14. Moral Inability
And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord. Joshua 24:19
In answer to Joshua's challenge, the people had said, "We will serve the Lord, for he is our God." But Joshua knew them too well to trust them, and reminded them that they were undertaking, what they could not perform. They did not believe him, but cried, "Nay, but we will serve the Lord"; but their after history proved the truth of Joshua's warning. God's word knows us better than we know ourselves. God's omniscience sees each part of our being as an anatomist sees the various portions of the body, and he therefore knows our moral and spiritual nature most thoroughly. A watchmaker is the best judge of a watch; and he who made man has the best knowledge of his condition and capacity. Let us dwell upon his verdict as to human ability.
I. THE CERTAINTY OF THE TRUTH THAT UNRENEWED MEN CANNOT SERVE GOD.
It is not a physical but a moral inability, and this is not in their nature, but in their fallen nature; not of God, but of sin. It may be said that they could serve God if they liked; but in that "if" lies the hinge of the whole question. Man's inability lies in the want of moral power so to wish and will as actually to perform. This leaves him with undiminished responsibility; for he ought to be able to serve God, and his inability is his fault (Jer. 13:23).
1. The nature of God renders perfect service impossible to depraved men. "Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God, he is a jealous God." See context.
2. The best they could render as unrenewed men would lack heart and intent, and therefore must be unacceptable. Without love and faith men cannot please God. What are the prayers, alms, and worshippings of a Christless soul (Isa. 1:15)?
3. The law of God is perfect, comprehensive, spiritual, far-reaching: who can hope to fulfill it? If a look may commit adultery, who shall in all points keep the law (Matt. 5:28)?
4. The carnal mind is inclined to self-will, self-seeking, lust, enmity, pride, and all other evils. "It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).
5. Let men try to be perfectly obedient. They will not try it. They argue for their ability, but they are loth enough to exert it.
II. THE DISCOURAGEMENT WHICH ARISES FROM THIS TRUTH.
It is alleged that this will drive men to despair, and our reply is that the kind of despair to which it drives men is most desirable and salutary.
1. It discourages men from an impossible task.
They might as well hope to invent perpetual motion as to present a perfect obedience of their own, having already sinned. If a man should try to hold up a ladder with his own hand, and at the same time climb to the top of it, he would have less difficulty than in causing his evil nature to attain to holiness.
2. It discourages from a ruinous course.
Self-righteousness is a deadly thing; it is a proud refusal of mercy, and a rebellion against grace. Self-confidence of any sort is the enemy of the Savior.
3. It discourages reliance upon ceremonies or any other outward religiousness, by assuring men that these cannot suffice.
4. It discourages from every other way of self-salvation, and thus shuts men up to faith in the Lord Jesus. Nothing better can befall them (Gal. 2:22-23).
III. THE NECESSITIES OF WHICH WE ARE REMINDED BY THIS TRUTH.
Unregenerate men, before you can serve God you need:
- A new nature, which only the Spirit of God can create in you: the old man cannot serve the Lord. An impure fountain must pour out foul streams. The tree must be made good, or the fruit will not be good.
- Reconciliation. How shall an enemy serve his king? There must be forgiveness, friendship, mutual delight. God and you must be made friends through the Mediator, or else you cannot be the servant of God.
- Acceptance. Till you are accepted, your service cannot please God. Only a perfect righteousness can make you accepted of a holy and jealous God; and none but Jesus can give you a complete justification.
- Continued aid. This you must have to keep you in the way when once you are in it (1 Sam. 2:9; Jude 24:25).
- If you cannot serve God as you are, yet trust him as he manifests himself in Christ Jesus; and do this just as you are.
- This will enable you to serve him on better principles.
- This change of your nature will be effected by the Holy Spirit, who will come and dwell in you.
- This will fit you for heaven, where "his servants shall serve him."
Striking Pieces
No wasp will make honey; before it will do that it must be transformed into a bee. A sow will not sit up to wash its face like the cat before the fire; neither will a debauched person take delight in holiness. No devil could praise the Lord as angels do, and no unregenerate man can offer acceptable service as the saints do.
