I am a film buff. If I like a movie I will watch it several times and sometimes even memorize some of the dialog. I have several favorites but "Saving Private Ryan" is a very special film to me. It is critically acclaimed for it's cinematography and it is an incredible story. The scene that makes this film so meaningful to me may be a bit of a surprise.
The setting is Europe just days after the invasion at Normandy. Capt. John Miller and seven men search for Private James Patrick Ryan to tell him that his brothers have died in combat and that he, as the last remaining male in his family is to return home. This is well before the days of digital communications, GPS, etc. and the entire region was shrouded in the fog of war. This was no easy task. After weeks of walking across western Europe, Capt. Miller finds Private Ryan but loses nearly all of his men and his own life in the process. The scene which changed me is the last scene of the movie.
Private Ryan, decades from the events of Normandy, returns to Arlington National Cemetary to pay his respects to the man who gave the ultimate sacrifice while tracking him down to send him home. His wife and family are with him but seem to be puzzled by Ryan's nervousness. As he stands in front of the headstone of Capt. Miller he turns to his wife and asks "Tell me I have been a good man?" His wife starts to answer and looks at the headstone. She realizes her husband was there to settle accounts...to pay a debt.
I know it is just a movie but that scene changed the way I viewed the phrase "a good man". The men I know that are good men have many things in common. If you tell them they are "a good man" they will deny it, some of them even bristle a bit. They will tell you they are not perfect and perhaps even share some of their flaws. Yet even their flaws make them good men. They know grace and mercy because they recognize they have been shown grace and mercy. They have a standard of conduct they hold themselves to and if they were to honestly describe it to you, it would be apparent to both of you that it is unattainable. Yet that standard is what drives them and makes them who they are. Some of them are large, mountains of men and others so average in appearance that you might walk right past them and pay no mind yet they all would place themselves in physical, political or financial harms way to help someone in need. Without hesitation.
Many people say these men are much too trusting and easy to take advantage of. But to trust someone is to trust them completely; it is the only way they know how to trust. It's as if no matter who they meet, they only see the good in that person. They love the same way they trust, completely. Done in half-measures it may be something else but it is not love.
As the scriptures declare :Romans 3:10-12 NKJV
ReplyDeleteAs it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”
It is only by the intercessory work of Christ alone on behalf of His people and by His imputed righteousness that anyone is good and righteous before the throne of God.
It is correct that those who understand what good is, also understand that it is unattainable and yet we press on to the upward call in Christ Jesus. We have been given grace and mercy based on the finished work of Christ alone for His Sheep and for His glory alone
Before I get to the "meat and potatoes" of my response, my cancer blog has almost 1700 views and this is the first comment. Odd. Also, this was actually written over a year ago in a particularly emotional moment. I was going to write another post and saw this was still a draft. I reread it and posted it. I also copied it and texted it to a handful of men that mean a lot to me.
DeleteNow to the main course. First off, it is very good to hear from you. I miss Saturday evenings. I also would never go toe to toe with you over scripture as I am ill equipped. I AM familiar with the passage and there is not even the slightest room for interpretation; it means exactly what it says. Within the context of what I wrote EVERYONE I have ever known is fallen. In 1983, three fallen men beat me almost unconscious. On a couple of occasions a fallen friend has abandoned me when I could have really used them. During my treatment and recovery I had many fallen friends that stood by my side when it was ugly and inconvenient. I don't and cant know if any of them are saved. I do, however, have personal experience to draw from. I would strongly discourage you from letting the three carnies babysit your infant while I would recommend my best friend. If I told you my best friend is a good man, I wouldn't expect you to think he was sinless but that he wont hit you over the head with a beer bottle when you go to your truck.
Every one of the men I sent this blog to are believers and I guarantee none of them thought I was saying they are sinless. I cant know for certain they are saved (only the Lord does) but I have seen fruit from each of them that is evidence of where their hope lies.
Context is everything.
Well Chris, it's good to hear from you and yes, I miss you guys on Saturday night as well. In reading your response, it's safe to say that you might not have understood my reply.
ReplyDeleteI never thought or assumed that you were implying or insinuating that the men you mentioned were sinless. There are two perspectives of "good" in the world. The perspective that you were describing was correct in that there are men that are "good" and do good things from a human point of view. Then there is God's perspective, which is what I was demonstrating through scripture to show the need for Christ and His imputed righteousness on our behalf. All men, in an unregenerate state, can do no good from the perspective of God. Their "righteous" deeds are as filthy rags and those deeds are not done in faith in which case anything not done in faith is sin(Rom 14). Any "righteous" deed done in the flesh does not please God for those in the flesh cannot please God (Rom 8:6-8).
The intention of my post was not to make any judgment on the salvation of those brothers nor to judge whether or not their good was done in the flesh or the spirit. I just wanted to express the truth from God's perspective about all of our "good" from His Word. I just wanted to convey the efficacy of Christ atoning work on behalf of His people in which He makes us perfectly righteous before the throne of God even for the men you mentioned if in fact they are believers (and I bet they are).
One truth you pointed out is that those men knew the righteousness that they pursued was unattainable, yet they attempted to be obedient in pursuit of that standard. As all Christians know and should know, that even as believers, we understand that God's requirement for salvation is perfection and we fall short of that mark. Yet we are commanded and admonished to attempt to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect (which should show us our inadequacy). That is why Christ is so important and His substitutionary sacrifice on behalf of all those chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world to obtain their perfection before God is absolutely necessary if any man is to be saved from the wrath of God.
All that being said, yes I agree with you. One man is a good man to baby sit my kids. The other is man is not a good man for the job.
Hope this clears things up. I praise God for your healing and recovery from cancer and hope you are doing well. I'm grateful that you are a brother in Christ and pray that you will continue to be conformed to the image of His Son for His glory and your great joy. God bless.