Can unbelievers do good things?

from the old testament

• God created all of humanity in His image, with the intent and ability to do good (Genesis 1:26–27). Still, these good deeds are temporary, partial, and limited, as all humans are affected by sin (Genesis 3, 6:5).
• The Old Testament shows that all people, including unbelievers, can do good. For example, in Genesis 20:6, God acknowledges that Abimelech acted righteously even though he was a Gentile, sparing Sarah and not touching her. This shows that even non-believers can make morally upright decisions.
• Jethro, a Midianite and not part of Israel, gave wise advice to Moses about leadership and justice in Exodus 18:21–22. Practical wisdom can exist outside covenant faith.
• In Job 1:1 and 1:8, Job is described as blameless and upright, even though the surrounding society is corrupt. This illustrates that people can live morally and act justly, apart from the broader context of sin in the world and the sin nature within us.
• Psalm 145:9 says, “The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” God’s creation includes people capable of kindness and good actions.
• Commands like “do not withhold good from those to whom it is due” (Proverbs 3:27) imply that even general human ethics or conscience can lead to moral acts.
• Still, there are limitations to human goodness apart from God. Psalm 14:1–3 and Psalm 53:1–3 say, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.” Even when people perform acts that seem good, their hearts are ultimately sinful apart from God’s work within them. We need a transformed heart that leads to transformed actions.
• Ecclesiastes 7:20 reads, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” Human goodness is limited and always imperfect.
• Jeremiah 17:9 tells us that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Human goodness is limited by the innate propensity to sin.
• “All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isaiah 64:6). This verse emphasizes that even our best efforts are insufficient before God apart from His grace. None of our actions are completely pure; they are tainted with sinful motives or limitations in continuing in the good. Ultimately, though we can do good, none of our good deeds are enough to reconcile us to God.

from the new testament

• The New Testament confirms that unbelievers can do acts that are morally good or beneficial but distinguishes them from true, consistent goodness and the saving righteousness of God. For example, Luke 6:33–35 shows us that even sinners can lend, give, and do good to others. Good deeds are not restricted to believers.
• Paul explains in Romans 2:14–15 that Gentiles (unbelievers) who do not have the Law can still act according to conscience. Moral understanding exists outside explicit faith.
• While unbelievers may claim to know God and perform outwardly good works, these deeds are limited in spiritual value if not rooted in true faith; they are insufficient for salvation (Titus 1:15–16).
• James 2:14–17 tells us that good deeds alone cannot save, but faith that leads to good works demonstrates obedience to God; thus, unbelievers may do good works, but they lack eternal significance without faith in Christ.

implications for today

“Why would God not let me go to heaven? I’m a good person.” This is a very common line of reasoning. Often what follows is a justification based on comparison: “I haven’t murdered anyone. I try not to lie. I haven’t committed adultery.” But doing some good things or doing less bad things compared to others does not equate to being good. Being “good” by human standards does not equal being righteous before God. It means we have been made in the image of God so we can do good. It’s part of God’s general revelation and general grace to us. When we see good being done by people, including unbelievers, we can rejoice that we have a God who is fully good. Imagine a world without God: there would be no good.

God alone is good. He alone is consistently pure, righteous, just, loving, and all His attributes perfectly, making Him good. He will never do anything that is sinful or wrong. All human goodness, no matter how sincere, is limited and tainted by sin. Even the kindest deeds or noblest intentions fall short of God’s perfect standard. That’s why salvation cannot be earned by our actions—only through faith in Christ, who alone offers perfect righteousness and restores our relationship with God (Romans 3:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Praise God that we have a good God who loves us so much that He gave His life for us, so we could be forgiven of sin, made right with Him, and live for what is good. Through Him, even our imperfect lives can bear eternal fruit. Through Him, we have the hope of being renewed in His likeness, removing what is bad and growing in what is truly good.