Their inability was wholly of the moral kind. They could not do it because they were not disposed to do it, just as it is said of Joseph's brethren (Gen. 37:4) that they "could not speak peaceably unto him" so strong was their personal dislike to him .... But an inability arising from this source was obviously inexcusable, on the same grounds that a drunkard's inability to master his propensity for strong drink is inexcusable. In like manner, the "cannot" of the impenitent sinner, in regard to the performance of his duty, is equally inexcusable. — George Bush, in Notes on Joshua
The existence of sin within us entails on us certain consequences which we have no more power to evade than the idiot has power to change his look of idiocy; or the palsied hand has power to free itself from its torpor. — B. W. Newton
"A little girl when reproved by her mother for some fault, and told that she should teach her little brothers to do right, replied, 'How can I do right when there is no right in me?' Did not Paul make the same confession" (Rom. 7:18)?
"Man cannot be saved by perfect obedience, for he cannot render it; he cannot be saved by imperfect obedience, for God will not accept it"
A man deeply exercised about his soul was conversing with a friend on the subject, when the friend said, "Come at once to Jesus, for he will take away all your sins from your back." "Yes, I am aware of that;' said the other, "but what about my back?" I find I have not only sins to take away, but there is myself; what is to be done with that? And there is not only my back, but hands and feet, and head and heart are such a mass of iniquity that it's myself I want to get rid of before I can get peace. — British Evangelist
It is possible I may do an occasional service for one whose servant I am not, but it were mean that a great person should be served only by the servants of another lord. — John Howe
Run, run, and work, the law commands,
But gives me neither feet nor hands;
But sweeter sounds the gospel brings,
It bids me fly, and gives me wings.
Charles Hadden Spurgeon
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14．道德上的不能
