THE LORD’S OPINION OF THE GOOD DEEDS OF THE UNBELIEVER

 

 THE LORD’S OPINION OF THE GOOD DEEDS OF THE UNBELIEVER

 

To fail to understand who we are in Jesus is tragic, and it is easy to do. For one thing, we see our disheartening and ongoing struggles with fears and various desires, even with bitterness, resentment, deception, and jealousy (Galatians 5:17; Romans 7). Consequently, we are tempted to think that we are no more spiritual than anyone else, even though the Bible tells us that we are new people.

 

We also observe the lives of unbelievers, who often outshine us. Therefore, we are tempted to think, “Jesus hasn’t made any difference in my life. I’m still the same loser” (Psalm 73; 37). This observation can even undermine our confidence in the Gospel. After all, the unbeliever does not even seem to need the Lord in order to enjoy His blessings. How discouraging! Why then am I a Christian?

 

However, we do not see as God sees. We see only the façade, the carefully designed cover of the book. This was even true for the Prophet Samuel, who God had told to visit the household of Jesse to anoint one of his sons to be the next king of Israel. By virtue of his appearance, Samuel was ready to anoint Jesse’s oldest son, before God reprimanded him:

 

• When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:6–7)

 

It turned out that God’s choice had been the least likely of all Jesse’s sons, the one who eventually became Israel’s greatest king - David.

 

This answers the charge that non-believers are just as virtuous as believers. From mere appearances, this might be true, but not in God’s sight. Instead, He sees the inner person. Consequently, in His eyes, there is a world of difference between Christ’s children and the rest of the world:

 

·       Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (2 Corinthians 6:14–16)

 

Besides, we seldom can recognize the demonic influence over this world. Their ways are highly deceptive (2 Corinthians 11:13-15):

 

·       We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)

 

This absolute distinction between clean and unclean, is symbolically illustrated in the Hebrew Scriptures:

 

·       And whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean, and anyone who touches it shall be unclean until evening.”  (Numbers 19:22)

 

This especially pertained to touching a dead body and even a grave:

 

·       Numbers 19:16 Whoever in the open field touches someone who was killed with a sword or who died naturally, or touches a human bone or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.

 

Therefore, when Jesus likened the Pharisees to white-washed tombs, He was suggesting that they would defile anyone who touched them:

 

·        “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:27–28)

 

If we are defiled, we defile everything we touch. This had also been true of the woman with the issue of blood who had secretly touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, was instantaneously healed, and was terrified when she was found out (Matthew 9:20-21).

 

Further revelation revealed that symbolic uncleanness represented moral uncleanness. When our heart is not right before God, this even defiles what seems to be even good deeds:

 

·       The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him.  (Proverbs 15:8)

 

·       The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent. (Proverbs 21:27)

 

·       If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. (Proverbs 28:9)

 

Why aren’t prayers and the prescribed offerings good in God’s sight? Instead of turning to God for His mercy, they turn away. Consequently, no amount of good deeds can compensate for their evil:

 

·       We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you… (Isaiah 64:6–7)

 

When we become unclean, all our “righteous” deeds become unclean. Without faith, which looks to God first, we remain unclean. Therefore, whatever we touch and do is unclean. The returning Israelite, who had been taken captive to Babylon, had not placed the things of God first. He was more intent on building his own home than the Temple of God where he could make offerings for God’s forgiveness. Consequently, what he offeried God was “unclean”:

 

·       Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.” Then Haggai answered and said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the LORD, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. (Haggai 2:13–14)

 

To reject God or to put God on the backburner is to remain unclean and to make everything we touch unclean. As such, we are unable to please God:

 

·       And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

 

If we trust in God, we will seek to fulfill His commands. If we do not do this, it means that there is something wrong. However, if we confess our sins, we are forgiven and cleansed (1 John 1:9). This makes us clean and restores us to a state of purity before our God:

 

·       To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. (Titus 1:15–16; Matthew 12:34-35; 7:15-20)

 

How could this be? Let me illustrate with the life of Job. Even though he was the most righteous of men, he also brought indictments against God during his suffering. They were so serious that God had charged, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2) “and “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty?” (Job 40:2). The Lord then showed Job the extent of his foolishness through a series of questions, which Job was unable to answer:

 

·       After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” (Job 42:7-8)

 

God was angry with Job’s three friends because they had not spoken correctly of God. However, it is surprising that now God claimed that Job had spoken rightly about God. How can we understand this turnaround? Job had repented twice of his hubris in bringing charges against God. Therefore, he was fully forgiven, restored, and cleansed as if Job had never been guilty. This is how God regards us once we confess our sins (1 John 1:9).

 

Why does God make such a great distinction between believer and unbeliever, those who embrace the Faith and those who reject it? Perhaps I can best explain this from my own personal experience. For me, Jesus is everything – my hope, comforter, wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification (1 Corinthians 1:30). I know too much about myself to trust in myself. Instead, as a helpless babe, I look towards my Savior for all my needs. Should it be surprising that our Lord is drawn to His own children who look towards Him for their daily bread?

 

·       Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” (Isaiah 66:1-2; 57:15)

 

·       The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. (Psalm 34:18-19)

 

Why shouldn’t God want to be intimate with those who want to be intimate with Him! In contrast, the world will only use “God” to “justify” themselves:

 

·       The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed [Jesus]. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:14-15)

 

Instead of relying upon God for their righteousness, they had convinced themselves that their own goodness was preferable. They were self-deluded lovers of the lies of the darkness. Therefore, they rejected the Light of God and refused to come to it, lest the Light expose the truth. God was merely allowing them to have what they wanted – the darkness of their own righteousness (John 3:17-20).