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"Should We Look for the Good in All People?"

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" (Isa. 64:6).

This phrase... Look for the good in all people, or something like it, is no doubt familiar to all who read this. Some feel that all people have some good in them and it needs only to be discovered, nurtured, and enticed into constant action. Others think most to be good and a few to be hopeless, and we should concentrate our endeavours on the majority. This argument has raged throughout the ages. People debate these things concerning those of their community. Politicians debate these things in the realm of political ideologies and which are good and which are hopeless. It is debated in the realm of the incarcerated, and those with severe mental disabilities, and just about everything under the sun.

It is true that some people seem to be, overtly, better than other people. It is also true that some of those who "seemed" to be good, descent people are the very ones we later discover to be among the most evil. Sadly, mankind measures and compares themselves among themselves for the standard, and in doing so they are not wise (II Cor. 10:12). Very few even acknowledge the Holy, Righteous God of heaven and earth, let alone see Him and His word as the standard, thus they would not dare acknowledge that even man's best deeds are evil in God's sight.

The prophet declared that we all are as an unclean thing or something not holy. But he even went on to say far more. He declared that "ALL our righteousnesses (all of even our best deeds) are as filthy rags (clothing soiled by bloody flux), and we ALL do fade as a leaf (our true color will eventually show itself as a leaf does in the fall), and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (in God's sight our iniquities drive us from where we should be)". Thus even our best efforts are the very evil which bans us from true goodness, truly seeking God, and assuredly being accepted of God. While Isaiah spoke mainly to the Jews this is true of all men without exception (Ps. 14:1-3; Rom. 3:9-20). An example of Isaiah's words was given by our Lord Jesus Christ and it is recorded in Matthew 7:21-23. There our Lord clearly revealed that even men's best deeds are works of iniquity. Preaching in Christ's name, casting out demons in His name, and a whole assortment of other "wonderful" works are, in actuality, iniquity.

This truth set forth in scripture will not change our society, communities, politics, prisons, and hospitals. But when the truth of man's sinful condition is applied to the heart of the soul of a person by the Spirit of the Living God then that person stops looking for the good in some or all. Even more, that person becomes weary of seeking good within their own soul, for when they have found something once considered good then they know they have discovered even more iniquity. God's holiness and righteousness demands that holiness and righteousness which is of God Himself. All else is flawed and not acceptable before God. Even preaching, casting out demons, and every other work done IN CHRIST'S NAME is iniquity if not done IN CHRIST HIMSELF. To speak and do things in the King's name without the authority being given by the King Himself is iniquity! Only those born of God have the power (right or authority) to become the sons of God (Jn. 1:12-13). There are many who are illegitimate who speak and do things in Christ's name who are not known by Christ!

The only hope for anyone who sees their true condition before God (remember, our condition before men's eyes makes no difference before God) is that God Himself is their holiness and righteousness. It is the truth of all scripture, Old and New Testaments, that in the person of Jesus Christ is found the holiness and righteousness God accepts. Those who are accepted of God are accepted in the merits of Christ Himself, for He bore all their demerits (which is everything they are in and of themselves, not only their most evil acts but their bests efforts as well) in His own body on the accursed tree. God laid on Christ the punishment which His justice demanded of us, and Christ satisfied that justice which was evidenced by Christ's resurrection from the tomb and His ascension to the Father's right hand. God receives us based upon Christ Himself.

For all who see this glorious good news of Christ the risen Lord, when they look to Christ believing Him for and as their justification before God they have God's promise that by Christ they are justified from ALL things, from which things they could never be justified by even trying to keep the law of Moses (Acts 13:38-39). It is not merely a question of, Am I a person bad enough to need salvation by Christ? Christianity is not a religion which makes bad people into good people so they can change this present world for the better or so they can enjoy some blessed after-life. That is the religion of the world! The fact is I am a person whose bests deeds are an affront to God. Christianity is all about Christ! Thus a true Christian is one to whom Christ is all -- all their righteousness before God, and all acceptance before God.

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