The Lord’s Work – Part 31
Doing good under the Law?
Did the OT saints “do good” under the law?
What is it to do good? Who can do good? Who has been said to do good?
We’re going to do a thorough study of doing good and doing right.
What we will find, is that men do not do good. Man does not do good in truth, but there are occurrences in Scripture when certain men are said to have done good or right. They’re in there, but they are very rare.
What we will then find by carefully looking at each one, is that whenever, in these rare cases, that a man is said to do good under the law, or in the flesh, is it exactly what we’ve been saying it is: a figure, a pattern of the true.
“did good” – 1 time
“did right*” – 1 time
Acts 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
This is the only one! The Lord did good, not man. But still, is this the true good? If you give men food and gladness, is that “good”, such that you are then due an eternal reward? If you were able to control the weather and give rain.. would that be “good”?
But what is the carnal pattern of the true good? Giving rain. Giving food and water. Giving FRUIT. Filling the heart with meat and drink and joy.
Psalms 145:9 The LORD is good to all: …
Even though they don’t deserve good, He gives men food and water. That is good. But if the carnal things are the pattern of the true, what is doing true good? Well.. isn’t that exactly what a soul winner does? In Spirit, he gives people food and drink. He gives them his good fruit. He fills their heart with food and gladness, eternal life and joy.
If a man eats the bread of life, he will never hunger again.
If a man drinks of the water that Jesus will give him, he will never thirst again.
If a man receives the gospel, his heart will rejoice in the Lord for eternity.
Psalms 13:5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
The Lord “did good”. He is the only one that ever “did good” in the Bible. Now, the figure of the true is what He did on Earth, but the true is what He does, and now, what we soul winners and preachers do, in Spirit and in truth.
Here is the only instance of “did right*”:
Isaiah 58:1-2 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
This is the only one. Notice the word “as”. Israel (according to the flesh) was NOT a nation that “did righteousness”. But they were often AS it. They acted AS it. They appeared that way to man. They even tried to convince the Lord. He called them a bunch of actors-liars.
They pretend like they are righteous, but they’re sinners.
And that is it.. Only 1 time.. in the whole Bible. For a phrase as clear as “did good” or “did right”, that is pretty crazy. This is the Bible, right? There should be at least dozens of saints and kings and prophets and disciples who “did good” or “did right”, right? That phrase should be in there hundreds of times. Dozens? At least a few times, right?
It doesn’t say that David “did good” to his enemy King Saul. It doesn’t say that King Solomon “did good” to Israel. It doesn’t say that Jacob “did right” by Laban. It doesn’t say that Joseph “did good” in Egypt. It doesn’t say that Noah “did good” to build the ark and save the human race from extinction.
Nope. Just 1 time.
The OT prophets and saints did not “do good and right” in the eyes of the Lord. But they did the pattern of good and right. That is all they could do. The pattern. They could do the figure of good and right according to the law. But not good and right according to the truth.
Lets look at the Kings of Israel and Judah, whose acts are recorded, and summarized with one statement in the Bible. Familiar? Here is an example:
2 Chronicles 14:2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:
I think there is a reason it is said this way. They are not said to have done good and right, but they did THAT WHICH WAS good and right.
1 Kings 15:5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
? Kings 12:2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
2 Chronicles 31:20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
In the flesh, under the law, people can not do (true) good or (true) right, but they can do THAT WHICH IS good and right.
Romans 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
No man can do good, outside of Christ. But any man can do “that which is good”. That does not mean that he is saved, or that he is spiritually/eternally rewarded, that what He did was true good in the sight of God, or that he is better than another sinner before God. He just did THAT WHICH IS good, in the Earth. He didn’t do good, He did that which is good, he did the pattern of good.
But man won’t be judged according to the pattern. He will be judged according to the truth!
Romans 2:1-3 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Man will be judged according to TRUTH!
Pilate asked Jesus: What is truth?
1 John 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
The truth is the Spirit. 2nd witness:
1 John 2:27 But the anointing [The Holy Spirit] which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing [The Holy Spirit] teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
We are going to be judged according to truth: Whether or not we are in the Spirit.
We will be judged according to truth. The truth is the word of God.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
We are going to be judged according to truth: Whether we are in the truth.
