HOW BAD IS OUR BEST?

HOW BAD IS OUR BEST?

                   “Most people are good.” “There is a little good in all of us.” How often have you heard sayings like these? We see people who are seemingly kind or generous and we make statements that elucidate the traits we find and declare them to be positive. Someone comes by when we are in need of help, it may be a particularly difficult situation that requires an act of selfless sacrifice, and naturally we view this night-in-shining-armor in the most favorable way. Certainly, he must be a good person.  An elderly woman who attends her church regularly and aids in several of its local ministry outreaches is said to be a good woman. And who would dare say otherwise?

                   What constitutes “good”? If we make a determination that one thing or action is good do we not make that determination on the basis of comparison? Our elderly woman in the above paragraph is good compared to the drunkard in the corner bar. But if we were born in a different culture where Christianity was the antithesis of the common faith she may not be viewed as being good by many holding to that faith or belief. Before we can say someone is good we must have a standard by which to make that judgment. In our world, and throughout the world, the idea of good or bad is commonly a matter of comparison with cultural norms, norms which vary with the tide of human depravity.

                   If our rule of moral virtue continues to be the comparison of one depraved human with another then the level of good we aspire to will soon be no greater than striving for the pinnacle of a trash heap. Is there a greater measure? Is there a sure and stable rule of virtue which does not change with society or the depravity of man?

                   The Bible and its teachings do not change with man. Certainly, there are many today who strive to adapt the Word of God to their culture. However, they can only do so by changing its content and when one changes the content of the Bible one no longer holds the Bible. Then they merely possess their own writings. The Bible is unchanging and it is the sure Word of God. The Bible has been the driving force for good in every culture in which it has been espoused. It is, and always has been the very Word of God (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17; Rev 1:8; 1Peter 1:15-16; 2Timothy 1:9; 2Corinthians 7:1; 2Corinthians 1:20; Galatians 3:22; John 1:1, 14; 1John 5:11; Revelation 1:1).

                   So then, if the Bible is the Word of God and it is eternally unchanging then one might reasonably ask what it has to say about the goodness of man. One of the most devastating proclamations of man’s nature is in Isaiah 64:6a, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags….” All of those things we thought were good, “our righteousnesses” the Bible says are like “filthy rags” before God. Our church going woman, the man who came to our aid unselfishly, and any other nice person we might have in mind is like a soiled rag (a term I choose not to define here). Our goodness is compared to that which most vulgar.

                   If our goodness is so bad then how bad is our wickedness? We all know that we do wrong. And if our good is terribly wicked in the eyes of God we cannot possibly believe our good can outweigh our bad. The Bible says we are all bad no matter how good we think we are. Look closely at the Bible’s assessment of our goodness in Romans 3:11-18, “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (v.12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (v.13) Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: (v.14) whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: (v.15) their feet are swift to shed blood: (v.16) destruction and misery are in their ways: (v.17) and the way of peace have they not known: (v.18) there is no fear of God before their eyes.” Yet, God demands holiness, 1Peter 1:16 “Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy.”

                   God has chosen to give (or impute) righteousness to us by His grace since it is clear we cannot do good on our own, Romans 4:6-8 “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, (v.7) saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. (v.8) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Those who come to Christ for salvation receive His righteousness. It is imputed to us since we can do no good on our own.

                   How bad is our best? Salvation must come by grace and grace alone because our best is as filthy rags before God. Our only hope is that God will impute the righteousness of Christ to us.

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