Category Archives: Good

Bible, Good, Goodness, Jesus, Righteousness, Sacrifice, Scripture

NOTHING GOOD IN ME!

ROMANS 7:18

“For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.”

My dad was a good man all his life. His reputation in my hometown was unscathed. People respected him. The people he supervised at the textile mill may have not always appreciated his manner of supervision, but they still would tell you what a good man my dad was. However, that goodness in him would play not part of his spiritual journey. Good just doesn’t cut it when it comes to God.

Paul says as much in today’s verse. That first phrase, “For I know that good does not dwell in me,” could be translated as “there ain’t nothing good in me.” Paul would be the first to tell you how wicked his flesh was. I will never forget my brother-in-law’s testimony about his salvation. He had been in ministry about eight years before he actually came to Christ. He said when he finally realized the depravity of his flesh, he cried until his nose bled. After that encounter with the exposure of his sin, he was a changed man.

APPLICATION

I have often said that there is nothing good in me except Jesus. If I ever receive any praise for something I’ve done in the ministry, I am quick to point to Jesus. It’s only because of Him that I am able to do the things I do. I am just like Paul when he says he wishes to do good but just doesn’t. That’s the crux of this verse. Good intentions do not equate to righteousness. That is only possible through the blood of Jesus.

Barnes says this verse “could not be possibly a stronger expression of belief of the doctrine of total depravity.” We are born sinners. We didn’t do anything to inherit that depravity except being born after Adam. The perfection of creation ended in that garden and the results permeate all through the centuries. Any goodness we possess will not get us through the gates of heaven. Only the “goodness” of our Savior (His blood, His sacrifice, His death, His resurrection).

The word used by Paul for “good” is “agathós. This word “describes what originates from God and is empowered by Him in their life, through faith.” (HELPS Word-studies) Paul knew this. He knew the good He desired to do was only possible because of God’s agathós. And we are the same, beloved. Don’t try to “outdo” God. It can’t be done. You can’t pray enough, serve enough, give enough or study enough. He imparts His agathós in you when you receive His Son. So, let me ask you. Do you possess this agathós?

Father, I agree with Paul today that there is no good in me except what You have put in me.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Commands, Death, Good, Law, Scripture, Sin

SIN IS UTTERLY SINFUL

ROMANS 7:13

“Therefore did that which is good become a cause of death for me? Far from it! Rather it was sin, in order that it might be shown to be sin by bringing about my death through that which is good, so that through the commandment sin would become utterly sinful.”

If you want to read a really good commentary on Romans 7:7-13, I urge you to look up Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on these verses. You may need to read it two or three times to grasp all he says there, but it’s worth the read. Towards the end of his words on these verses he writes, “The same heat that softens wax, hardens clay. Food or medicine when taken wrong, may cause death, though its nature is to nourish or to heal. The law may cause death through man’s depravity, but sin is the poison that brings death. Not the law, but sin discovered by the law, was made death to the apostle. The ruinous nature of sin, and the sinfulness of the human heart, are here clearly shown.” Hmmm, food for thought.

Paul continues his diatribe on the Law and sin in today’s verse. But he is pointing directly at sin as the culprit of our downfall, not the Law. I love how he ends this verse by saying, “sin would become utterly sinful.” My first thought was Well, duh! But then I decided I should not read that phrase so lightly. Let’s take a look at the word used here for “utterly.”

APPLICATION

Huperbolé occurs seven other times in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 12:31; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 4:7, 17 (2x); 12:7; Galatians 1:13). I encourage you to look at each of those verses to see how the word is used by Paul. It refers to “an extraordinary degree, or a surpassing quality. Whether it modifies power, suffering, sin, gifts, or glory, it stresses an intensity that cannot be explained by normal human categories.” (Topical Lexicon)

This word is used to express something that goes past the ordinary to the extraordinary. It is used to show the depth of sin, the power of grace, the weight of suffering, the excellence of love and the magnitude of the glory of God. We simply cannot put the divine expressions down adequately. Some things just won’t be understood this side of eternity.

But we can all agree that sin is utterly sinful. It is extraordinarily sinful. It exceeds our wildest imaginations and will lead us to an eternal death from which there is no escape unless…we turn to Jesus and confess those sins which the Law so adequately points out in our life. Make things right today with Jesus, if you haven’t already and flee from all appearances of sin in your life.

Oh, the greatness of Your love and grace and glory far exceeds the greatness of sin.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Good, Holy, Holy Spirit, Righteous, Scripture

HOLY, RIGHTEOUS AND GOOD

ROMANS 7:12

“So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”

Few things in this world could be called holy, righteous and good. The Bible is all these things. It is the holy word of God Who is Himself holy. It is righteous as is God, and it is good as is God. But you will never see this unless you spend time in it. Only by immersing yourself in it will you discover all that it entails.

Paul, being a Jew, did not want to give the impression that the Law was bad. Just the opposite. The Law served God’s purpose of pointing men to the need for a Savior. Paul has been telling us in the past few verses that it pointed out their sins which should lead them to repentance. Initially, that was accomplished through the sacrificial system. But now, once those sins are revealed, they should run to the Savior, Jesus.

APPLICATION

It is holy. The Greek word is hagios, which means set apart or different than the world. There has never been another book like God’s Word. It is the best-selling book of all time, far surpassing any other. The words it holds, straight from the mouth of God to the writers through His Holy Spirit, are life-altering. They have the answer to any question you could ever have.

It is righteous. That word is dikaios, which means that which conforms to God’s own being. The words are just. They are right. What it says about sin is right. What is says about holy living is right. What is says about marriage between one man and one woman is right and just. Because it is righteous and just it can judge your heart and your motives.

And finally, it is good. That’s the Greek word agathos and “describes what originates from God and is empowered by Him in their life, through faith.” (HELPS Word-studies) God is good, therefore His words are too. They are beneficial for us because they originate from God Himself.

Which book of the Bible is your favorite? How about memorizing some passages from it? Which is your least favorite? Mine used to be Leviticus. All those rules and descriptions bored me until…I realized practically every word of the book is God talking. If God is talking, it must be important. Right? That made me see it differently. Spend some time today in His Word. It is holy, righteous and good.

Father God, I praise You for giving us Your holy, righteous and good Word.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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