Rom 3:10-12
Does not support yours statment that unbeleivers can make righteous decisisons
From the footnotes of the NAB
Paul is responding to an objection that all have sinned not about unbelievers making righteous decisions.
Not quite what it says. It says that Paul has confidence that the one who started the good work will complete it but only to those who stay loyal. Why else would Paul pray for them if they are already saves? Philippians 1:10; 2:16; 3:20-21; 1 Thes 4:17; 5:10; 2 Thes 1:10; 1 Cor 1:8. Beign Born again Jesus clearly stated how and that is why Jesus instructs the Apostles to Baptize.
This refers to false prophets.
adrift, thank-you for your response and verse references. Maybe you had some typos in the response, but I was supporting the contention that unbelievers do not have the ability to do anything righteous. In Romans 1:18 thru 2:29, a pretty devestating picture is painted of man and of God’s righteous judgment. In Romans 3:1-8, we can see a part of the blessing of being a Jew, but is that enough? No. Man’s state before God is unrighteousness and nothing but unrighteousness. Man is un-holy and separated from God, and in desparate need of a savior.
I’ll now lay out a biblical argument. Verses below are from biblegateway on the web.
What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” (Rom 3:9-12 ESV)
Note Paul’s further testimony about man:
"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Eph 2:1-10 NKJV)
Here is one from Isaiah.
For we have all become like one who is unclean [ceremonially, like a leper], and all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment; we all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away [far from God’s favor, hurrying us toward destruction]. (Isaiah 64:6 Amplified)
The term filthy rags or polluted garment is equivalent to “menstrual rags.” The CEB translation uses that term.
Here is one from Jeremiah.
The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? (Jer 17:9 NKJV)
The implication is that God only can know it. And God is not impressed.
Note how Jesus spoke.
Then another of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” (Matt 8:21-22 NKJV, see also Luke 9:60)
Man needs God and His grace. A most beautiful picture is given in John 11, where Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Why, after 4 days, and now in the tomb, can Lazarus respond to ANY command? Only one reason. Jesus has the power. God has the power. What power? Resurrection power, and it works both physically and spiritually. Without the enabling of God, no one who is spiritually dead, that is, one who is dead in trespasses and sins can do any righteous thing. Unregenerate man does not have that ability.
The verses you gave near the end are from Pauline epistles written to believers. And note Paul’s very words, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.” (1 Cor 1:17 NKJV)
Finally, 1 John 2:19 applies to antichrists, and all that applies to them. They are, first and foremost, unbelievers, who mingle with believers. They also are false prophets, false teachers, and sew dischord into the Church with their false theology. And God allows it. These things will sharpen the theology of true believers and strengthen their witness to God’s true glory. Note how John says it, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” (1 John 2:18-19 ESV)
I hope this better explains why I believe the Bible teaches that man is totally incapable of any righteousness, which includes the ability to believe in Jesus without God’s enabling grace.
Sincerely, OldProf
My mother has no problem now with me becoming a Baptized Catholic soon, but she wanted to make sure that I knew the ‘full gospel’. Although I know that she had good intentions, many of the things that she tried to convince me of were extremely contrary to Catholic teaching, such as sola fide and assurance of salvation. She repeatedly asked me the question ‘If you were to die today, would you know for sure you would go to Heaven?’ I told her that I hope to go to Heaven, but that this decision was up to God and not me. She then told me that ‘We need to rely on God’s promises because He told us that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.’ I tried to explain to her in a kind way that we are not saved by faith alone and explained to her my position on assurance of salvation, but she continued to ask me over again. Finally, she asked me again. It was 11:30 PM, I was tired, somewhat frustrated, and I wanted to go to bed, and so I just smiled and said ‘Most certainly
!’ and then she let me off.