Psalms 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
To be in the truth, is to be in the mercy of the Lord. In the salvation of the Lord.
We are going to be judged according to truth: Whether we are in the truth: that is, whether we are IN JESUS.
Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
That is the only instance of “the truth is in” in the whole Bible. The truth is the Bible doctrine of life in Jesus.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The truth is that without Jesus, a man does not do good and right IN TRUTH. He only does good and right IN FORM, IN SHADOW.
True judgment is that man, all men, yourself included, are inexcusable.
Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
No man does different things than other men. No work of one man is better than the works of another man. We all do the same things. The Judgment of God will not differentiate between the good works and the bad works of the flesh, the good works and bad works of man. The Judgment of God will differentiate between the flesh, and the Spirit. The Judgment of God will differentiate between the true good and the true evil.
And since judgment is “according to TRUTH”, no carnal work of man will be counted a good work. Because carnal works are not true works. Because carnal things are not true things.
Man’s works are not IN THE TRUTH – in the Spirit, in Jesus – thus they are NOT TRUTH.
Romans 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
That is the only appearance of “according to truth” in the Bible. It sounds to me like it is pretty important for us to understand how someone can be judged “according to truth”, since this will be our judgment.
This is the only appearance of “according to THE truth” in the whole Bible:
Galatians 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
When man is judged according to truth, according to the truth, the only thing that will matter is the truth OF THE GOSPEL. The gospel is the truth. The only thing that will matter about his works, is whether his works were true good and true right, ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL.
What is the truth? 1 instance of “is the truth”
Psalms 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
So, are we going to be judged by the law, or by the gospel? The false brethren scream, “See, its by works! You have to obey the law!” The Bible haters scream, “Contradiction!”
But, why can’t it be both? Why can’t we just believe that God doesn’t lie.
This is OT. The law of Moses is not the truth. It was the pattern and figure of the truth.
The truth is the new covenant. The new law. The law of eternal life in Jesus. The Bible calls it the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the son of God hath not life.
Romans 3:26-28 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
The law of Moses, the law of works, the natural law of the flesh, is the figure of the true.
The law of the Spirit of life in Jesus is the true law. The law of faith is the true law. “Thy law is the truth”.
Man will be judged according to the truth: whether he obeyed the law of faith: the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Psalms 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
The Lord’s works are done in truth. Truthful works are done in the truth. Where is the truth?
Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
If you are not in Jesus Christ, you are not “In Truth”.
2 John 1:2 For the truth‘s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
Jesus Christ is the truth. If Christ is not in you, you have no truth in you.
Rather, you are of your father the devil, who “.. abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.”
Better get a hold of that, because that is how you are going to be judged. According to truth.
The truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The truth of the word of God.
The truth of the Spirit.
The truth of the law of faith; the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
The truth of where you are: in Christ or in the flesh.
The truth of what you are: a son of God, or a child of the devil.
The truth of what sacrifices you gave: figurative sacrifices, or true sacrifices.
The truth of what things you worked: shadows of good in the flesh (evil things), or true good in the Spirit (good things).
You are going to be judged according to truth.
“did good” – 1 time, “did right*” – 1 time
The Lord is the only one that is ever said to have “did good”, and no man is ever said to have “did right”.
“doeth good” – 9 times.
“doeth right*” – 3 times.
First, “doeth good” – 9 times. What you need to know: No historical person in the Bible is ever said to “doeth good”. In fact, 6 of the 9 times, the phrase is the same:
Psalms 14:1 … there is none that doeth good.
Psalms 14:3 … there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Psalms 53:1 … there is none that doeth good.
Psalms 53:3 … there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Romans 3:12 … there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
There are only 3 other instances of “doeth good”.
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
First of all, this is not an instance of any carnal man being able to “doeth good”.
This is no exception to the rule (6 times!). So what is this?
It’s a proverb. … It’s a parable. It’s a mystery. It’s a dark saying. It’s a hidden thing. Its hidden wisdom. It’s a spiritual truth spoken to men such that men see without perceiving and hear without understanding. These things are revealed to the babes, but are hidden from the wise and prudent, of this world. These things are given to the spiritually wise men, but are hidden from the naturally wise men.
