Ironside
09-18-2007, 11:49 PM
Before we can get a biblical apprehension of the doctrine of Good works, other related themes must be understood, namely: The doctrine of the Depravity of Man and the doctrine of Common Grace.
Depravity of Man: What is it?
Depravity of man is that man is as possibly bad off as he can be. It refers to man’s innate sinfulness. In the heart of every human being lies the capacity, the tendency and the potential to commit all kinds of wickedness, all sin mentioned in the Book given the right situation and context. Depravity also says that in man, in his unsaved state, nothing good dwells. Absolutely nothing that he does is good in God’s sight.
Ro 8:8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
“Those who are in the flesh” refers to those who are not saved; those who do not have the Holy Spirit of God. The verse says: Those who are in the flesh [those who are not saved] cannot please God.
That’s why the Bible says:
Ge 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
We may reason that that verse refers to those people in Noah’s time. Not so, when we get to the New Testament, God’s verdict remains the same when God looks at unsaved man:
Ro 3:10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."
I never understood those verses before. I wondered: "How can there be none righteous, none who does good when everywhere I see people both unsaved and saved doing good?" Until the verse below illumined me:
Isa 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
“Filthy rags” here actually alludes to the menstrual cloth of a woman stained with menstrual blood. That is how God views unsaved man’s good works. The unsaved man only has one nature, that is, sinful nature. Every thing that proceeds from him finds its root in that one nature of his.
Also……
Unsaved man does not have to commit actual sins to sin; he being in the unrepentant state is sin in itself. He doesn’t have to lie, murder, steal to commit sin, his being unrepentant and not trusting Christ alone for salvation is sin in itself. Even if he sleeps all day as long as he stays unrepentant that unrepentant state is sin in itself. Man is not basically good [no matter what Psychology says]. No rather, man is basically sinful. We all have the same disease [Sin] but we manifest different symptoms.
The innate sinful proclivity in man
One prisoner convicted of murder said: “I was not a murderer before. I never thought of snuffing the life off somebody. You can verify what I just said to my neighbors. I am a good citizen. It was just that I suddenly snapped!!! He endlessly provoked me to anger again and again every single day. I couldn’t contain my anger anymore.”
The man obviously did not know the sinfulness of his heart. God in heaven, however, was not surprised about the murder he committed. God knew all along [since his childhood] that lying inherent in his heart is the tendency to murder. It was not the situation that made him a murderer. No, the situation only drew out what was in his heart all along.
Only one Man that ever walked this planet will always be holy and righteous no matter what situation you may put Him. Spit on His face and He will not retaliate. Mock Him and curse Him, He will only bless. Strip Him naked [put Him to open shame] and crucify Him on the cross and He will only say: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Why? Because He was the only Man that lived on this earth that is not depraved.
Allan was born in the Bronx wherein criminals, drug pushers, prostitutes etc. reside, where criminality and immorality is a normal way of life. Born to a father who lived by the gun and to a mother who made selling his body a profession, Allan turned out to be the most notorious criminal in the neighborhood. It was predictable what Allan would turn out to be. The environment, the moral atmosphere and the context that he was in only served to foster the already sinful bent of his heart since birth.
We are all sinners by birth, sinners by nature and sinners by choice. Only one Man is not like that. He was amidst sinners yet He did not sin for He was holy and righteous by birth, holy and righteous by nature and therefore holy and righteous by choice.
Years ago the Minnesota Crime Commission released this statement:
“Every baby starts life as a little savage. He is completely selfish and self-centered. He wants what he wants when he wants it-----his bottle, his mother’s attention, his playmates’ toy, his uncle’s watch. Deny him this once, and he seethes with rage and aggressiveness, which would be murderous were he not so helpless. He is, in fact, dirty. He has no morals, no knowledge, no skills. This means that all children---not just certain children---are born delinquent. IF PERMITTED TO CONTINUE IN THE SELF-CENTERED WORLD OF HIS INFANCY, GIVEN FREE REIGN TO HIS IMPULSIVE ACTIONS TO SATISFY HIS WANTS, EVERY CHILD WOULD GROW UP A CRIMINAL—A THIEF, A KILLER, OR A RAPIST.”
Application
There was only one baby born here who was not like that. This should all humble us. We are sinners; we have nothing intrinsic in us that God could commend. When I see in the news about the criminality and the immorality that our fellow human beings do one to another, this should prevent me from having this I- am-holier-than-you-attitude.
