good except God alone.”
- Psalm 51:5 – “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
- Ephesians 2:1-3 – “You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world…and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”
In all, the consistent testimony of Scripture is clear. Apart from Christ, even the best people fall infinitely short of God’s perfect standard of righteousness. There is indeed “none who does good” when compared with the holiness of God. This is why the gospel of God’s grace in Jesus Christ is such incredibly good news for every human heart!