My grandson said "If I'm good can I have a toy?" He's not an adult. He's six and if you ask him, "I'm 6-1/2!"
Let's take a close look at that question.
Firstly, What is "good"? It's fairly subjective since people from all walks of life have different standards. Being "good" for a young boy may mean that he made it through the day without tearing something up. "Good", then needs a frame of reference. Likewise, "good" has directional implications. Is being good "not being bad" or is being "good" about doing "good things"?
If one resorts to dictionary definitions "good" means about anything you want it to mean! For a child the best meaning may be "well-behaved". For an adult the best definition may be "being true". Each lead to further questions. What is well-behaved? What is being true? "Well-behaved" are those in compliance to the rules in which the person lives. Unfortunately, dysfunctional families have few rules and if they do, they're inappropriate for the "bad-behavior". Hence, a child can live in compliance to a family's rules, yet still be bad to the core.
For adults "being true" was chosen as the best definition, but being "true" to what? Some say "I'm true to myself!" What in the world does that mean? Basically, my understanding is that when one is "true to self" they do what they want to do. They may rebel against all, but what they choose to obey. In short, "being true" is only a partial definition. A frame of reference is still required!
In a civil society laws must be followed. There seems to be laws for about everything! Laws are the legal obligation to follow societal rules and regulations. Without laws society is in anarchy, so we need laws. However, law-makers are not gods. Most are not even righteous. Hence, there are "good laws" and "bad laws". An example of a good law is that society disallows theft (except for government dictated theft to provide income redistribution). An example of a bad law is that legal entities have legalized murder. (I'm referring to abortion and post-abortive infanticide).
Since, America's laws are based on "natural law" which is in turn based on Judeo-Christian principles, then it seems right to use the time tested "natural law" as a reference. We do know that same-sex marriage is outside natural law as is abortion. Up until this generation moral and functional societies have had rules against sodomy and murder. Now, with this unruly generation, the law provides that deviancy is legal and the right to murder ones own child is a right. Natural law did not change, but anarchy ensues because mortals are inherently bad. They rebel against natural law!
Cain killed Abel. There was no law beyond natural law. Man had not regressed to the point yet when written law was provided. However, the murder of Abel was one of the many "bad" acts which required that natural law be written down. Man not only must do "good", but he needed a standard defining "bad and good". Therefore God wrote to Ten Commandments in stone. Natural law became written law and God's law is natural law. Many don't like that concept, but that's life!
Whereas, "good" is defined in different manners to be age appropriate, God considers good differently. What, then is "good"? If one looks closely at Genesis, "good" is established everywhere as any action done by God or obedience to God. "Good" means that we obey God! Obedience takes two forms: 1) Things done and behaviors exhibited and 2) Things not done, but should be. In a negative sense, these are "sins of commission" and "sins of omission", respectively.
When a child says "I'll be good!" it should mean the child will not only behave (comply to natural law), but will perform positive deeds and think thoughts which are constructive. A truly good child is good for what the child does and doesn't do! The same goes for adults!
Matthew 12:35 "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."
As can be seen Matthew tells us that it takes a good heart to be a "good" person. Having a "good heart" is "being true to God"! A good man is true to God. "Self" as no bearing on goodness.
"Being well-behaved" is not being true to God. One can behave appropriate to God's desires, but yet come short of being "good". An example of being "well-behaved" are the Pharisees who Jesus called snakes! Well-behaved must also be "of the heart". A good man obeys laws in reverence to God, not to obtain salvation. Some of the best-behaved people have the least pure heart. Humanists do good things, but dishonor God. According to God's justice the "good" humanist suffers the same fate as the "bad" Nazi!
Secondly, the child implied "I'll be good so I can get a toy!" We should never reward our children for being good! That's an obligation, not a vocation. Children need to be rewarded for their contributions. That means rewarded for chores, etc. Rewarding children for "being good" is the same as rewarding them for "not being bad"! Children get acclimated to "pay for breathing" and come to expect something for nothing. These are entitlement children and since they never grow up, they become entitlement adults. One person in particular a friend of mine calls "Princess Morgan". She expects everyone to cater to her every whim RIGHT NOW, or she proceeds to terrorize! Giving in to her whims is negative reinforcement. She keeps on demanding something for nothing!
Thessalonians 3:10 (ESV) "For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living."
No one owes another a living. Entitlements are not biblical. (Helping the widows, orphans and infirm is!). Royalty, the Lords Temporal (Second Estate), do not have to work. Theirs is another estate; an unfair one at that. Since royalty will be equal in heaven to the third estate (the Commons) every knee shall bow to God and all will be servants to the head of the First Estate; God himself! Simply, you're not royalty. Get used to it!
People expect reward for being good. "Salvation by works" is at odds with salvation by grace alone, "sola gratia" by faith alone, "sola fide".
1 Peter 1:9 "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."
2 Timothy 1:9 "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
The only gift we get for free is salvation. It requires no work. In that case and that case alone, we can be royalty. We become a member of the "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9)!
"Works" from a biblical standpoint is not hard physical work so as to provide our own needs. It's spiritual work. It's attempting to be "good" enough to make it to heaven. You can see from 2 Tim 1:9 above, that God doesn't honor works and subsequently "being good" is futile for salvation. What's required? Faith (1 Peter 1:9)!
In summary work hard for your sustenance here in this world. Don't expect something for nothing. By doing "good" you're meeting minimum requirements and should not be rewarded. You are to be rewarded for your labor! For spiritual reward, have faith! All the "good" things you do are God's minimum expectations. His requirement is that you have firm and enduring faith!
Isn't it ironic that most expect worldly gifts without work, but heavenly gifts by works?
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