October 10, 2025 • 13 mins
This is Episode 148 of Christian Research Journal Reads. This is an audio version of the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL article, “Is It true That There Are Good Non-Christians?” by Clay Jones. This article first appeared in the in the Viewpoint column of the Christian Research Journal, volume 44, number 2 (2021). Viewpoint articles address relevant contemporary issues in discernment and apologetics from a particular perspective that is usually not shared by all Christians, with the intended result that Christians’ thinking on that issue will be stimulated and enhanced (whether or not people end up agreeing with the author’s opinion) https://www.equip.org/articles/is-it-true-that-there-are-good-non-christians/
.It was accompanied by Postmodern Realities Episode 247: Is It True That There Are Good Non-Christians?
This podcast presents audio versions of Christian Research Journal articles. As the flagship publication of the Christian Research Institute, the Journal seeks to equip followers of Christ to think and to live Christianly—to exercise truth and experience life. Truth, especially essential Christian doctrine, forms the basis for how we live our lives in Christ. As the apostle Paul instructed Timothy in 1 Tim. 4:16, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”The Christian Research Journal enjoyed a print incarnation of almost 45 years. Now exclusively an online publication, the Journal consists of thousands of free articles. We hope that through these audio articles you are not only equipped to proclaim and defend your faith but that as a disciple you also draw closer to Christ in your walk with Him. You can find the written version of each article that is an episode of Christian Research Journal Reads at the website of the Christian Research Institute, equip.org. All Christian Research Journal articles at equip.org are completely free and do not require a subscription and are not under a paywall.All episodes will be available at the following podcast platforms with more being added daily! You can help spread the word about this new podcast by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on and telling others!You can view off our Website at the at this link and off our Journal main page.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/christian-research-journal-reads--6022978/support.
.It was accompanied by Postmodern Realities Episode 247: Is It True That There Are Good Non-Christians?
This podcast presents audio versions of Christian Research Journal articles. As the flagship publication of the Christian Research Institute, the Journal seeks to equip followers of Christ to think and to live Christianly—to exercise truth and experience life. Truth, especially essential Christian doctrine, forms the basis for how we live our lives in Christ. As the apostle Paul instructed Timothy in 1 Tim. 4:16, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”The Christian Research Journal enjoyed a print incarnation of almost 45 years. Now exclusively an online publication, the Journal consists of thousands of free articles. We hope that through these audio articles you are not only equipped to proclaim and defend your faith but that as a disciple you also draw closer to Christ in your walk with Him. You can find the written version of each article that is an episode of Christian Research Journal Reads at the website of the Christian Research Institute, equip.org. All Christian Research Journal articles at equip.org are completely free and do not require a subscription and are not under a paywall.All episodes will be available at the following podcast platforms with more being added daily! You can help spread the word about this new podcast by giving us a rating and review from the other channels we are listed on and telling others!You can view off our Website at the at this link and off our Journal main page.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/christian-research-journal-reads--6022978/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
This is episode one hundred and forty eight of the
Christian Research Journal Reads Podcast. Is It True that There
Are Good Non Christians? By Clay Jones. This article first
appeared in the Viewpoint column of the Christian Research Journal,
Volume forty four, Number two, and twenty twenty one. Viewpoint
(00:26):
articles address relevant contemporary issues in discernment and apologetics from
a particular perspective that is usually not shared by all Christians,
with the intended result that Christian's thinking on that issue
will be stimulated and enhanced, whether or not people end
up agreeing with the author's opinion. The Christian Research Journal
(00:46):
Reads Podcast presents audio versions of Christian Research Journal articles.
To read this article and its full documentation, please go
to ecryp dot org. That's e qu ip dot.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Is it True that there are good non Christians? By
Clay Jones, Read by Christina Winterstellar. Many Christians believe that
there are good non Christians. After all, if you actually
know some good non Christians, then there must be good
non Christians. Right, That's not what Jesus thought. Consider that
(01:23):
Jesus wasn't making small talk when he was called a
quote good teacher unquote but replied quote why do you
call me good? No one is good except God alone
unquote Mark ten eighteen. Now, it is true there are
many apparently good non Christians, but we must not confuse
(01:43):
outward goodness with inward goodness. For Jesus, evil is always
first and foremost a matter of the heart. And by
the way, both John Calvin and Jakubus Arminius agreed that
apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, no one
does anything good. Still, Christians, wonder is it possible for
(02:05):
a person to be a good person outside of a
relationship with Christ. To be clear, I'm not even remotely
suggesting that Christians don't sin. They do often, and sometimes grievously.
