God Alone Is Good: Why We Must Be Reborn
“There is none good but one, that is, God.”
— Matthew 19:17
“Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy.”
— Revelation 15:4
The Exclusive Source of Goodness
From the beginning to the end of Scripture, one foundational truth stands clear: God alone is good. Goodness is not an abstract concept, nor is it an attribute that can exist apart from God. It is rooted in His nature. Goodness, like holiness and love, is not a transferable trait or something any created being inherently possesses. Wherever God is not present, goodness cannot be found.
This is not simply a theological idea—it is a defining reality of the universe. Outside of God, there is no goodness, no righteousness, no holiness, and no life. All creatures—human or angelic—can only reflect goodness to the extent that they are united with God. In themselves, apart from that union, they are nothing but darkness and self-serving corruption.
The Fall: A Separation from Goodness
This truth becomes vital when we consider the fall of Lucifer, Adam, Eve, and the angels who joined in rebellion. These were beings who existed in sinless flesh, created in perfection and beauty. Yet even in that flawless physical condition, they became evil the moment they chose to separate themselves from God.
It was not the body that brought corruption. It was the heart and the will— the choice to be independent.
Lucifer desired self-exaltation (Isaiah 14:12–14). Adam and Eve believed the lie that they could be like God without God (Genesis 3:5). This independent mindset—the desire to live apart from God—was the essence of sin. The moment they broke union with God, their goodness was lost. Evil was not something they gradually adopted; it was the immediate result of separation.
Although the full manifestation of that evil took time, the internal shift was immediate. Just as a branch cut from the tree withers over time but dies instantly, so the soul cut off from God loses life and goodness in a single stroke.
Born Separated, Born Evil
The consequences of Adam’s choice were far-reaching. Not only did he fall, but every one of his descendants inherited a state of separation from God. As Paul writes:
“Through one man, sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.”
— Romans 5:12
This inherited condition is not just one of guilt but of disconnection. Every human being is born into the dominion of darkness (Col. 1:13), born spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1), and born with a nature that is fundamentally opposed to God. It is not merely that we commit sinful acts—we are sinful by nature.
Without divine intervention, we remain in that state:
Sinful in body
Corrupt in mind
Self-governed by fallen instincts
Empty of God’s Spirit
Enslaved to sin and Satan’s principles
Even our “best” human actions are tainted by selfishness, pride, or impure motives. Isaiah says:
“All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” — Isaiah 64:6
That is the devastating truth: we are not born neutral—we are born evil. Not evil by creation, but evil by condition. Because goodness only exists in God, and we are born without Him, we are therefore void of goodness.
The Absolute Necessity of the New Birth
This is why Jesus said:
“Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
— John 3:3
Being born again is not optional. It's not for the overly religious. It’s not just a spiritual upgrade. It is a radical re-creation. We are not improved—we are made new. Only by receiving the Holy Spirit, the very presence of God, can we be restored to goodness.
Without the Spirit, we remain:
Enemies of God (Rom. 8:7)
Slaves to sin (John 8:34)
Incapable of true righteousness (Rom. 3:10–12)
Cut off from the source of life (John 15:5)
But when Christ enters, the good enters. Only then can we bear fruit that pleases God. Only then can the righteousness of God be manifested in us—not because we are good, but because He lives in us.
Christ in You: The Only Hope of Goodness
God does not ask us to be good apart from Him. He knows that’s impossible. Instead, He offers to come and live His life through us. Paul writes:
“It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
— Galatians 2:20
This is the only way a creature can be good: through union with God Himself. Divinity living in humanity—this is the gospel. This is salvation. This is what restores goodness where none existed.
Final Thoughts: No Good Without God
To summarize:
God alone is good. (Matt. 19:17)
No creature is good apart from God.
The moment a being separates from God, it becomes evil—by default.
We are all born into that separated, sinful condition.
Our only hope is the new birth—the restoration of union with God through the Spirit.
Christ in us is the only source of goodness in us.
The greatest deception is to believe that we can ever be good apart from Him. But the greatest truth is this:
“Christ in you, the hope of glory.” — Colossians 1:27
Only when we lose confidence in ourselves and cling entirely to God do we finally understand what goodness is—and where it must come from.