Moral Inability
「約書亞對百姓說：你們不能事奉耶和華。」
——約書亞記 24:19
回應約書亞的挑戰，百姓曾說：「我們必事奉耶和華，因為祂是我們的神。」但約書亞太了解他們了，不能信任他們的宣稱，於是提醒他們：他們所承擔的，是自己無法完成的事。他們不肯相信，仍大聲說：「不然！我們定要事奉耶和華。」然而，後來的歷史證實了約書亞警告的真實性。
神的話語比我們更認識我們自己。神的全知洞察我們存在的每一部分，如同解剖學家清楚看見人體各部位一樣，因此祂對我們的道德與屬靈本性有最完全的認識。製錶師最懂手錶；造人者最知道人的狀況與能力。讓我們思想神對人類能力所下的判語。
一、未重生之人不能事奉神——這是真實無誤的
這不是身體上的不能，而是道德上的不能；這種不能不在人的本性本身，而在於墮落後的本性；不是出於神，而是出於罪。或有人說：如果他們願意，他們就能事奉神；但關鍵正是在這個「如果」上。人的不能，在於缺乏那種能夠真正去願意、去立志並實際行出來的道德能力。這並未減輕人的責任，因為人本來就應當能夠事奉神；而他如今的不能，正是他自己的過錯（耶 13:23）。
- 神的性情使墮落的人不可能給出完全的事奉
「你們不能事奉耶和華，因為祂是聖潔的神，是忌邪的神。」（見上下文）
- 未重生之人即便做到最好，也缺乏內心與動機，因此不能蒙悅納
沒有愛與信，人不能討神喜悅。沒有基督的靈魂所獻的禱告、施捨與敬拜算得了什麼呢？（賽 1:15）
- 神的律法完全、全面、屬靈且深遠
誰能指望完全遵守呢？若一個眼目的貪看就等同犯姦淫，那誰能在凡事上守全律法？（太 5:28）
- 屬肉體的心傾向於任意而行、自我中心、私慾、敵對、驕傲與各樣邪惡
「原來體貼肉體的心不服神的律法，也是不能服。」（羅 8:7）
- 若叫人真去嘗試完全順服，他們並不願意嘗試
他們為自己的能力辯護，卻極不情願實際去運用那所謂的能力。
二、由此真理所帶來的「挫敗感」
有人指控這教訓會把人推向絕望；我們的回答是：這種絕望正是人最需要、也最有益的。
- 它使人放棄不可能完成的任務
一個已經犯罪的人，若想靠自己呈獻完全的順服，就如同想發明永動機一樣不可能。若有人一手扶著梯子、同時想爬到梯頂，所遇到的困難，還比不上要叫他的敗壞本性達到聖潔。
- 它使人離開一條毀滅性的道路
自義是致命的；那是驕傲地拒絕憐憫，反叛恩典。任何形式的自信，都是救主的仇敵。
- 它打消人對儀式或外在宗教行為的倚靠
因為這些都不足以使人得救。
- 它切斷一切自救之路，把人關進對主耶穌的信心之中
沒有比這更好的事臨到人了（加 2:22–23）。
三、這真理提醒我們的必要條件
未重生的人啊，在你能事奉神之前，你需要：
- 一個新性情
只有神的聖靈能在你裡面創造；舊人不能事奉主。污穢的泉源必流出污水；樹若不先變好，果子就不會好。
- 和好
仇敵怎能事奉他的君王？必須有赦免、友誼與彼此的喜悅。神與你必須藉著中保成為朋友，否則你不能成為神的僕人。
- 蒙悅納
在你被接納之前，你的事奉不能討神喜悅。只有完全的義才能使你被一位聖潔、忌邪的神接納；而這完全的稱義，只有耶穌能賜下。
- 持續的幫助
一旦走上正路，你仍需要祂的保守（撒上 2:9；猶 24–25）。
若你如今不能按著自己的樣子事奉神，就照著你現在的樣子信靠祂——信靠在基督耶穌裡顯明的神。
這將使你在更正確的原則上事奉祂。
這性情的改變，將由住在你裡面的聖靈成就。
這也將預備你進入天國，因為在那裡，「祂的僕人都要事奉祂」。
精選語錄與比喻
黃蜂不會釀蜜；要釀蜜，必須先變成蜜蜂。母豬不會像貓一樣坐在火爐旁洗臉；放蕩的人也不會以聖潔為樂。魔鬼不能像天使那樣讚美主；未重生的人，也不能像聖徒那樣獻上蒙悅納的事奉。
他們的不能，完全是道德性的。他們不能去做，是因為他們不願意去做，正如約瑟的哥哥們「不能和氣地對他說話」（創 37:4），因為他們心中極深的厭惡。這樣的不能顯然是無可推諉的，就如同酒鬼不能制服酒癮一樣，仍須負責。悖逆罪人的「不能」，同樣無可推諉。
——喬治．布什，《約書亞記註釋》
罪住在我們裡面，必然帶來某些後果；我們無力逃避，正如白癡不能改變愚鈍的神情，癱瘓的手不能自行恢復一樣。
——B. W. 牛頓
有個小女孩因過錯被母親責備，又被吩咐要教弟弟們行善，她回答說：「我裡面都沒有對的東西，怎麼能做對呢？」保羅不是也有同樣的告白嗎？（羅 7:18）
人不能靠完全的順服得救，因為他做不到；
也不能靠不完全的順服得救，因為神不接受。
一位為靈魂深感困擾的人與朋友談話時，朋友說：「立刻到耶穌那裡來，祂會把你背上的罪都挪去。」他回答說：「是的，我知道；但那我的背怎麼辦？我不只是有罪需要被除去，連我這個人本身都需要處理。我想要得平安，不只是除掉罪，而是要脫離我自己。」
——《英國福音報》
我或許能偶爾為不是我主人的人效勞；但一位尊貴的主，只由他主人的僕人來服事，才是合宜的。
——約翰．豪
律法說：奔跑、工作，
卻不給我腳，也不給我手；
福音傳來更甜的聲音：
要我飛翔，並賜我翅膀。
——查爾斯．哈登．司布真 |