Come to Understanding

Come to Understanding

They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,

and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. — Isaiah 29:24

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,

and caused them to understand the reading. — Nehemiah 8:8

May 14, 2010
Volume 9 Number 10

There Is None That Does Good, No, Not One

David writes that those who believe there is no God are fools. Furthermore, none of these fools do good. Having done abominations, they are corrupt:

1 <To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.> The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that does good. -Psalms 14

Then, David continues, as Yahweh looks upon the "children of men," He sees no one that does good:

2 Yahweh looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that does good, no, not one. -Psalms 14

This is shocking to those of us who have been taught from our childhood that all we need to do to go to heaven is to be good!

Paul reaffirms this shocking news as he quotes this Psalm of David:

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they have together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one. -Romans 3

If righteousness came by doing good, then Job was surely righteous. He did all the right things and seemed to be blessed because of it:

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and shunned evil.

2 And there was born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. -Job 1

Not only was Job "perfect and upright" for himself, but he also tried to do sufficient good works to cover the sins of his children:

4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually. -Job 1

However, as Yahweh allowed Satan to test Job through the loss of all that he had, including his health, Job’s friends became convinced that he was "righteous in his own eyes:"

1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. -Job 32

As difficult as it is for us to comprehend, Yahweh allowed Satan to afflict Job because He loved him:

6 For whom the Lord Yahweh loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. -Hebrews 12

When we are in the midst of chastisement, we want to cry out to God, saying in effect, "Okay, I’ve had enough! I will do good from now on." Elihu said it this way:

31 Surely it is fitting to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

32 That which I see not teach you me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. -Job 34

Can we, however, determine to do good in our own mind, according to our own judgment of what is good? Elihu continued, adding that Job needed to be "tried to the end," having not yet learned the lessons he was being taught:

33 Should it be according to your mind? he will recompense it, whether you refuse, or whether you choose; and not I: therefore speak what you know.

34 Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man listen to me.

35 Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.

36 My desire is that Job may be tried to the end because of his answers for wicked men. -Job 34

Elihu continued, asking in effect, "Do you think your righteousness is more than God’s righteousness? Your wickedness may hurt you and your righteousness may help you as a man, but how does your righteousness benefit God?"

2 Think you this to be right, that you said, My righteousness is more than God’s?

3 For you said, What advantage will it be to you? and, What profit shall I have, if I am cleansed from my sin?

4 I will answer you, and your companions with you.

5 Look to the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than you.

6 If you sin, what do you against him? or if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you unto him?

7 If you are righteous, what give you him? or what receives he of your hand?

8 Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are; and your righteousness may profit the son of man. -Job 35

Finally, after Job learned that his righteousness does not come from himself, but from God, he humbled himself unto repentance:

5 I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear: but now my eye sees you.

6 Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. -Job 42

Like Job, our failure to comprehend the source of righteousness leads us to search for it through our own actions and good deeds. Without knowledge, we can easily get caught up in doing all of the good works demanded by those "workers of iniquity" who "eat up my people as they eat up bread," not calling upon Yahweh, who through Yahshua, is the source of our salvation:

4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon Yahweh.

5 There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

6 You have shamed the counsel of the poor, because Yahweh is his refuge.

7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when Yahweh brings back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. -Psalms 14

Paul explains that our righteousness does not come by keeping the law, which only shows us that we are all sinners. Righteousness comes by faith in God through Yahshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ):

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Yahshua the Messiah to all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in the Messiah Yahshua:

25 Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Yahshua. -Romans 3

He clothes us with the "garments of salvation" and with the "robe of righteousness!"

10 I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. -Isaiah 61

It is time for us to wake up from our slumber and put on those beautiful garments of Yahweh’s salvation and His righteousness that He freely offers to us:

1 Awake, awake; put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.

2 Shake yourself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose yourself from the bands of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

3 For thus says Yahweh, You have sold yourselves for nothing; and you shall be redeemed without money. -Isaiah 52

Yahweh is our salvation through Yahshua the Messiah:

12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. -Acts 4

There is Good News for those who know and believe in the only name of salvation:

6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that does speak: behold, it is I.

7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that says unto Zion, Your God reigns! -Isaiah 52

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Scriptures are taken from the Proper Name Version of the King James Bible.