Q: In Matthew 13:48, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a net, which is cast into the sea, and becomes filled with fishes, and then is brought to shore. When on shore, the fishermen collect the good fish, and throw away the bad fish. But the Bible says that no human beings are good; Isaiah 64:6, for example, says that our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment to God. Isnt this a contradiction?
A: No; theres simply a difference in how the word good is being used in different context. Referring to a fish dinner, one can say, Yummy; the grilled lemon trout was delicious; that was good fish. The diner does not mean that the fish was morally perfect. And referring to human beings, one can say Hes a good man or Hes a righteous man in the sense that an individual seeks to do what is right and has a generally noble and virtuous disposition. In other words, good can be commonly used as a relative term. But when one shifts into Theologically Nuanced gear, and compares the goodness of men to the goodness of God, there is no such thing as an innately morally good mature human being, except Jesus. Everyone else has sinned, and those who are just are just because they have been justified/forgiven by Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
A: No; theres simply a difference in how the word good is being used in different context. Referring to a fish dinner, one can say, Yummy; the grilled lemon trout was delicious; that was good fish. The diner does not mean that the fish was morally perfect. And referring to human beings, one can say Hes a good man or Hes a righteous man in the sense that an individual seeks to do what is right and has a generally noble and virtuous disposition. In other words, good can be commonly used as a relative term. But when one shifts into Theologically Nuanced gear, and compares the goodness of men to the goodness of God, there is no such thing as an innately morally good mature human being, except Jesus. Everyone else has sinned, and those who are just are just because they have been justified/forgiven by Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
