These people rebelled and drew away from obeying Allah (swt), by not following His commands, whereas His commands bring goodness for all of mankind. Allah (swt) has said:

 إِنَّ اللّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاء ذِي الْقُرْبَى وَيَنْهَى عَنِ الْفَحْشَاء وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

(Indeed, Allah commands justice, grace, as well as courtesy to close relatives. He forbids indecency, wickedness, and aggression. He instructs you so perhaps you will be mindful) (An-Nahl: 90)

Islam is the path of goodness and reformation, for both the self and for one’s moral values. This is because, the human being is made up of an oppressive component and a guiding soul. This guiding soul goes into the oppressive component, and it is the one which learns from the Quran and takes in knowledge from the Prophet (saws). It is also the one which has the capacity to be good, as Allah (swt) says:

 وَالْعَصْرِ (1) إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ (2) إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ

(By the (passage of) time! (1) Surely humanity is in loss, (2) except those who have faith, do good, and urge each other to the truth, and urge each other to be patient.) (Al-‘Assr: 1-3)

Therefore, let it not be just words, i.e. ‘I am a believer’. For faith must be translated, and good deeds are its translator.