"All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing."
How would Burke square this declaration with the Word of God?:
"And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
"And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God." (Luke 18:18-19)
Of course, the Psalmist offered a more cynical appraisal, one that has sadly stood the tests of time:
"They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Psalm 14:3; 53:3, Romans 3:10,12)
Nothing can better communicate the full impact of "filthy" than corrupt, of no use whatsovever, beyond saving, at least by human standards.
Of course let us never forget:
"The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." (Luke 18:27)
So, for evil to prosper, then good men must do nothing.
Yet no one is good, but God. What then it to be done?
Receive Him into yourself by grace:
"We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
"But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
"For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
"For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2:15-21)
I cannot make myself good, for no man may be justified by the works of the law. By faith, therefore, faith in Jesus Christ, I am saved, I am made righteous.
Yet a believer's transformation does not end there, with faith in Christ. Christ's faith enters into a believer, and then he lives the life of Christ within, because Christ Himself is living in you! To the extent that anyone, believer or otherwise, attempts to live righteously in his own power, to that extent he frustrates the grace of God, which therefore cannot operate (though the grace of God still resides in a believer, for He will never leave us nor forsake us)
Rather than pining for good men to speak up and do right, we must put our trust, and receive completely the One Good Man, God in the Flesh, who came to earth, lived and walked among men, to die on the Cross, reconciling us forever with His Father, and granting us power to overcome all evil.
Because it is no longer we who live, that the mainspring of our lives rest in us, but rather our power and purpose spring from Christ, that we can overcome all things:
For Paul declared triumphantly, without hesitation:
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32)
And of course:
"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."
God conquered death, hell, and the grave at the Cross through His Son Jesus Christ; therefore, let no one think that evil has any more power, for Jesus Christ wiped away once and for all the ordinances of condemnation which Satan the Accuser, and all who have fallen prey to his wiles, attempt in order to dissuade others from the grace which God the Father accords to every believer.
We do not strive in our efforts to be Good, nor do we exert effort in our strength to overcome evil. By faith, we are made the righteousness of God, and through us He works out our salvation, revenging all disobedience and leading more into the Kingdom of Heaven.
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