What follows are responses to questions Dan asked me in the comments section of his Nov 3 offering. It's rather lengthy, but as he deletes all my comments these days because he hasn't the stones to actually deal with them, I decided to copy and paste them here before I post them there, where he'll no doubt delete them rather than rebut or debunk any of it like a man. It refers to Jesus saying to the rich young man, an episode appearing in three of the Gospels, there is no one good but God. It's pretty straightforward and therefore troubling to Dan, who can't seem to provide an alternative explanation for what Jesus meant, because Dan wants to believe he's good (despite his lying, heresies and support for immoral behaviors) and that he knows "good" people so therefore Jesus was wrong or something. None of has anything to do with the post to which it's attached, but Dan digresses when he thinks he can score points doing so. Anyway...
"Are you even reading what we're writing?"
Yes. Question 1 answered.
"JESUS refers to people as GOOD."
Not in any of the verses you listed. That's what I was asking you to provide.
"He commands people to DO GOOD."
Not the same as being good. It's a goal to which we're to aspire and strive.
"CLEARLY, Jesus believed in Good people."
Even MORE CLEARLY, Jesus said there is no one good but God. Why, one can actually find a verse where He says just that!
"BEYOND THAT, we can look around us and see Good people."
BEYOND THAT, we can look around us and see people WE pronounce as "good" people. We've already covered that. Still looking for Jesus referring to some specific person as "good". You don't seem to have such a verse to present.
""Marshal... "Here again, you're doing no more than speaking of how we refer to each other relative to others. Christ isn't doing that."
"SAYS WHO?"
Says me, based on the fact that it's exactly what you're doing.
"I GET that YOU PERSONALLY, in your mind, when YOU read this, YOU INTERPRET this to be Jesus is literally saying that ONLY GOD is Good in ANY WAY and that any people are NOT GOOD."
I'm not "interpreting". I'm repeating what Scripture records Jesus as having said, which is that there is no one "good" but God. But your addition to my words "in ANY WAY" seems very much like your lie about Lev 12:22.
"YOUR are choosing to interpret it woodenly literally, even while you don't do the same for "poor" and other words."
I have the same sound and accurate understanding of this verse as I do every verse in which the word "poor" appears. Can't say the same for you.
"You don't gouge out your eyes as Jesus literally commanded."
Now you're just lying again, because Jesus didn't tell anyone to gouge out their eyes. EVER! He merely said it would be better one did rather than sin through them and suffer eternal punishment or hell (whichever was the case in the passage where He mentioned eye-gouging). Didn't you say you seriously and prayerfully studied Scripture?
"You don't take ALL words literally, but you are CHOOSING to interpret this one literally and literally is the ONLY way YOU personally are guessing is appropriate to interpret it."
I never said I take ALL words literally. That's what you want to believe I do. I said I take Scripture literally, or the teachings therein. And again, I'm not "interpreting" this verse. I'm repeating it. There's no guess work involved or necessary because it's so crystal clear. Perhaps it's your guilt over not being a good person that is the problem with your objection. That I can understand. None of us are. It's just that some of us try to be, and you're a heretic.
"But just because YOU PERSONALLY think it doesn't mean that it doesn't mean that no one else's opinions are invalidated by your random, whimsical hunches."
"Whimsical hunches." That funny as well as pathetically desperate. My opinions are spot on until someone can persuade me otherwise. That takes evidence. Got any?
"Now, I'm done giving you grace."
OK, that's even funnier! You delete my comments. Where's the grace in that? "I'm done giving you grace." That's a stitch.
"Do you know any good people?"<i>
I know many people I refer to as "good". Question 2 answered.
"I'm asking you do you know any good people as good is defined in the English language? Answer the damn question."
I just did. Question 2 asked again and answered again.
"Define Good as you are using it. Give a definition."
That's a demand, not a question. The issue isn't how I define the word. The issue is that there is no one good but God, according to Jesus...someone you pretend to follow.
"Does that mean that others who aren't perfectly good can't possibly still be good?"
