No One Is Righteous

The trafficking of more than 40 million enslaved people globally. Reports of horrific war crimes taking place in Eastern Europe. The rise of mass shootings. Hate crimes. Child abuse. Domestic violence. Global cyber-attacks. Identity theft. 

When we read the latest news headlines, we are hit with the reality of evil in our world today. The apostle Paul’s words ring true, “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). 

Not even one. What a sobering truth! Often we look at the current state of the world with a sense of disillusionment and disappointment. We wonder how people could behave so wickedly and selfishly. We even tell ourselves that we would never do the horrible things we read about in our news feeds or behave like that one person we heard about from so and so. 

It’s easy to see sin’s influence over our world, but what about over ourselves? We can conveniently convince ourselves that we are good people simply because we aren’t bad. Sure, we aren’t perfect, but there are plenty of people who do far worse. Our little white lies, our short tempers, our selfish ambitions, our vain conceits, our foolish pride, our dabbles in materialism and self-gratification, our need to be liked, or our dependency on entertainment or social media or alcohol or food to get through the day is not ideal, but it’s not that bad.  

The Word of God exposes the holes in our self-righteous thinking. Scripture teaches us that no one does only good and never sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20). We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). When we read the laws and commandments of God given to us through the Bible, we learn right and wrong. Yes, but equally important, we are forced to grapple with the wrongs we commit through commission and omission. Turns out good enough is not good enough. 

The Bible reveals sin in our lives but not to condemn us. Rather, Scripture shines a light on our need for Jesus (Galatians 3:22). It’s through faith in Him—and not our moral high ground—that we are liberated from the power of sin in our lives. When we confess our need for Jesus and believe in Him, we receive eternal salvation and freedom from the sins that would seek to imprison us. 

As you reflect on today’s reading, be encouraged that when Scripture convicts us of sin in our lives, it’s not to shame us but rather to invite us to experience the saving grace of Jesus Christ afresh and anew. Today, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to examine your heart and unmask any sin. Choose to humbly confess and repent. Receive God’s mercy and grace made possible through Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. Rely on His unfailing righteousness and not your own.