Paul claimed that all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim 3:16-17). Critics protest. Because if all Scripture is from God, then all Scripture must ... be right. And if there is anything we know, it's that Scripture isn't right. I mean, look how many times it contradicts conventional views. For a proof of concept, Paul, quoting the Psalms, wrote, "No one does good, not even one" (Rom 3:12; cp Psa 14:3; Psa 53:3). That's different than "There is none righteous, no, not one" (Rom 3:10). In the latter, it's possible to do something righteous but not be righteous, right? I mean, we get no one is fully righteous. So it's no big deal. But "No one does good"?? Really? Is that just hyperbole? Because we know that people are good. Did Paul really mean that?
Isaiah, God's mouthpiece, wrote, "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away" (Isa 64:6). "A polluted garment." That's the ESV. King James uses "filthy rags." Another goes with "a dirty robe." All very euphemistic. The NET says our "righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in Your sight." In today's vernacular, Isaiah compared the "good" we do to a used tampon. The Hebrew word for "polluted" or "filthy" here appears only once in our Bibles, and that word means specifically to menstruation. Now, dance all you want ... trying to make that mean "but it's okay" can't be done. It made a woman unclean (Lev 15:33) until her menstruation period ended. It's bad, not good. So how is it so? In this text is the answer to the question. How is it that "all our righteous deeds" are ... polluted? Well ... because they are ... ours. We are sinners from birth (Psa 51:5). God said of natural man that "every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen 6:5), and "the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Gen 8:21). Jesus said, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Paul wrote, "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God" (Rom 8:8). How can we do good, then? Not of ourselves. It has to be a product of God's work in us. Without God working in us, there is no one that does good ... not ... one.
We like to think people are basically good. We do so in the face of plain Scripture. "Common sense" calls Paul's claim that there is no one who does good a falsehood; Scripture calls common sense, in this case, a liar. So you have to decide. Is Scripture right, or are your sense of it superior?
6 comments:
This whole concept of "basically good" falls flat when anyone really thinks about it. We all know we all break the law every day, on purpose. And before you protest, do you always drive the speed limit? Plus, we all know that children never need to be taught how to be selfish. And I have never heard of an apocalyptic story where humanity bands together. No, it always devolves to every-man-for-himself. So, clearly we know deep down that people are basically selfish. It would be more accurate to say we are basically consequence averse. If we think we can do something without bad consequences, we're going to do it. Again, before you protest, when you're out their speeding, do you show down when you see that cop up ahead? We lie to ourselves when we say we're not too bad. But then, you'd expect that from people who naturally suppress the truth. I wonder where I heard that one before.
I agree, the very notion that we are basically or intrinsically good seems to fail the eye test. As you note, children are selfish from birth and will lie almost before they can talk. If one pays attention to the Naturalist/Materialist/Darwinian folks, they're quite clear that selfish reproduction is the highest and most fulfilling aspect of life.
The reality seems to be that we tend to grade ourselves on a curve. We think that we're not as bad as others, hence we're basically good.
Exactly. "When they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding." (2 Cor 10:12)
It seems like the only way to convince oneself that everyone is good is to measure based on others perceived actions. Because we always give ourselves the benefit of the doubt, it's easy to believe that we are better than others.
As you note, doing so is a lack of understanding of how we really are.
I recently saw this observation from blogger Jacob Crouch: “Isn’t it interesting that when you are the measuring stick, you always measure up?” I agree that we all tend to do this, as evidenced by the “better-than-average affect.” For example, I saw a statement saying that 65% of Americans believe they are above average in intelligence. Clearly, 16% of them are sadly mistaken (and we all know many that clearly fall into that misguided group!). How sad that so many more are equally deceived about their moral goodness before a holy God; since He is the “measuring stick,” we never measure up. Thanks be to God for Christ’s imputed righteousness!
I am commenting belatedly for this post because I wanted to read up a bit about the “filthy rags = menstrual cloths = used tampon” reference (eww!). I have, of course, heard Isa. 65:6 quoted many times regarding the inability of our “good deeds” to please a holy God, and it always gave me pause in one very small way (which doesn’t distract from the main truth being presented). While many Christians find the OT Book of Leviticus a bit perplexing (and that particular verse one of the many graphic ones in it), I realize that much of the conundrum is created by cultural differences more than anything else--something of which we’re not all aware.
For example, as a modern-day woman, I at first take issue (no pun intended :) with the notion that the natural, God-designed monthly biological cycle that enables conception and childbirth makes women “unclean” and even “ill” (as per Lev. 15:33) and necessitates seclusion and withdrawal from all regular activity (although we girls did appreciate getting to sit out gym class every month back in Middle & High School :). After I read up more about the entire “cleanliness” rules and regulations detailed in Leviticus, I understood the instructions better. (And I am grateful not to be living under the Law!) Certainly the truth that I am a sinful person is clear to me (even if our perception of normal bodily functions and our routine hygiene practices have evolved over time).
A notable postscript: The King James Version translates the phrase in Lev. 15:33--“for a woman on her monthly cycle”--as “…and of her that is sick of her flowers….” Fortunately, other versions use different wording, as that phrasing left me scratching my head!
Post a Comment