TEXT: Psalm 119:68

SUBJECT: Common Grace

THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT UNSAVED MEN ARE "TOTALLY DEPRAVED".

The word, "totally" is often misunderstood, both by the doctrine's enemies--and by its friends. It does not describe the depths of sin, but only its extent. In other words, it doesn't say "man is as bad as he could possibly be", but only that "the whole man is tainted by sin". His body is sinful because it is used for evil. His hand is used to "shed innocent blood"; his "feet are swift in running to mischief"; his "mouth is an open tomb"; and so on.

But the body is not alone in its moral corruption. The Greek philosophers thought it was; hence they equated "salvation" with "leaving the body". Paul chides such thinking as "the doctrines of devils". No; the "inner man" is as guilty as the "outer". "The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God". The emotions aren't, either. Fools--says the Proverb--"love simplicity and hate knowledge". These are God-given feelings reversed to sin. And, of course, if the mind and heart are wrong, the will is sure to follow. "You will not to come to Me that you may have life" says the Savior.

Thus, man is totally depraved. Isaiah described it aptly: "From the sole of the foot, to the head, there is no soundness in it..."

This is true, not just of some people, but of all. "There is none righteous, no not one..."All have sinned and come short of the glory of God". "There is not a just man upon the earth, who does good and sins not". Thus, everyone is implicated.

Because depravity is not an ignorance, it cannot be solved by better education. Because it's not a weakness, it cannot be overcome by disciplined effort. Because it is not a sickness, it cannot be cured by drugs or therapy. It is nothing less than a "spiritual death". And only God's saving grace--in Jesus Christ--can "give life to the dead".

The Bible teaches that man is totally depraved. "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God".

THE BIBLE TEACHES THAN UNSAVED MEN DO GOOD THINGS.

The shining example from the Old Testament is Esau. About his spiritual state, there can be no doubt. He is "a fornicator and profane person" says Hebrews 12:16. Yet this man, for all of his ungodliness, forgave his brother a very great sin. And "forgiveness" is good. A great good. The unsaved Esau forgave.

Other Old Testament sinners who did good things include: Ahab, who "humbled himself"; Nebuchadnezzar who forbade the abuse of God's name; and Cyrus, who released Israel from its captivity. These were bad man--Idolaters--who yet are commended by God for doing good.

In the New Testament, we find more of the same. The Bereans, for example, are not yet believers. But they are "more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so". Gamaliel is another example. He was not a Christian, but he counseled against persecuting the church. Gallio would not punish Paul for preaching, but flogged his accusers, instead. And some bad men went so far as to "prophecy in Christ's name, cast out devils, and do many wonderful works".

But I needn't labor the subject. You know it's true. You know of unsaved husbands who are faithful to their wives; unsaved merchants who are fair in their business; unsaved firemen who risk their lives to save others. Of course, unsaved men do good things.

THIS PRESENTS A REAL PROBLEM. IF THE UNSAVED ARE TOTALLY DEPRAVED, HOW CAN THEY DO GOOD? OR, IF THEY DO GOOD, HOW CAN THEY BE TOTALLY DEPRAVED? ONE OR THE OTHER--IT WOULD SEEM--MUST GIVE.

If this strikes you as confusing and paradoxical, know this much: you're not the first one to feel that way. Back in the Fourth Century A.D., two great thinkers clashed on the very same question. Their names? Pelagius and Augustine.

Pelagius argued against "total depravity" by citing the example of "virtuous heathen". These men have not received God's saving grace, yet they do good things. Thus, they cannot be "totally depraved". This is not an easy argument to rebut.

Augustine answered him. He called heathen virtues "nothing other than splendid vices motivated by love of glory and praise or a desire to avoid difficulty".

Let's apply his thinking to my earlier examples:

To quote Augustine: "once vice overpowers another".

"Total Depravity" v. "Heathen virtue". Pelagius denied the former by affirming the latter. Augustine denied the latter by affirming the former.

Who's right?

Neither. The Bible teaches that "total depravity" and "heathen virtue" are perfectly compatible. How?

THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED BY THE DOCTRINE OF "COMMON GRACE".

Like "total depravity", this term has been mutilated by people on both sides of the question. Let me briefly define it. By "grace", I mean "God's favor". By "Common", I mean "everyone". Thus, when I assert common grace, I mean that "God is good to everyone". Not in the same way, of course. But to all, He is good.

Is this true?

The Bible says "yes". Psalm 145:9 is easy to remember: "The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works".

Paul makes the same argument in Acts 14:17: "Nevertheless, He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness".

But the fullest and most convincing proof for "common grace" is Matthew 5:43ff.

God is good to everyone--saved and unsaved. His goodness enables both to "do good".

How does He exercise His "common grace"?

Balaam is a good illustration. Deep down, he wanted to curse Israel and receive Balak's reward. His lusts, however, were held back by God. But more than this: God energized him to bless God's people three times...and to pay tribute to "A Star, coming out of Jacob...and a Scepter, rising in Israel". To what can we attribute his prophecies? To himself? To Satan? Or to God's common grace?

"Common grace" answers the riddle: How can one be both totally depraved and do good things?

WHY DOES GOD EXERCISE COMMON GRACE?

"Secret things belong to the LORD our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us". Much speculation has been done on this question--none of it profitable. Let the Bible speak. It presents (as far as I can tell) two related answers:

OUR RESPONSE TO COMMON GRACE

We should be deeply thankful for it. Without it, life would be unbearable if not impossible. The nuclear powers might have destroyed the world by now. But they haven't. Not because they're good; but because of common grace. We ought to thank God for the safe driving of most on the road; for the good neighbors; for "the quiet and peaceable lives" we live "in all godliness and honesty". "The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD".

We should never equate it with saving grace. We should be thankful for our quiet neighbors, but never think they're saved because they are quiet. Thus, be thankful for what you have. But seek more. Urge them to find saving grace in Jesus Christ.

"You are good, and do good". Amen.