The common “understanding” of this verse is, as you would expect, a carnal “understanding”: that joy and laughter helps the flesh heal and live, whereas sorrow and despair cause the physical body to fade and die. “Laughter is the best medicine”. This is not what the Bible teaches:
Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
Ecclesiastes 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
The truth of “laughter” in the Bible is that if you laugh now, you will mourn at the end, but if you mourn now, at the end, the Lord will fill you with laughter.
Laughter is not for your health. Laughter is not going to do you good.
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
If we are to open the Spiritual eyes to this, if we will divide flesh from Spirit and true from the figure of the true, I believe that what it says is that a saved man’s heart (a merry heart, which has been given joy – the Holy Spirit) doeth good – it can do good. It can bring forth good things, health and life (living waters – moisture), whereas an unsaved man’s heart (which has a broken spirit) brings forth evil things, sickness and death (wells without water – dryness, and no moisture).
A saved man gives moisture and health, an unsaved man gives dryness and death. A saved man gives living water, and unsaved man gives no water.
Is there some fleshly medical truth here? Possibly, as a figure of the true. But, I don’t really know. If you want to know fleshly wisdom, ask your doctor. But if you ask your Pastor, I’ll tell you about the true things.
The spiritual truth of this passage, is the same that Jesus taught. What a man can do, good or evil, is based on what is IN his heart. What is inside the heart, good or evil, is what comes out of the heart. And what comes out of a man is of one sort: good or evil, carnal or spiritual.
We are NOT talking about what a man does, whether good or evil, whether nice or mean, whether lawful or unlawful.
What we are talking about, is a SUBSTANCE that proceeds out of the heart. That substance is like a medicine. That substance gives life, or it gives death.
No man under the law was able to do good. True good only proceeds from a merry heart – a saved man’s heart. True good is the giving of living water instead of water that perisheth. The giving of moisture, instead of dryness. If a man drinks your waters, will he be healed? Will he thirst again, or will he never thirst again? To give the gospel of Jesus Christ, is to give eternal life, and to “doeth good like a medicine”.
I AM HERE
Dec 19 2021
The Lord’s Work – Part 31
Downloadable Word document:
The Lord’s Work – Part 31
The Lord’s Work – Part 31
Doing good under the Law?
Did the OT saints “do good” under the law?
What is it to do good? Who can do good? Who has been said to do good?
We’re going to do a thorough study of doing good and doing right.
What we will find, is that men do not do good. Man does not do good in truth, but there are occurrences in Scripture when certain men are said to have done good or right. They’re in there, but they are very rare.
What we will then find by carefully looking at each one, is that whenever, in these rare cases, that a man is said to do good under the law, or in the flesh, is it exactly what we’ve been saying it is: a figure, a pattern of the true.
“did good” – 1 time
“did right*” – 1 time
Acts 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
This is the only one! The Lord did good, not man. But still, is this the true good? If you give men food and gladness, is that “good”, such that you are then due an eternal reward? If you were able to control the weather and give rain.. would that be “good”?
But what is the carnal pattern of the true good? Giving rain. Giving food and water. Giving FRUIT. Filling the heart with meat and drink and joy.
Psalms 145:9 The LORD is good to all: …
Even though they don’t deserve good, He gives men food and water. That is good. But if the carnal things are the pattern of the true, what is doing true good? Well.. isn’t that exactly what a soul winner does? In Spirit, he gives people food and drink. He gives them his good fruit. He fills their heart with food and gladness, eternal life and joy.
If a man eats the bread of life, he will never hunger again.
If a man drinks of the water that Jesus will give him, he will never thirst again.
If a man receives the gospel, his heart will rejoice in the Lord for eternity.
Psalms 13:5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.
The Lord “did good”. He is the only one that ever “did good” in the Bible. Now, the figure of the true is what He did on Earth, but the true is what He does, and now, what we soul winners and preachers do, in Spirit and in truth.
Here is the only instance of “did right*”:
Isaiah 58:1-2 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.
This is the only one. Notice the word “as”. Israel (according to the flesh) was NOT a nation that “did righteousness”. But they were often AS it. They acted AS it. They appeared that way to man. They even tried to convince the Lord. He called them a bunch of actors-liars.
They pretend like they are righteous, but they’re sinners.
