Most men will proclaim each his own goodness  ~Proverbs 20:6a 

Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.  ~Psalm 53:3

The pride crushing truth is no one is a good person, at least not by God’s righteous standard. A person may occasionally do good things; some deeds might even be considered selfless, but deeds and works cannot change the inner nature. Out hearts are deceitful and corrupt (Jeremiah 17:9), a condition which we can do nothing to remedy...

Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”?  ~Proverbs 20:9

The writer of Proverbs asks a rhetorical question and the obvious answer is “no one.” This is not to say nothing can be done about our sinful condition, rather this harsh truth is given by Scripture to bring a person to the place and condition where something can be done about it. God’s diagnosis and evaluation of mankind’s condition is meant to break hardened hearts and humble pride filled spirits...

The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.  ~Psalm 34:18

We, as Christians, must still remember that we are not good. Being forgiven of sin and adopted into the family of God does not remove the nature of sin in our flesh instantly. Instead God gives us a new nature, one that we are to feed and nourish on His Word and obedience to that truth. Jesus calls us to take up our own cross daily to crucify self (Luke 9:23) and Paul declares that true Christians crucify the sinful works of the flesh (Galatians 5). When we are saved we do not become good, rather we enter into a battle with that sinful nature which would lead us to hell...

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  ~Romans 8:13

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?  ~Jeremiah 17:9

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.  ~Ecclesiastes 9:3

but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.  ~Titus 1:15

if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.  ~2 Timothy 2:25,26

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God  ~2 Timothy 3:2-4

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  ~Romans 7:18

So then, how would you answer today’s question? Is mankind totally and wholly unable to come to God of his own free will, or does it require divine intervention?

“There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God.”  ~Romans 3:11 

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  ~Romans 1:18,19

If we are to believe Scripture, we must agree with Paul that God has made Himself known. Not only has God made Himself known to all of mankind, but He accomplished it in a way that His invisible attributes are seen and understood.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,  ~Romans 1:20

The bottom line here is that all of us understand there is a creator God, so much so that everyone is without an excuse for ignorance. With that in mind, why would anyone reject God? Why would even one man or woman reject what the Bible says about life, death, damnation, or salvation? There can only be one answer, without God’s intervention we are unwilling!

You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.  ~John 5:39,40

The scribes and Pharisees had God’s truth and were well aware of what it said. The Son of God, their awaited Messiah, expounded on that truth and made it clear what their circumstances were apart from repentance and faith. Yet, with all of that they chose to reject the Savior. They were unwilling to come to Jesus, why? What could possibly be their reason for knowingly rejecting God’s own call to discard their self righteous religion and trust in Christ?

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  ~Ephesians 2:1-3

Why would anyone willingly choose to reject Jesus Christ? People knowingly reject God because we, in an unsaved state are incapable of doing otherwise! Some people have called this condition total depravity. That does not mean we are incapable of doing any good, but that we are unable to do any spiritual good towards God. We are unable to seek, choose, or trust God without His own intervention. In other words, we are dead in our trespasses and sins. Blessed is the one whom the Lord God calls from that dead and helpless state to life everlasting!

Blessed is the man You choose, and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.  ~Psalm 65:4

The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.  ~Psalm 10:4

For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  ~John 3:20

I was sought by those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me.  ~Isaiah 65:1

And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our iniquities.  ~Isaiah 64:7

As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.”  ~Romans 3:10-12

 Well, He is a lot bigger than even this (notice how small we are)...

 In case your wondering this is not Joel Osteen... You just can't draw a 16,000 member congregation with preaching like this.

This is Albert N. Martin, Google him and listen.

Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”  ~Job 1:20,21

Now see that I, even I, am He, and there is no God besides Me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.  ~Deuteronomy 32:39

God is in control, period. People today however, do not have that sort of appreciation for the sovereignty of God in all things. It is the modern message of “your best life now” and “God wants you to be healthy, wealthy and happy” that lead people to conclude that suffering can not be part of God’s plan for His people. Rather, Satan is often blamed as the sole source of our suffering. This is not to say Satan does not inflict us, but as we see in the case of Job, Satan can only do what God allows. I can assure you, God has absolute sovereign control over all things, including pain and suffering.

