Papa JoeMac's Corner Commentary - #42
No One Does Good (Don't Deny You're a Sinner)
Psalm 14, Psalm 53; Romans 3:10-18
When my daughter and son-in-law were first married, he was not a believer. After their first child had reached the age of about 6, she asked me, “Pa Pa Joe, why doesn’t God make my Daddy love him?” I told her that God doesn’t make any one love Him. He loves us all but He will not ‘force’ Himself upon us. That was 8 years ago. I am proud to say that he is now a Believer and understands he will go to Heaven based on God’s grace and not on the good works that my son-in-law was so proud of having done. He now understands that “No One Does Good” – no, not one. Only God is good.
When you read Psalms 14, Psalms 53 and Romans 3:10 – 18, you’ll read God’s thoughts on the foolishness of not believing in Him. The true atheist is either foolish or wicked. I believe there are several reasons people claim to be atheists. They are foolish because they ignore all the signs around them that God exists. In Romans 1, we read that all people have seen the invisible nature of God through His visible creations! We see the stars and the sky and the grass and the seas. We see the mountains and rivers and valleys and trees. Romans 1 says we have no excuse whatsoever for not believing in God. The true atheists are wicked because they do not live by God’s truths. Are you a true atheist? Are you a ‘practicing’ atheist? We all can become practicing atheists when we rely more on “us” than on God if we are not careful.
My son-in-law came to understand that his ‘good works’ did not gain God’s forgiveness. No one can do works good enough to earn salvation. If that were so, Jesus would not have had to die. If good works were enough to earn salvation, it would mean that we could bring God down to our level and be as good as He is. That’s not possible. No one is perfect but God and the Scripture clearly tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God”. All sins are sins. We may not want to believe that we are that bad but we are. We might try to rationalize that our sins are just little ones and we’re “OK”. This rationalization can be due to the fact that some sins, such as murder, have more visible consequences – life imprisonment or execution. We must remember that all sins are sins. No - not one of us is good enough to meet God’s standards. The “smallest” of sin will separate us from our Holy God.
Jesus Christ alone was perfect in all ways. Jesus Christ was the perfect sacrifice for us. He was the sacrifice because we all fall short. It is not only true but logical that we must turn to Christ to save us. Have you asked him to save you? Salvation is as close as your own lips and heart. If you confess with your lips and believe in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God who was raised from the dead and will live in you if you ask him to, then you are saved! The simplicity of the Gospel becomes the obstacle for so many. Statistics show that the older a person becomes, the less likely they will invite God into their life. Older people tend to be skeptical of such a free and wonderful gift such as salvation. There is nothing we can do to earn it. It’s free!! Jesus paid the price for us.
When Paul writes in Romans that “no one is good”, he means that “no one is innocent.” Ask yourself where you think you stand? Do you think you are a pretty good person? Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. This is just between you and God – just as it will be when you stand before Him on Judgment Day. Have you ever told a lie? Hmm Have you ever lusted? Hmm Have you ever taken something that was not yours? Hmm Have you ever gotten drunk? Hmm Have you ever dishonored your parents? Have you ever been angry at someone? Hmm Have you ever wanted something that your friend had gotten? Hmm Can you see where I’m going with this? None of us are innocent. No, not one! The Bible clearly shows that humanity – in a sinful condition - is unacceptable before God. In our sinful condition, whether we think it, verbalize it, or do it, we, like everyone else, stands guilty before God. Any sin forms a separation between us and God. Don’t deny that you are a sinner. Instead, rejoice that you realize it and let your realization point you to Christ.
- - - Mr. Joseph Mcklemurry received his Masters in Biblical Studies with Trinity Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana and is an ordained minister serving as a praise and worship leader with Beautiful Feet Church in Fort Worth, Texas. |
