In another thread, RevMitchell asked a very good question that really made me think.
The question in reference to Romans 7 and “free will”…
Are the unregenerate able to do anything that is “good”?
The “good” mentioned in Romans 7 is the OT Law, and the inability to do “good”, in context, is keeping OT Law.
Upon reflection upon this question, I remembered Paul had written that Gentiles keep at least some aspects of the OT Law.
Is this a “good” that God finds acceptable?
peace to you
Just for the sake of discussion, I would suggest that the unregenerate can do good. Romans 2 states...
Romans 2 KJV
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (
For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another)
It is reasonable to call the keeping of the Law to the point one is justified good, isn't it?
But even the unregenerate can refrain from murder, adultery, stealing, et cetera. When it comes to having an understanding of spiritual things, all me,
In another thread, RevMitchell asked a very good question that really made me think.
The question in reference to Romans 7 and “free will”…
Are the unregenerate able to do anything that is “good”?
The “good” mentioned in Romans 7 is the OT Law, and the inability to do “good”, in context, is keeping OT Law.
Upon reflection upon this question, I remembered Paul had written that Gentiles keep at least some aspects of the OT Law.
Is this a “good” that God finds acceptable?
peace to you
I would have to answer with, yes, God does find it good when men come into obedience with His will. I think we must remember that when Paul writes "...not the hearers of the Law are justified, but the doers of the Law are justified," he isn't advocating that men "keep the Law," he is simply pointing out that in that economy were men that feigned obedience (the hearers) and men that, because of the Law written on their hearts that were doers. Of the doers, they are said to be justified.
Romans 2 KJV
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but
the doers of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15
Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another
However, I would also suggest that the justification in view is temporal. It should not be equated with the salvation we have in Christ in this Age. Those who are born again through faith in Christ will, when they die, go immediately into the presence of Christ. Those justified in the Old Testament did not, according to Luke 16, as well as the many Old Testament passages that refer to men going into Sheol/Hades. Unlike those justified in the Old Testament, we receive eternal life at the moment of salvation, that is the reason we are born again. God imparts His life unto us through the eternal indwelling that takes place at salvation.
So again, I do believe God is pleased when natural men obey His will, but the fact that natural men do not murder each other doesn't equate to reconciliation with God. As touching the issue of "free will," we would again distinguish between the temporal and the eternal, the fleshly and the spiritual. Men have free will in a temporal sense: for example, they can decide which clothes to put on when they get dressed, providing their wives approve. They can make the conscious decision not to lie about something. But in the eternal and spiritual context, Paul makes it clear that the natural man cannot perceive or receive the spiritual things of God:
1 Corinthians 2:12-14 KJV
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
"Spiritual discernment" is said to have the Spirit of God as the cause. It is the Holy Spirit that has since the beginning enlightened men to spiritual truth. In this Age the Comforter is the One that enlightens the minds of unbelievers that they might believe on Christ:
John 16:7-9
King James Version
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
The Holy Spirit has always performed this ministry:
Acts 7:51-52 KJV
51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
And men have consistently resisted His ministry. He is the One that filled the Prophets that they might speak forth the Word and Will of God to men, that they might come into obedience. He is the One that provides the internal witness among natural men, that the "Law (or, the will of God)" might be written upon their hearts. The only difference between the ministry of the Comforter and what He has performed since the beginning is the revelation He is providing to men. In this Age the Mystery of the Gospel is being revealed to men, and again the result differs greatly. Those who respond to the Comforter do so, not because they have a natural ability to understand the Gospel and exercise "free will," but because God opens their understanding and brings conviction upon them. He sought to do the same thing in the Old Testament.
Concerning Romans 7, I take the position that Paul is not comparing his past life with his new, but comparing the fleshly with the spiritual. I doubt there is one among us that cannot admit that sometimes we sin willfully. The reason? Because we are still in unredeemed bodies and an unredeemed creation. I think we have all had instances where we knew what the "good" thing to do was—and we didn't do it. We knew what the "evil" was—and we did it.
This brings us back to the justification of the Gentiles in Romans: that they "kept the Law" written in their hearts was—good. But it wasn't a means of Eternal Redemption. Their fate, as did all Old Testament Saints, lie in Hades awaiting judgment. We are told Hades was divided between the just and the unjust. I view the side of the just (known as Abraham's Bosom by the Jews) as the place of the dead for the just until Christ died on the Cross to obtain Eternal Redemption for them. Not a single one of them arrived there because they, of their own free will—kept the Law, or any of God's commands to men in the Ages prior to the Law. They arrived there because God opened their understanding to spiritual truth and they responded to that truth. Some of them committed grievous sin within that limited relationship they had with God. David was a murderer and an adulterer, yet when he died he was at peace with God. Because he had faith in God.
Everyone who is said to be of faith in Scripture share one thing: God sought them out. The natural man has no hope but that God will seek him/her out and enlighten their minds to the truth.
God bless.