So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?  ~Exodus 4:11

Who or what is behind all disease and disability? God says it is Him. That thought can be a hard pill to swallow, but to think otherwise calls into question God’s supreme authority over the universe. When tragedy and pain strike, people who do not recognize the sovereignty of God in suffering may question God’s goodness and reliability. When one supposes that it is God’s will that we always be healthy and wealthy and suddenly disease or poverty is knocking at the door, the temptation is to put God on trial and demand He give an account of Himself. Why then does a sovereign God allow suffering?

My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.  ~James 5:10,11

James, speaking about patience and perseverance, uses the suffering of Job as an illustration. He relates to us that Job’s suffering was intended by the Lord. God has a reason for our suffering. Ultimately it is all for His glory and along the way faith is strengthened, disobedience is disciplined, saints are sanctified, and sin is rebuked. God, in His sovereignty, brings suffering into the lives of people so that good may come of it. Good stewards of suffering recognize the sovereignty of God in the very midst of it. After all, if we recognize the sovereignty of God in what is pleasant should we refuse to see the sovereignty of God in the suffering?

And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself while he sat in the midst of the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.  ~Job 2:6-10

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.  ~Genesis 3:7

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.  ~Romans 5:12

Scripture makes it very clear that all of us are guilty of sin, and so death and suffering follow. It is a universal truth that where sin is, suffering is there as well. What does that mean for the Christian? How does the surety of suffering figure into the daily walk of a born again believer? Consider God’s servant Job.

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.  ~Job 13:15a

Suffering is a sure thing for both the saved and unsaved alike. What should be different for the Christian is the assurance we have in knowing the God in whose sovereign hands we rest. “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” With that assurance in God Almighty there is an element of suffering the believer does not have to experience; the futility of it all. It is the futility and senselessness that gives suffering its sting. The loss of a child, long drawn out struggles with disease ending in death, natural disasters with untold death and destruction, it is the seeming uselessness and futility of all these circumstances that adds a bitter sting to suffering.

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.  ~1 Peter 4:12,13

Since suffering is certain and inevitable, we should not be surprised when it suddenly overtakes us. As for Christians, there will be the additional suffering inflicted because of our faith. While it is true some will be called by God to suffer more than others (even to death), it is also true that all Christians will suffer some persecution in one form or another, Jesus said “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). When that tribulation and suffering comes, and it will, let us endeavor to commit ourselves to a merciful Savior and give Him the glory.

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.  ~1 Peter 4:19

Previous Series Links:
The Sovereignty of God on the Damascus Road: Introduction
The Sovereignty of God on the Damascus Road: Saul's Past
The Sovereignty of God on the Damascus Road: Saul's Prey Part 1

The Martyr Stephen

Previously in this series, we found who Saul hated so much that he woke up every morning breathing threats and murder. Saul hated Christians. To answer why anyone could hate a Christian so much I thought we should look at the Christian who set Saul off in the first place. The threats and murderous intentions Saul was intending to unleash on the Christians of Damascus was nothing new. He had taken part in the murder of Christians before; there was of course the martyr Stephen.

So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’  ~Acts 22:19,20

He spoke also of Isaac and Jacob, and of Joseph’s sojourn in Egypt which ultimately led to 430 years of slavery for the Hebrew people (Acts 7:9-16). Stephen explained how God called Moses and through him delivered the Israelites from bondage, but the people were stiff-necked and rebelled against God. Stephen would then draw a parallel between their rebellious ancestors and their own stiff necks in rejecting God’s Messiah.

“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”  ~Acts 7:51-53

When Stephen unmasked their self righteousness they responded by stoning him to death (Acts 7:54-60) and Saul, after consenting to the murder, watched over the coats and robes of those who would take up the stones so they would not be bloodied. This ferocious and vicious murder is the result of self righteousness being revealed. That is why Saul and others hated Christians so. The disciples of the Lord represent the One who exposed the dark and futile hope of a form of righteousness apart from God’s own righteousness. Saul would later write a letter to the Christians in Rome explaining the plight of these Jews.  

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.  ~Romans 10:1-4

A true disciple of the Lord Jesus is one who exposes the false hope of self righteousness by correctly and lovingly, using the Word of God to reveal the total inability of man to do anything to earn, or warrant salvation. Are we as faithful to the Great Commission as Stephen was? Are we willing to risk even our lives to share the Gospel? The next installment we will see how the fragile and damning facade of self righteousness must be propped up with religious legitimacy.

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.  ~Acts 9:1,2

Pastor Jeff Noblit preaches Jesus and... well... what more needs to be said.