Of course, Christians sin, I do. But true Christians, those
who have been born again, those who have been filled
(02:25):
with the Holy Spirit, are changed from within. They become
quote obedient from the heart unquote and quote slaves of
righteousness unquote Romans six seventeen through eighteen. In other words,
the Christians inner person wants to do God's will, even
if sometimes they choose not to. So let's look at
(02:47):
human quote goodness unquote apart from Christ. Why do bad
people do good things? I've asked my students. Quote, why
do gang members stop at red lights? Unquote? A student
once responded meekly, quote because they don't want to get
a ticket unquote. That might be part of it, But
(03:09):
isn't there a bigger, more compelling reason. Isn't the real
reason gang members stop at red lights because they don't
want to be hit by an eighteen wheeler and turned
into red asphalt? Sure it is gang members stop at
red lights in self interest, not moral goodness. Jesus said
that those who lust commit adultery in their hearts Matthew
(03:31):
five twenty eight. Now consider a scenario in which a
man and a woman both work at the same company,
and they are both married to people outside that company,
And in time, he flirts with her and she flirts
with him. Soon they have sexual fantasies about each other,
and both begin to think that perhaps the other person
(03:52):
would be willing to have sex with them. If that's
the case, why don't they go all the way and
do it. Well, it's not because they have decided to
cherish only their spouse, right, So why don't they quote
do it unquote? Isn't it because they're afraid of pregnancy
or that one of them might bring home an std
(04:13):
quote oh that's new, honey, where did you get that? Unquote,
Or that if their adultery became public, they might lose
their jobs or families, or reputations or all the above.
Whatever the case, the reason they aren't quote doing it
unquote isn't because of moral goodness. It's because of self interest.
(04:34):
And when these people finally quote do it unquote, it's
because they've decided that they have workarounds for all the
potential problems. Quote we'll use a condom unquote. Quote our
spouses are away unquote. Quote she he will never tell unquote,
and so on. In First John three point fifteen, it says,
(04:57):
quote everyone who hates his brother is a murderer unquote.
In other words, if you hate someone, you are a murderer,
even if you don't actually kill that person. Why don't
you kill the person you hate. It's not because you
care for the person, right after all, we've already established
you hate them. Then, isn't it about self interest? Quote
(05:21):
I don't want to go to prison unquote. Like adulterers,
haters actually do the deed when they become convinced that
they can get away with it. So how many of
us got out of junior high without being adulterous murderers.
I didn't. I hated kids, and kids hated me. And
I don't think I need to explain to you the
(05:41):
adulterous thoughts in a junior high school boy's mind. Thus,
we live in a society of adulterous murderers who think
they are good because they aren't acting out their sinful desires,
even though it's due to self interest. With these truths
in view, perhaps scripture makes more sense when it says, quote,
there is no one who does good, not even one.
(06:04):
Their throats are open graves, their mouths are full of cursing,
their feet are swift to shed blood unquote Romans three
twelve through fifteen, and IV was Gandhi a good non Christian.
Many bring up specific examples of quote good unquote non Christians. Quote,
(06:26):
But what about grandma? She isn't a Christian, but she
volunteers at the community center, and she bakes cookies for
the kids on her street unquote. But that doesn't make
her a good person. It only makes her a nice person.
After all, we all know there are KKK grandmas who
help seniors and bake cookies for the white kids in
their neighborhoods. Sure there are, that doesn't make them good.
(06:50):
Gandhi is most often cited as an example of the
quote good unquote non Christian. But Gandhi wasn't good. Gandhi
may have done many good things, but every night he
went to bed naked with his two nieces, other girls
and even married women. Lending money or possessions, smiling at
neighbors or baking cookies doesn't make one good. One horrifying
(07:14):
realization about murderers is that they can otherwise be nice.
Adolph Eichmann, the administrator at Auschwitz, was a family man
who never killed anyone himself. Polpot, who orchestrated the killing
fields of Cambodia, had a warm smile. When serial killers
are caught, their neighbors are often surprised and testified that
(07:35):
the killers were nice, even helpful. Jesus said, quote, if
you do good to those who do good to you,
what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do
the same unquote Luke six thirty three. Many misunderstand the Pharisees.
They were the outwardly good people of Jesus's day, but
(07:56):
Jesus called them quote blind guides unquote quote whitewash tombs unquote,
and quote vipers unquote Matthew twenty three, sixteen, twenty seven
thirty three. Outwardly they looked good, but inwardly they were
quote full of dead people's bones unquote, twenty three, twenty seven.