Many who are not aware of the depravity of their own hearts would shake their heads in self righteous swagger upon seeing other people commit hideous wickedness saying: “Buti, di ako katulad niya. Iba ako. Di ako gaya niya”
Rather our attitude should be: “If not for the grace of God, I could be like him also, for I am also depraved like him.”
Common Grace: What is it?
Grace means undeserved favor. Common grace means common undeserved favor. What do we mean by common undeserved favor? It is a favor by God given to all men without distinction and without exception. It refers to the benefits man receives from God. What are some of these benefits? To name a few:
a)health b) government [no matter how corrupt it is…at least there is a hindering factor that retards the full outflow of the outward manifestations of the depravity of man] c) job d) food and clothing e) shelter f) conscience etc.
We don’t deserve these things. We are sinners. We deserve to be in hell tormented moment by moment and therefore no man can complain and shake his puny little fist to God and say: “why have you given me this suffering!!!!!???? I don’t deserve this!!!! It is unfair…you’ve given me scarcity of food…I barely have clothes around my body….it is unfair!!!!!!!! It is unfair”
Yes, the man was right. Grace in one sense is “UNFAIR”. What is fair and just is that the very moment we committed our first sin we should have been plunged in Hell and suffer every single moment. We deserve to be deprived of the basic necessities of a human being and live in misery. But we have been treated unfairly; we have been given food, shelter, health etc. We have no right to these things. God is not under obligation to give us these things. But in His grace He still gives us these things:
Mt 5:45 "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Ac 14:16 "who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.
Ac 14:17 "Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
Why is it that we experienced laughter? Why is it that we enjoy a sumptuous meal? Why is it we can go to the beach and enjoy what it offers us? We have been given a TRO as it were [temporary restraining order] that delays the judgment that unrepentant man deserves. It’s common grace.
It is different from saving grace. Saving grace forgives a sinner of his sins, lifts him out of condemnation that he truly deserves, transforms him and gives to him a place in heaven not because of what he did but because of what the Savior did on Calvary.
Saving Grace transforms a man. It works from the inside out. Common grace affects the man outwardly. It is like the dam that prevents the violent outflow of the depravity in the heart of man. All experience common grace to some degree every single day. But only those who trust in Christ alone for salvation experience saving grace.
Many a time you have heard these words from convicted criminals: “I stole because of poverty.” “I did that because I could not find a job no matter what.”
Actually the reason why he stole was because he was depraved. The situation only drew out what was in him all along. The situation only served as a secondary cause but the primary cause was because of his depravity. When God punishes an unrepentant obdurate sinner, often times what He does is just remove His common grace and leave him in his depravity and boom!!!!!!! Depravity in its full orbed wickedness sets in inflicting untold misery and suffering amongst themselves, it would be like Hell on earth:
Ro 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Ro 1:24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
Ro 1:25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Ro 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
Ro 1:27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
Ro 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
Ro 1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, Ro 1:30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Ro 1:31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
Application
The above happened because of idolatry. They do not want to recognize God as God and therefore God committed them all to the depravity of their own hearts and the result is gross wickedness and immorality. And where wickedness and immorality is, there is always suffering.
Haven’t you noticed that every time there is a fiesta in honor to some god or when Sinulog comes around there is always with it an increase in the depravity of man? There is drunkenness, there is immorality in the streets, strife, fighting and even murder.
The Reason why God gave us Common Grace
Ro 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
The reason why God gave man common grace aside from restraining the depravity of man is He wants him to accept His saving grace in Christ.
What is genuine good works in God’s sight?
There are two kinds of good works: a) human and b) divine. The former is filthy rags before God and the latter is a sweet smelling aroma to Him for it is the result the Christian allowing Christ to live His life in and through him through the indwelling Spirit.
Php 1:11 being filled with the fruits of a) righteousness which are b) by Jesus Christ, c) to the glory and praise of God.
The above gives us three essential elements of what constitute genuine good works in the eyes of God. Genuine good works in the eyes of God is a) doing the right thing b) by or through the Lord Jesus Christ INDWELLING us through the Holy Spirit for the c) glory of God.
Only through the Lord Jesus Christ dwelling in us can we do righteousness for God’s glory. There is human goodness and there is divine goodness. Human goodness is filthy rags in His sight. The only goodness He accepts is the goodness that He produces IN us through His Son indwelling us. When God from heaven sees His Son living His life in and through us [when we yield to Him], God from heaven says: "There is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
It is only through Him indwelling in us through the Holy Spirit that we can produce genuine good works in the eyes of God:
Ga 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Ga 5:23
gentleness, self-control
Depravity of Man: What is it?