And that is it.. Only 1 time.. in the whole Bible. For a phrase as clear as “did good” or “did right”, that is pretty crazy. This is the Bible, right? There should be at least dozens of saints and kings and prophets and disciples who “did good” or “did right”, right? That phrase should be in there hundreds of times. Dozens? At least a few times, right?
It doesn’t say that David “did good” to his enemy King Saul. It doesn’t say that King Solomon “did good” to Israel. It doesn’t say that Jacob “did right” by Laban. It doesn’t say that Joseph “did good” in Egypt. It doesn’t say that Noah “did good” to build the ark and save the human race from extinction.
Nope. Just 1 time.
The OT prophets and saints did not “do good and right” in the eyes of the Lord. But they did the pattern of good and right. That is all they could do. The pattern. They could do the figure of good and right according to the law. But not good and right according to the truth.
Lets look at the Kings of Israel and Judah, whose acts are recorded, and summarized with one statement in the Bible. Familiar? Here is an example:
2 Chronicles 14:2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:
I think there is a reason it is said this way. They are not said to have done good and right, but they did THAT WHICH WAS good and right.
1 Kings 15:5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
? Kings 12:2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
2 Chronicles 31:20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.
In the flesh, under the law, people can not do (true) good or (true) right, but they can do THAT WHICH IS good and right.
Romans 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
No man can do good, outside of Christ. But any man can do “that which is good”. That does not mean that he is saved, or that he is spiritually/eternally rewarded, that what He did was true good in the sight of God, or that he is better than another sinner before God. He just did THAT WHICH IS good, in the Earth. He didn’t do good, He did that which is good, he did the pattern of good.
But man won’t be judged according to the pattern. He will be judged according to the truth!
Romans 2:1-3 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
Man will be judged according to TRUTH!
Pilate asked Jesus: What is truth?
1 John 5:6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
The truth is the Spirit. 2nd witness:
1 John 2:27 But the anointing [The Holy Spirit] which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing [The Holy Spirit] teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
We are going to be judged according to truth: Whether or not we are in the Spirit.
We will be judged according to truth. The truth is the word of God.
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
We are going to be judged according to truth: Whether we are in the truth.
Psalms 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
To be in the truth, is to be in the mercy of the Lord. In the salvation of the Lord.
We are going to be judged according to truth: Whether we are in the truth: that is, whether we are IN JESUS.
Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
That is the only instance of “the truth is in” in the whole Bible. The truth is the Bible doctrine of life in Jesus.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The truth is that without Jesus, a man does not do good and right IN TRUTH. He only does good and right IN FORM, IN SHADOW.
True judgment is that man, all men, yourself included, are inexcusable.
Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
No man does different things than other men. No work of one man is better than the works of another man. We all do the same things. The Judgment of God will not differentiate between the good works and the bad works of the flesh, the good works and bad works of man. The Judgment of God will differentiate between the flesh, and the Spirit. The Judgment of God will differentiate between the true good and the true evil.
And since judgment is “according to TRUTH”, no carnal work of man will be counted a good work. Because carnal works are not true works. Because carnal things are not true things.
Man’s works are not IN THE TRUTH – in the Spirit, in Jesus – thus they are NOT TRUTH.
Romans 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
That is the only appearance of “according to truth” in the Bible. It sounds to me like it is pretty important for us to understand how someone can be judged “according to truth”, since this will be our judgment.
This is the only appearance of “according to THE truth” in the whole Bible:
Galatians 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
When man is judged according to truth, according to the truth, the only thing that will matter is the truth OF THE GOSPEL. The gospel is the truth. The only thing that will matter about his works, is whether his works were true good and true right, ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL.
What is the truth? 1 instance of “is the truth”
Psalms 119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
So, are we going to be judged by the law, or by the gospel? The false brethren scream, “See, its by works! You have to obey the law!” The Bible haters scream, “Contradiction!”
But, why can’t it be both? Why can’t we just believe that God doesn’t lie.
This is OT. The law of Moses is not the truth. It was the pattern and figure of the truth.
The truth is the new covenant. The new law. The law of eternal life in Jesus. The Bible calls it the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the son of God hath not life.
Romans 3:26-28 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
The law of Moses, the law of works, the natural law of the flesh, is the figure of the true.
