Psalm 53:3 states, “…there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” This concept is known as man's "total depravity."
Every human being is plagued with corruption, which sounds extreme, but when compared to the perfection that is God’s standard, then we have to accept this.
This doesn’t mean all people behave like wanton criminals 100% of the time. It does not mean that unsaved people do not desire a "good" life. However, when we are seeking good we are doing so for selfish motivations. The only "good" reason to do anything is for the glory of God, and an unbeliever is never at any time doing anything for God's glory and heartfelt gratitude. They are doing it to enjoy their own life more or to avoid pain and undesirable outcomes.
Genesis 1:31 states, “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”
God's act of creation is by definition good because it was done for His glory. What is the chief end of man? To glorify God, and enjoy him forever.
What God has created is good; human beings, life on earth, the earth, the sea and all that in them is, it is all good according to God the creator. Life is precious for no other reason than because it is a gift of God and because God deemed it GOOD.
Your heathen neighbor with all of his heathen ways is a creature made in the image of God and put here by God. He might lack faith and "proper" Christian morals, but he, like you, has an innate desire to live a peaceable and quiet life (definitions based on culture).
Romans 2:12-15 states, “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;).”
Both heathens and Christ’s disciples are capable of showing the work of the law written in their hearts, but they are not necessarily acting out of holy pure and righteous motivations. That is why all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
The difference between a believing sinner and a lost sinner is that our sins are forgiven. This glorious truth is not to be construed as a license to sin, but a gift granted to us by God himself for His glory alone. There is no other way to atone for transgressions.
Having obtained God’s mercy, we are then to show mercy to the rest of His creation, including heathen, while proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ. However, being merciful to all doesn’t mean tolerance of all things. It means assuming responsibility as a disciple of Jesus Christ, by denying ourselves and carrying our cross DAILY and following after Him (Luke 9:23). It is a great responsibility that we have considering that we have both the knowledge of God's law and the fullness of his Grace, and that we hear it preached every Lord's day. It means judging righteous judgement, proven by Scripture (John 7:24).
So yes, humans are generally “good” in that we all want “good” things and that God created us, but we are also generally “bad” in that we are all irredeemably sinful and unable to please God without Christ as mediator. A disciple of Christ realizes this, but a heathen will attempt to build a resume of good works in order to make up for his life’s shortcomings.
Of course, the church has it’s sworn enemies, those imposters who exist simply to oppose the church of Jesus Christ. We must search the scriptures carefully to know who they are and remember that God put them here for a purpose also. Nevertheless, we remain faithful and merciful.
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