Maliciousness and Goodness

"'Being filled with...maliciousness' (Romans 1:29). Maliciousness is the perverse tendency in man to do evil despite the good which he has received; indeed he abuses even the good things which God gives him in the service of evil. Conversely, goodness is the right disposition in man to do good even when his effort is hindered or checked by some wrong done to him; goodness even makes evil serve that which is good. A person is not good in the Christian sense of the term who does only good so long as he fares well and no resistance is offered to him in any way. Of being good in this Christian sesnse, those who are good only in a worldly sense are not capable, as we read in Matthew 7:18; 'A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.'" - Martin Luther, "Commentary on Romans," pg. 49.