(08:19):
And contrary to popular belief, Jesus never criticized them for
condemning sin. He criticized them for doing what they condemned.
The leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy Luke twelve one.
In other words, the chief characteristic of the Pharisees was
that they didn't live what they taught. Similarly, many in
(08:40):
today's churches are regular attendees, givers, and greets, but they
unrepentantly harbor hate and lust in their hearts. Why non
Christians do good? I'm often asked about heroic acts that
do appear to be examples of human goodness. But again,
doing one good act, or even many good acts, doesn't
(09:03):
make one a good person. It just makes one the
doer of some good acts. Ernest Becker, in his Pulitzer
Prize winning book The Denial of Death, argues successfully that
man's overarching fear the mainspring of his existence is that
he knows he is going to die. To cope with this,
(09:23):
as the author of the forward sums it up, Man
tries to quote transcend death by participating in something of
lasting worth. We achieve Erzat's immortality by sacrificing ourselves to
conquer an empire, to build a temple, to write a book,
to establish a family, to accumulate a fortune, to further
(09:44):
progress and prosperity, to create an information society and a
global free market unquote. Becker writes that a fellow who
may quote throw himself on a grenade to save his
comrades unquote, must quote fear and believe what he is
doing is truly heroic, timeless, and supremely meaningful unquote. This
(10:07):
striving for heroics in quote passionate people unquote is quote
a screaming for glory, as uncritical and reflexive as the
howling of a dog unquote. But for most people, for
the more quote passive masses unquote, this heroism is quote
disguised as they humbly and complainingly follow out the roles
(10:30):
that society provides for their heroics and try to earn
their promotions within the system unquote that allows them to
quote stick out, but ever so little and so safely unquote.
Something is desperately wrong with humankind, and the best explanation
is that we are the sexual reproductions of Adam and Eve.
(10:52):
We are all born with a corrupt nature. Paul writes, quote,
you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which
you once walked, following the course of this world, following
the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that is now at work in the sons of disobedience,
among whom we all once lived in the passions of
(11:13):
our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and
the mind, and were by nature children of wrath like
the rest of mankind unquote Ephesians two one through three.
Notice that outside of Christ, Satan is at work within you,
and you are quote by nature children of wrath unquote.
(11:35):
But the next verse tells us quote because of his
great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead
in transgressions. It is by grace you have been saved unquote,
Ephesians two four n IV. Indeed, you can be born
(11:55):
again into a new family. Trust in Jesus's work on
the Cross and repent of your sins. You'll be saved,
and then you'll become obedient from the heart. Saying there
are no good non Christians offends people. Indeed, a student
one sheepishly asked me, quote, is this a message we
really want to get out? Unquote? I replied, Quote Jesus
(12:20):
said that the world hates me because I testify that
its works are evil unquote John seven seven NIV. So WWJD,
isn't this another way that we should be more like Jesus?
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Thank you for listening to another episode from the Christian
Research Journal Reads podcast, which provides audio articles of Christian
Research Journal articles.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
If you go to equip dot org.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
You will find a brand new article for the Christian
Research Journal published weekly. In addition, please subscribe to our
other podcasts. Wherever you find your favorite podcast, you will
find the Christian Research Journal Reads podcast, the Postmodern Realities podcast,
which features interviews with Christian Research Journal authors, our flagship podcast,
(13:12):
The Bible answer Man Broadcast, and the Hank Unplugged podcast,
where cri I President Hank Canagraph takes you out of
the studio and into his study to engage in in depth,
free flowing, essential Christian conversations on critical issues with some
of the most interesting and informative people on the planet.
(13:36):
At equipped dot org, you will also find a lot
of resources to equip you, including many thousands of Christian
Research journal articles. That's e qu ip dot RG.
This is episode one hundred and forty eight of the
Christian Research Journal Reads Podcast. Is It True that There
Are Good Non Christians? By Clay Jones. This article first
appeared in the Viewpoint column of the Christian Research Journal,
Volume forty four, Number two, and twenty twenty one. Viewpoint
(00:26):
articles address relevant contemporary issues in discernment and apologetics from
a particular perspective that is usually not shared by all Christians,
with the intended result that Christian's thinking on that issue
will be stimulated and enhanced, whether or not people end
up agreeing with the author's opinion. The Christian Research Journal
(00:46):
Reads Podcast presents audio versions of Christian Research Journal articles.