The law of the Spirit of life in Jesus is the true law. The law of faith is the true law. “Thy law is the truth”.
Man will be judged according to the truth: whether he obeyed the law of faith: the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Psalms 33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
The Lord’s works are done in truth. Truthful works are done in the truth. Where is the truth?
Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
If you are not in Jesus Christ, you are not “In Truth”.
2 John 1:2 For the truth‘s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
Jesus Christ is the truth. If Christ is not in you, you have no truth in you.
Rather, you are of your father the devil, who “.. abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.”
Better get a hold of that, because that is how you are going to be judged. According to truth.
The truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The truth of the word of God.
The truth of the Spirit.
The truth of the law of faith; the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.
The truth of where you are: in Christ or in the flesh.
The truth of what you are: a son of God, or a child of the devil.
The truth of what sacrifices you gave: figurative sacrifices, or true sacrifices.
The truth of what things you worked: shadows of good in the flesh (evil things), or true good in the Spirit (good things).
You are going to be judged according to truth.
“did good” – 1 time, “did right*” – 1 time
The Lord is the only one that is ever said to have “did good”, and no man is ever said to have “did right”.
“doeth good” – 9 times.
“doeth right*” – 3 times.
First, “doeth good” – 9 times. What you need to know: No historical person in the Bible is ever said to “doeth good”. In fact, 6 of the 9 times, the phrase is the same:
Psalms 14:1 … there is none that doeth good.
Psalms 14:3 … there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Psalms 53:1 … there is none that doeth good.
Psalms 53:3 … there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Romans 3:12 … there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
There are only 3 other instances of “doeth good”.
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
First of all, this is not an instance of any carnal man being able to “doeth good”.
This is no exception to the rule (6 times!). So what is this?
It’s a proverb. … It’s a parable. It’s a mystery. It’s a dark saying. It’s a hidden thing. Its hidden wisdom. It’s a spiritual truth spoken to men such that men see without perceiving and hear without understanding. These things are revealed to the babes, but are hidden from the wise and prudent, of this world. These things are given to the spiritually wise men, but are hidden from the naturally wise men.
The common “understanding” of this verse is, as you would expect, a carnal “understanding”: that joy and laughter helps the flesh heal and live, whereas sorrow and despair cause the physical body to fade and die. “Laughter is the best medicine”. This is not what the Bible teaches:
Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
Ecclesiastes 2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
Ecclesiastes 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
The truth of “laughter” in the Bible is that if you laugh now, you will mourn at the end, but if you mourn now, at the end, the Lord will fill you with laughter.
Laughter is not for your health. Laughter is not going to do you good.
Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
If we are to open the Spiritual eyes to this, if we will divide flesh from Spirit and true from the figure of the true, I believe that what it says is that a saved man’s heart (a merry heart, which has been given joy – the Holy Spirit) doeth good – it can do good. It can bring forth good things, health and life (living waters – moisture), whereas an unsaved man’s heart (which has a broken spirit) brings forth evil things, sickness and death (wells without water – dryness, and no moisture).
A saved man gives moisture and health, an unsaved man gives dryness and death. A saved man gives living water, and unsaved man gives no water.
Is there some fleshly medical truth here? Possibly, as a figure of the true. But, I don’t really know. If you want to know fleshly wisdom, ask your doctor. But if you ask your Pastor, I’ll tell you about the true things.
The spiritual truth of this passage, is the same that Jesus taught. What a man can do, good or evil, is based on what is IN his heart. What is inside the heart, good or evil, is what comes out of the heart. And what comes out of a man is of one sort: good or evil, carnal or spiritual.
We are NOT talking about what a man does, whether good or evil, whether nice or mean, whether lawful or unlawful.
What we are talking about, is a SUBSTANCE that proceeds out of the heart. That substance is like a medicine. That substance gives life, or it gives death.
No man under the law was able to do good. True good only proceeds from a merry heart – a saved man’s heart. True good is the giving of living water instead of water that perisheth. The giving of moisture, instead of dryness. If a man drinks your waters, will he be healed? Will he thirst again, or will he never thirst again? To give the gospel of Jesus Christ, is to give eternal life, and to “doeth good like a medicine”.
I AM HERE
By Pastor • Christian Doctrine, Good Works • 0