Compared to some, yes. But it's only a reference...a means to describe someone's character. I wouldn't use it to describe you, specifically, but I know plenty of people about whom I would use the word because they're better than most people. But I believe what Christ says because...well...He's the Son of God. I want Him to like me.
Question 3 answered.
"And if so, based on what?"
Actually, I'm sure I made this clear several times now, but what the hell...based on comparisons to other people and my understanding of what constitutes a good person generally speaking, though there is really no one good but God.
Question 4 answered.
"Your say so?"
Given you're asking me my opinion of people I know, yes.
Question 5 answered.
"Jesus regularly refers to good people..."<i>
Not that you've demonstrated.
"or humans doing good."
Doing good and being good are not the same. Bad people can do good. Indeed, given there is no one good but God, that clearly isn't the least bit uncommon. He wants us to do good.
"Do you think Jesus was speaking metaphorically in all those places?"
No. Question 6 answered.
"Which seems to suggest that any humans defining Good are only using their own made-up definitions. Is that true for you, as well...or are you an exception?"
Doesn't suggest that in the least. Everyone has there own ideas of who qualifies for the word. Consider how many mothers of dead thugs cry about the thug being "a good boy". And no, I'm not using a made up definition, but applying the actual definition to human beings, none of whom are actually good according to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ...who ought to know. He is the Son of God, after all. He's not totally dim. Question 7 answered.
"Jesus and other biblical writers referring to Good people or telling people to be good..."
The other biblical writers don't matter given the issue revolves around what Jesus said. None of the verses you've provided satisfies the one question you're dodging...what did Jesus mean when He said there is no one good but God? I gave you the only two possibilities (both of which I believe are true). You think He was "messing" with the rich young man. And now, you post a bunch of verses which do not provide an example of Him referring to any person as "good". Fictional people referring to other fictional people as "good and faithful servant" is a specific person Christ Himself is referencing as "good". Encouraging people to be good, isn't the same as saying anyone is good. Speaking of how a good person behaves (should behave, actually) isn't the same as saying some specific person is good.
"(So, you're saying that God's a liar, Marshal. Got it.)(Or are you saying a man can be "BLAMELESS AND UPRIGHT" but still not Good??!)(The utter arrogance!)"
What's with all the parentheses? It's not arrogance to speak the truth. It's arrogance to say a sin isn't a sin, which is what you do. Here, blameless and upright doesn't mean the same as not being a sinner or one with a sin nature, which a good person can't have.
Question 8 answered.
Also, there's this:
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. Romans 5:7
This suggests a difference between righteousness and goodness, and thus, one can't be quick to regard "blameless and upright" as the same as "good"...especially since Jesus said there is no one good but God.
"... and of course, I could go on and on."
Please don't...unless you actually have a verse that will prove your point. If you do, why didn't you lead with it?
"Now, about people doing good things, Marshal says, "Encouraging folks to be good or holy doesn't mean they are."
That is what MARSHAL thinks. But Jesus rebukes Marshal's foolishness, saying...
"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him"
So, who should we believe? Jesus or Marshal?
Marshal or our own eyes?"
Those last three are actually the same question, so I'm going to take the chance of calling them all Question 9 as I answer it now:
Jesus' words there doesn't rebuke me and thus, in this case Himself when He said there is no one good but God. Once again, He is speaking of what a good man should or does do, not that there is a good man. That is, if you want to be a good man, there first must be good stored up in you (as opposed to lies, heresies and support for immoral behaviors) in order to be able to bring out good things.
So Dan, you've totally failed yet again, pretending to have a different explanation for the especially clear and direct statement of Christ's, while not providing it at all, and then trying to pretend He meant something different by providing 13 verses which don't do what you said they do (and yet can go on and on).
Jesus said there is no one good but God. I know you believe yourself to be on par with God. You often expect Him to subordinate His will to your liking. But I choose to believe Jesus because I want Him to like me. You want Him to change enough for you to like Him. Good luck with that.