No One Does Good, Not Even One

As part of my Lenten journey I am making my way again through the Psalms. Today I come upon Psalm 53 and it makes no sense whatsoever. It is quite irrational. Listen to the words of David.

"God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.
"They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one" (Psalm 53:2-3).

Consider the recent disaster in Haiti, for instance. The arguments fly back and forth in the media as to why Haitians were not prepared for the devastation caused by the earthquakes. Some blame Americans totally. Yet the facts remain. In this instance Americans are giving generously to help them restore their lives and homes.

Is this not doing good? How then can I believe King David when he claims that there is not even one who does good in this world? How can I accept the Scriptures as God's Word? Or must I accept some things written therein and reject others?

In this matter we Lutherans have had many arguments with non-Lutherans as well as among ourselves. Yet there is a way though it if one distinguishes between temporal or external affairs and spiritual matters—as indeed David does in writing his Psalm.

Of course Americans do good! The proof of this is found in the deeds. Billions and billions of dollars are given, both privately and publicly every year to hundreds of good causes, more than any other people on earth. No one can question this. Yet, as is clear from Scripture, these are external affairs. And in external matters, Americans—Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or whatever, are people who are generous. But we speak about external matters. We are not exploring inner, spiritual questions of belief and faith.

So what IS the Psalm talking about? Answer: people who "seek after God." And who is this God? Well, certainly not some nebulous someone, somewhere. No, indeed. David's God is the God who has plainly made Himself known to His people, the people called Israel, the people brought out of Egyptian bondage and into this land over which David rules (Deuteronomy 26:1-11).

And to us now, He is this same God who has made Himself known as the Son of David, born of David's lineage, the One known as Jesus, the anointed king, anointed with the Holy Spirit in His baptism and declared by His Father's voice to be His beloved Son with whom the Father is well pleased (Matthew 3:13-17).

Conclusion: the children of men do not seek this God who has revealed Himself in the person of the God-Man, Jesus of Nazareth. Instead they make gods out of every other thing or spirit imaginable. If you have no faith in this same God who came to bear our burdens and die our death (Isaiah 53:1-11), you do not understand what it means to believe—nor can you. You are, as David writes, corrupt. What you do is not done in faith, but rather in unbelief, in idolatry, pride, fear, guilt or for any number of other reasons. Therefore it is not, nor can it be good, even if you give all you have to the poor of Haiti or any other group.

Jesus calls, in spite of our unbelief. He seeks to gather all to Himself as a mother hen gathers her chicks. Then, cleansed of our unbelief and all other sins by Him, He sends us back to do good, but now in His name.