Depravity of man is that man is as possibly bad off as he can be. It refers to man’s innate sinfulness. In the heart of every human being lies the capacity, the tendency and the potential to commit all kinds of wickedness, all sin mentioned in the Book given the right situation and context. Depravity also says that in man, in his unsaved state, nothing good dwells. Absolutely nothing that he does is good in God’s sight.
Ro 8:8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
“Those who are in the flesh” refers to those who are not saved; those who do not have the Holy Spirit of God. The verse says: Those who are in the flesh [those who are not saved] cannot please God.
That’s why the Bible says:
Ge 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
We may reason that that verse refers to those people in Noah’s time. Not so, when we get to the New Testament, God’s verdict remains the same when God looks at unsaved man:
Ro 3:10 As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;
11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one."
I never understood those verses before. I wondered: "How can there be none righteous, none who does good when everywhere I see people both unsaved and saved doing good?" Until the verse below illumined me:
Isa 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
“Filthy rags” here actually alludes to the menstrual cloth of a woman stained with menstrual blood. That is how God views unsaved man’s good works. The unsaved man only has one nature, that is, sinful nature. Every thing that proceeds from him finds its root in that one nature of his.
Also……
Unsaved man does not have to commit actual sins to sin; he being in the unrepentant state is sin in itself. He doesn’t have to lie, murder, steal to commit sin, his being unrepentant and not trusting Christ alone for salvation is sin in itself. Even if he sleeps all day as long as he stays unrepentant that unrepentant state is sin in itself. Man is not basically good [no matter what Psychology says]. No rather, man is basically sinful. We all have the same disease [Sin] but we manifest different symptoms.
The innate sinful proclivity in man
One prisoner convicted of murder said: “I was not a murderer before. I never thought of snuffing the life off somebody. You can verify what I just said to my neighbors. I am a good citizen. It was just that I suddenly snapped!!! He endlessly provoked me to anger again and again every single day. I couldn’t contain my anger anymore.”
The man obviously did not know the sinfulness of his heart. God in heaven, however, was not surprised about the murder he committed. God knew all along [since his childhood] that lying inherent in his heart is the tendency to murder. It was not the situation that made him a murderer. No, the situation only drew out what was in his heart all along.
Only one Man that ever walked this planet will always be holy and righteous no matter what situation you may put Him. Spit on His face and He will not retaliate. Mock Him and curse Him, He will only bless. Strip Him naked [put Him to open shame] and crucify Him on the cross and He will only say: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Why? Because He was the only Man that lived on this earth that is not depraved.
Allan was born in the Bronx wherein criminals, drug pushers, prostitutes etc. reside, where criminality and immorality is a normal way of life. Born to a father who lived by the gun and to a mother who made selling his body a profession, Allan turned out to be the most notorious criminal in the neighborhood. It was predictable what Allan would turn out to be. The environment, the moral atmosphere and the context that he was in only served to foster the already sinful bent of his heart since birth.
We are all sinners by birth, sinners by nature and sinners by choice. Only one Man is not like that. He was amidst sinners yet He did not sin for He was holy and righteous by birth, holy and righteous by nature and therefore holy and righteous by choice.
Years ago the Minnesota Crime Commission released this statement:
“Every baby starts life as a little savage. He is completely selfish and self-centered. He wants what he wants when he wants it-----his bottle, his mother’s attention, his playmates’ toy, his uncle’s watch. Deny him this once, and he seethes with rage and aggressiveness, which would be murderous were he not so helpless. He is, in fact, dirty. He has no morals, no knowledge, no skills. This means that all children---not just certain children---are born delinquent. IF PERMITTED TO CONTINUE IN THE SELF-CENTERED WORLD OF HIS INFANCY, GIVEN FREE REIGN TO HIS IMPULSIVE ACTIONS TO SATISFY HIS WANTS, EVERY CHILD WOULD GROW UP A CRIMINAL—A THIEF, A KILLER, OR A RAPIST.”
Application
There was only one baby born here who was not like that. This should all humble us. We are sinners; we have nothing intrinsic in us that God could commend. When I see in the news about the criminality and the immorality that our fellow human beings do one to another, this should prevent me from having this I- am-holier-than-you-attitude.
