And the barbarous people shewed us no little
kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the
present rain, and because of the cold (Acts 28:2 KJV)
(I)
Prof. Homer C.
Hoeksema
Question:
This question
from an Illinois reader is still related somewhat to my lecture of December,
1974, “After Fifty Years.” It presents a problem which was raised in the mind
of the questioner in the course of a conversation about the subject of common
grace and the alleged good that sinners do. Specifically, the question refers
to the statement found in Acts 28:2: “And the barbarous people shewed us no
little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of
the present rain, and because of the cold.” My questioner writes: “Rev. ####
said to me that he could not see how this could be sinful and so concluded that
it must be good or of grace, I think it is not proper to (describe) any deeds
of man as gracious except when done out of gratitude to Christ. Perhaps you
could write a little on this topic.”
Reply:
I cannot
recall having this text adduced as an instance of common grace and of civil
righteousness before. But I can see how this incident, when superficially
considered, might be used for the purpose of proving that the natural man does
good.
As far as the
fundamental issue is concerned, we must always bear in mind some guidelines
when we confront the question what is a good work and what is not a good work.
For one thing, we are always on safe ground when we bear in mind our Reformed
confession of total depravity: man is by nature incapable of any good and
inclined to all evil. The theory of the second and third points of 1924 simply
turns total depravity into fiction, for it means that due to common grace there
is no such thing as a totally depraved man anywhere. Secondly, we must always
bear in mind our Reformed definition of what constitutes a good work. Good
works are those which are performed according to the law of God, which are done
unto the glory of God, and which proceed out of a true faith.
Viewed in the
light of the above, it certainly needs no argument that this deed of these
heathen natives of Melita was not a good work.
But that
leaves the question how it is to be explained. And this is an interesting
question from the point of view of the fact that this sort of thing takes place
frequently also today, as for example, when there are shipwrecks or when there
are natural disasters such as a tornado or an earthquake. From this point of
view the language employed by the text is rather enlightening, I think. What is
rendered in the KJV as “no little kindness” is actually “no common
philanthropy.” Philanthropy is literally love, or affection, of mankind. And
the term for “love” here is not the term which refers to love in the spiritual
sense, the love of God, but the term which frequently is used to refer to mere
natural love, or affection. It is, of course, rooted in the created affinity of
the human race. Its motives may be various. Sometimes the motive may be
self-glorification, the desire to receive praise of men. Sometimes, too, the
motive may be simply the self-preservation of the human race, of mankind. This,
of course, requires no grace. It is “natural.” And do not forget that the power
of sin is so great in natural man that even this “natural affection” can at
times disappear. Moreover, this motivation can frequently even have very
selfish motives behind it. Mankind sees that it is salutary for itself that men
help one another in terms of disaster and tragedy. Just think what would happen
if “men who go down to the sea in ships” did not help one another and try to
rescue one another in times of storm and shipwreck! Everyone would be in
danger; no one could depend on any help. And if there is no love of God in all this, then it is
after all displeasing in the sight of the Holy One.
No, if there
is any grace displayed in this incident—and
there is—then it is
displayed in the gracious care of the Lord toward the apostle and his companions.
The Lord our God used these natives of Melita to provide for His people when
they were shipwrecked. For it was the Lord’s purpose that Paul would go to Rome
and preach the gospel there also.
----------------------------------------
(II)
More to come!
(DV)
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