To read this article and its full documentation, please go
to ecryp dot org. That's e qu ip dot.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Is it True that there are good non Christians? By
Clay Jones, Read by Christina Winterstellar. Many Christians believe that
there are good non Christians. After all, if you actually
know some good non Christians, then there must be good
non Christians. Right, That's not what Jesus thought. Consider that
(01:23):
Jesus wasn't making small talk when he was called a
quote good teacher unquote but replied quote why do you
call me good? No one is good except God alone
unquote Mark ten eighteen. Now, it is true there are
many apparently good non Christians, but we must not confuse
(01:43):
outward goodness with inward goodness. For Jesus, evil is always
first and foremost a matter of the heart. And by
the way, both John Calvin and Jakubus Arminius agreed that
apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, no one
does anything good. Still, Christians, wonder is it possible for
(02:05):
a person to be a good person outside of a
relationship with Christ. To be clear, I'm not even remotely
suggesting that Christians don't sin. They do often, and sometimes grievously.
Of course, Christians sin, I do. But true Christians, those
who have been born again, those who have been filled
(02:25):
with the Holy Spirit, are changed from within. They become
quote obedient from the heart unquote and quote slaves of
righteousness unquote Romans six seventeen through eighteen. In other words,
the Christians inner person wants to do God's will, even
if sometimes they choose not to. So let's look at
(02:47):
human quote goodness unquote apart from Christ. Why do bad
people do good things? I've asked my students. Quote, why
do gang members stop at red lights? Unquote? A student
once responded meekly, quote because they don't want to get
a ticket unquote. That might be part of it, But
(03:09):
isn't there a bigger, more compelling reason. Isn't the real
reason gang members stop at red lights because they don't
want to be hit by an eighteen wheeler and turned
into red asphalt? Sure it is gang members stop at
red lights in self interest, not moral goodness. Jesus said
that those who lust commit adultery in their hearts Matthew
(03:31):
five twenty eight. Now consider a scenario in which a
man and a woman both work at the same company,
and they are both married to people outside that company,
And in time, he flirts with her and she flirts
with him. Soon they have sexual fantasies about each other,
and both begin to think that perhaps the other person
(03:52):
would be willing to have sex with them. If that's
the case, why don't they go all the way and
do it. Well, it's not because they have decided to
cherish only their spouse, right, So why don't they quote
do it unquote? Isn't it because they're afraid of pregnancy
or that one of them might bring home an std
(04:13):
quote oh that's new, honey, where did you get that? Unquote,
Or that if their adultery became public, they might lose
their jobs or families, or reputations or all the above.
Whatever the case, the reason they aren't quote doing it
unquote isn't because of moral goodness. It's because of self interest.
(04:34):
And when these people finally quote do it unquote, it's
because they've decided that they have workarounds for all the
potential problems. Quote we'll use a condom unquote. Quote our
spouses are away unquote. Quote she he will never tell unquote,
and so on. In First John three point fifteen, it says,
(04:57):
quote everyone who hates his brother is a murderer unquote.
In other words, if you hate someone, you are a murderer,
even if you don't actually kill that person. Why don't
you kill the person you hate. It's not because you
care for the person, right after all, we've already established
you hate them. Then, isn't it about self interest? Quote
(05:21):
I don't want to go to prison unquote. Like adulterers,
haters actually do the deed when they become convinced that
they can get away with it. So how many of
us got out of junior high without being adulterous murderers.
I didn't. I hated kids, and kids hated me. And
I don't think I need to explain to you the
(05:41):
adulterous thoughts in a junior high school boy's mind. Thus,
we live in a society of adulterous murderers who think
they are good because they aren't acting out their sinful desires,
even though it's due to self interest. With these truths
in view, perhaps scripture makes more sense when it says, quote,
there is no one who does good, not even one.
(06:04):
Their throats are open graves, their mouths are full of cursing,
their feet are swift to shed blood unquote Romans three
twelve through fifteen, and IV was Gandhi a good non Christian.
Many bring up specific examples of quote good unquote non Christians. Quote,
(06:26):
But what about grandma? She isn't a Christian, but she
volunteers at the community center, and she bakes cookies for
the kids on her street unquote. But that doesn't make
her a good person. It only makes her a nice person.
After all, we all know there are KKK grandmas who
help seniors and bake cookies for the white kids in
their neighborhoods. Sure there are, that doesn't make them good.
(06:50):
Gandhi is most often cited as an example of the
quote good unquote non Christian. But Gandhi wasn't good. Gandhi
may have done many good things, but every night he
went to bed naked with his two nieces, other girls
and even married women. Lending money or possessions, smiling at
neighbors or baking cookies doesn't make one good. One horrifying
(07:14):
realization about murderers is that they can otherwise be nice.
