If you just get the big things straightened out, you will have what you need in the little things. What everyone in the world is obsessed with, God makes a distant second. He’ll give you what you need to live on if you need Him in order to live.
David Powlison

Spurgeon PS142

Spurgeon PS142

EXPOSITION.

“_The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men_.” As from a watchtower, or other elevated place of observation, the Lord is represented as gazing intently upon men. He will not punish blindly, nor like a tyrant command an indiscriminate massacre because a rumour of rebellion has come up to his ears. What condescending interest and impartial justice are here imagined! The case of Sodom, visited before it was overthrown, illustrates the careful manner in which Divine Justice beholds the sin before it avenges it, and searches out the righteous that they perish not with the guilty. Behold then the eyes of Omniscience ransacking the globe, and prying among every people and nation, “_to see if there were any that did understand and seek God_.” He who is looking down knows the good, is quick to discern it, would be delighted to find it; but as he views all the unregenerate children of men his search is fruitless, for of all the race of Adam, no unrenewed soul is other than an enemy to God and goodness. The objects of the Lord’s search are not wealthy men, great men, or learned men; these, with all they can offer, cannot meet the demands of the great Governor: at the same time, he is not looking for superlative eminence in virtue, he seeks for _any that understand_ themselves, their state, their duty, their destiny, their happiness; he looks for any that _seek_ God, who, if there be a God, are willing and anxious to find him out. Surely this is not too great a matter to expect; for if men have not yet known God, if they have any right understanding, they will seek him. Alas! even this low degree of good is not to be found even by him who sees all things; but men love the hideous negation of “No God,” and with their backs to their Creator, who is the sun of their life, they journey into the dreary region of unbelief and alienation, which is a land of darkness as darkness itself, and of the shadow of death without any order and where the light is as darkness.

“_They are all gone aside_.” Without exception, all men have apostatized from the Lord their Maker, from his laws, and from the eternal principles of right. Like stubborn heifers they have sturdily refused to receive the yoke, like errant sheep they have found a gap and left the right field. The original speaks of the race as a whole, as a totality; and humanity as a whole has become depraved in heart and defiled in life. “_They have altogether become filthy_;” as a whole they are spoiled and soured like corrupt leaven, or, as some put it, they have become putrid and even stinking. The only reason why we do not more clearly see this foulness is because we are accustomed to it, just as those who work daily among offensive odours at last cease to smell them. The miller does not observe the noise of his own mill, and we are slow to discover our own ruin and depravity. But are there no special cases, are all men sinful? “Yes,” says the Psalmist, in a manner not to be mistaken, “they are.” He has put it positively, he repeats it negatively, “_There is none that doeth good, no, not one_.” The Hebrew phrase is an utter denial concerning any mere man that he of himself doeth good. What can be more sweeping? This is the verdict of the all-seeing Jehovah, who cannot exaggerate or mistake. As if no hope of finding a solitary specimen of a good man among the unrenewed human family might be harboured for an instant. The Holy Spirit _is not_ content with saying all and altogether, but adds the crushing threefold negative, “_none, no, not one_.” What say the opponents to the doctrine of natural depravity to this? Rather what do we _feel_ concerning it? Do we not confess that we by nature are corrupt, and do we not bless the sovereign grace which has renewed us in the spirit of our minds, that sin may no more have dominion over us, but that grace may rule and reign?

EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS.

Verse 2.–“_To see if there were any that did understand … seek God_.” None seek him aright, and as he ought to be sought, nor can do while they live in sin; for men in seeking God fail in many things: as, First, men seek him not for himself. Secondly, they seek him not alone, but other things with him. Thirdly, they seek other things before him, as worldlings do. Fourthly, they seek him coldly or carelessly. Fifthly, they seek him inconstantly; example of Judas and Demas. Sixthly, they seek him not in his word, as heretics do. Seventhly, they seek him not in all his word, as hypocrites do. Lastly, they seek him not seasonably and timely, as profane, impenitent sinners do; have no care to depend upon God’s word, but follow their own lusts and fashions of this world.–^Thomas Wilson, 1653.

Verses 2,3.–What was the issue of God’s so looking upon men? “_They are all gone aside_,” that is, from him and his ways; “_They are altogether become filthy_;” their practices are such as make them stink; “_There is none that doeth good, no, not one_;” of so many millions of men as are upon the earth, there is not one doeth good. There were men of excellent parts then in the world, men of soul, but not one of them did know God, or seek after God: Paul therefore hath laid it down for a universal maxim, that the animal, natural, or intellectual man, receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him, and so are rejected by him.–^William Greenhill.

Verse 3.–The ungodly are “vile” persons (#Na 1:14|). “I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.” sin makes men base, it blots their name, it taints their blood: “_They are altogether become filthy_;” in the Hebrew it is, they are become stinking. Call wicked men ever so bad, you cannot call them out of their name; they are “swine” (#Mt 7:6|); “vipers” (#Mt 3:7|); “devils” (#Joh 6:70|). The wicked are the dross and refuse (#Ps 119:119|); and heaven is too pure to have any dross mingle with it.–^Thomas Watson.

Verse 3.–“_Altogether become filthy_.” Thus the Roman satirist describes his own age: “Nothing is left, nothing, for future times To add to the full catalogue of crimes; The baffled sons must feel the same desires, And act the same mad follies as their sires, Vice has attained its zenith.”

^Juvenal, Sat. 1.

Verse 3.–“_There is none that doeth good, no not one_.” Origen maketh a question how it could be said that there was none, neither among the Jews nor Gentiles, that did any good; seeing there were many among them which did clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and did other good things: he hereunto maketh this answer:– That like as one that layeth a foundation, and buildeth upon it a wall or two, yet cannot be said to have built a house till he have finished it; so although those might do some good things, yet they attained not unto perfect goodness, which was only to be found in Christ. But this is not the apostle’s meaning only to exclude men from the perfection of justice; for even the faithful and believers were short of that perfection which is required; he therefore showeth what men are by nature, all under sin and in the same state of damnation, without grace and faith in Christ: if any perform any good work, either it is of grace, and so not of themselves, or if they did it by the light of nature, they did it not as they ought, and so it was far from a good work indeed.–^Andrew Willet (1562-1621), on #Ro 3:10|.

HINTS TO PREACHERS.

Verse 2.–I. Condescending search. II. Favoured subjects. III. Generous intentions.

Verse 2.–What God looks for, and what we should look for. Men usually are quick to see things congruous to their own character.

Verses 2,3.–God’s search for a naturally good man; the results; lessons to be learned therefrom.

Verse 3.–Total depravity of the race.