Many who are not aware of the depravity of their own hearts would shake their heads in self righteous swagger upon seeing other people commit hideous wickedness saying: “Buti, di ako katulad niya. Iba ako. Di ako gaya niya”
Rather our attitude should be: “If not for the grace of God, I could be like him also, for I am also depraved like him.”
Common Grace: What is it?
Grace means undeserved favor. Common grace means common undeserved favor. What do we mean by common undeserved favor? It is a favor by God given to all men without distinction and without exception. It refers to the benefits man receives from God. What are some of these benefits? To name a few:
a)health b) government [no matter how corrupt it is…at least there is a hindering factor that retards the full outflow of the outward manifestations of the depravity of man] c) job d) food and clothing e) shelter f) conscience etc.
We don’t deserve these things. We are sinners. We deserve to be in hell tormented moment by moment and therefore no man can complain and shake his puny little fist to God and say: “why have you given me this suffering!!!!!???? I don’t deserve this!!!! It is unfair…you’ve given me scarcity of food…I barely have clothes around my body….it is unfair!!!!!!!! It is unfair”
Yes, the man was right. Grace in one sense is “UNFAIR”. What is fair and just is that the very moment we committed our first sin we should have been plunged in Hell and suffer every single moment. We deserve to be deprived of the basic necessities of a human being and live in misery. But we have been treated unfairly; we have been given food, shelter, health etc. We have no right to these things. God is not under obligation to give us these things. But in His grace He still gives us these things:
Mt 5:45 "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Ac 14:16 "who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.
Ac 14:17 "Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
Why is it that we experienced laughter? Why is it that we enjoy a sumptuous meal? Why is it we can go to the beach and enjoy what it offers us? We have been given a TRO as it were [temporary restraining order] that delays the judgment that unrepentant man deserves. It’s common grace.
It is different from saving grace. Saving grace forgives a sinner of his sins, lifts him out of condemnation that he truly deserves, transforms him and gives to him a place in heaven not because of what he did but because of what the Savior did on Calvary.
Saving Grace transforms a man. It works from the inside out. Common grace affects the man outwardly. It is like the dam that prevents the violent outflow of the depravity in the heart of man. All experience common grace to some degree every single day. But only those who trust in Christ alone for salvation experience saving grace.
Many a time you have heard these words from convicted criminals: “I stole because of poverty.” “I did that because I could not find a job no matter what.”
Actually the reason why he stole was because he was depraved. The situation only drew out what was in him all along. The situation only served as a secondary cause but the primary cause was because of his depravity. When God punishes an unrepentant obdurate sinner, often times what He does is just remove His common grace and leave him in his depravity and boom!!!!!!! Depravity in its full orbed wickedness sets in inflicting untold misery and suffering amongst themselves, it would be like Hell on earth:
Ro 1:21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
Ro 1:24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
Ro 1:25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Ro 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.
Ro 1:27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.
Ro 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
Ro 1:29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, Ro 1:30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Ro 1:31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;
Application
The above happened because of idolatry. They do not want to recognize God as God and therefore God committed them all to the depravity of their own hearts and the result is gross wickedness and immorality. And where wickedness and immorality is, there is always suffering.
Haven’t you noticed that every time there is a fiesta in honor to some god or when Sinulog comes around there is always with it an increase in the depravity of man? There is drunkenness, there is immorality in the streets, strife, fighting and even murder.
The Reason why God gave us Common Grace
Ro 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
The reason why God gave man common grace aside from restraining the depravity of man is He wants him to accept His saving grace in Christ.
What is genuine good works in God’s sight?
There are two kinds of good works: a) human and b) divine. The former is filthy rags before God and the latter is a sweet smelling aroma to Him for it is the result the Christian allowing Christ to live His life in and through him through the indwelling Spirit.
Php 1:11 being filled with the fruits of a) righteousness which are b) by Jesus Christ, c) to the glory and praise of God.
The above gives us three essential elements of what constitute genuine good works in the eyes of God. Genuine good works in the eyes of God is a) doing the right thing b) by or through the Lord Jesus Christ INDWELLING us through the Holy Spirit for the c) glory of God.
Only through the Lord Jesus Christ dwelling in us can we do righteousness for God’s glory. There is human goodness and there is divine goodness. Human goodness is filthy rags in His sight. The only goodness He accepts is the goodness that He produces IN us through His Son indwelling us. When God from heaven sees His Son living His life in and through us [when we yield to Him], God from heaven says: "There is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
It is only through Him indwelling in us through the Holy Spirit that we can produce genuine good works in the eyes of God:
Ga 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Ga 5:23
gentleness, self-control