Adolph Eichmann, the administrator at Auschwitz, was a family man
who never killed anyone himself. Polpot, who orchestrated the killing
fields of Cambodia, had a warm smile. When serial killers
are caught, their neighbors are often surprised and testified that
(07:35):
the killers were nice, even helpful. Jesus said, quote, if
you do good to those who do good to you,
what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do
the same unquote Luke six thirty three. Many misunderstand the Pharisees.
They were the outwardly good people of Jesus's day, but
(07:56):
Jesus called them quote blind guides unquote quote whitewash tombs unquote,
and quote vipers unquote Matthew twenty three, sixteen, twenty seven
thirty three. Outwardly they looked good, but inwardly they were
quote full of dead people's bones unquote, twenty three, twenty seven.
(08:19):
And contrary to popular belief, Jesus never criticized them for
condemning sin. He criticized them for doing what they condemned.
The leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy Luke twelve one.
In other words, the chief characteristic of the Pharisees was
that they didn't live what they taught. Similarly, many in
(08:40):
today's churches are regular attendees, givers, and greets, but they
unrepentantly harbor hate and lust in their hearts. Why non
Christians do good? I'm often asked about heroic acts that
do appear to be examples of human goodness. But again,
doing one good act, or even many good acts, doesn't
(09:03):
make one a good person. It just makes one the
doer of some good acts. Ernest Becker, in his Pulitzer
Prize winning book The Denial of Death, argues successfully that
man's overarching fear the mainspring of his existence is that
he knows he is going to die. To cope with this,
(09:23):
as the author of the forward sums it up, Man
tries to quote transcend death by participating in something of
lasting worth. We achieve Erzat's immortality by sacrificing ourselves to
conquer an empire, to build a temple, to write a book,
to establish a family, to accumulate a fortune, to further
(09:44):
progress and prosperity, to create an information society and a
global free market unquote. Becker writes that a fellow who
may quote throw himself on a grenade to save his
comrades unquote, must quote fear and believe what he is
doing is truly heroic, timeless, and supremely meaningful unquote. This
(10:07):
striving for heroics in quote passionate people unquote is quote
a screaming for glory, as uncritical and reflexive as the
howling of a dog unquote. But for most people, for
the more quote passive masses unquote, this heroism is quote
disguised as they humbly and complainingly follow out the roles
(10:30):
that society provides for their heroics and try to earn
their promotions within the system unquote that allows them to
quote stick out, but ever so little and so safely unquote.
Something is desperately wrong with humankind, and the best explanation
is that we are the sexual reproductions of Adam and Eve.
(10:52):
We are all born with a corrupt nature. Paul writes, quote,
you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which
you once walked, following the course of this world, following
the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that is now at work in the sons of disobedience,
among whom we all once lived in the passions of
(11:13):
our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and
the mind, and were by nature children of wrath like
the rest of mankind unquote Ephesians two one through three.
Notice that outside of Christ, Satan is at work within you,
and you are quote by nature children of wrath unquote.
(11:35):
But the next verse tells us quote because of his
great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
made us alive with Christ even when we were dead
in transgressions. It is by grace you have been saved unquote,
Ephesians two four n IV. Indeed, you can be born
(11:55):
again into a new family. Trust in Jesus's work on
the Cross and repent of your sins. You'll be saved,
and then you'll become obedient from the heart. Saying there
are no good non Christians offends people. Indeed, a student
one sheepishly asked me, quote, is this a message we
really want to get out? Unquote? I replied, Quote Jesus
(12:20):
said that the world hates me because I testify that
its works are evil unquote John seven seven NIV. So WWJD,
isn't this another way that we should be more like Jesus?
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Thank you for listening to another episode from the Christian
Research Journal Reads podcast, which provides audio articles of Christian
Research Journal articles.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
If you go to equip dot org.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
You will find a brand new article for the Christian
Research Journal published weekly. In addition, please subscribe to our
other podcasts. Wherever you find your favorite podcast, you will
find the Christian Research Journal Reads podcast, the Postmodern Realities podcast,
which features interviews with Christian Research Journal authors, our flagship podcast,
(13:12):
The Bible answer Man Broadcast, and the Hank Unplugged podcast,
where cri I President Hank Canagraph takes you out of
the studio and into his study to engage in in depth,
free flowing, essential Christian conversations on critical issues with some
of the most interesting and informative people on the planet.
(13:36):
At equipped dot org, you will also find a lot
of resources to equip you, including many thousands of Christian
Research journal articles. That's e qu ip dot RG.
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