The Goodness Of God

Let me ask you a question. Do you really know how good God is? Have you ever received God’s goodness? If you are born again, then you have tasted His goodness. Romans 2:⁴ Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? In this blog, I want to boast of my Father’s goodness.

The first thing I want to boast about is that God’s goodness is His glory! Exodus 33:¹⁷ So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” ¹⁸ And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” ¹⁹ Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” ²⁰ But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” ²¹ And the Lord said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. ²² So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. ²³ Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.” The whole earth is full of His goodness which is His glory. Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. ² Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one cried to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is full of His glory!”

The next thing I want to boast about is what Peter said to Cornelius in Acts chapter 10. Peter was preaching to Cornelius the goodness of God, how Jesus went around doing good. Remember, it’s the goodness of God that lead me to repent. Acts 10:³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Do you recall when someone tried to call Jesus, “Good teacher?” Mark 10:¹⁷ Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” ¹⁸ So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.

Have you ever noticed that when Adam was in the garden of Eden, he was allowed to eat of any trees, that included the tree od life, but not of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Genesis 2:¹⁵ Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Before Adam ate of the tree, he only knew God’s goodness. After he ate, everyone has been born into Adam, and now knows there is good and evil. Also, everyone has a free will to choose good or evil. Jesus is the good door, that is of the spirit, but evil is of the flesh. Romans 8:² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Those who choose good, who live in the spirit are sons of God as they are led (follow) the spirit of God. Romans 8:¹² Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. ¹³ For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. This is God’s goodness, that He has given you the choice to choose. This is why I love Him so much.

Did you know that goodness is a fruit of the spirit and also a fruit of light? Galatians 5:²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Ephesians 5:⁸ for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth). You know that God is both spirit and light right? John 4:²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 1 John 1: ⁵ This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. I hope you understand now that when a person called Jesus, “Good teacher,” why He referred to only God as good. Jesus walked on earth as a man filled with God as we are to walk. That’s why we are following His example.

Have you heard this good news? This is the gospel, the good tidings of great joy. Luke 2:⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Nowadays, people have it backwards. They are calling what is evil good and good evil. Have you been taught that sin is evil? 1 John 3:⁸ He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. Have you been taught that righteousness is good or no one righteous, not one? Interesting that the Kingdom of God is righteousness! Romans 14:¹⁷ for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Isaiah prophesied about this Isaiah 5:²⁰ Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Have you been taught the ways of the spirit to discern between good ad evil? Hebrews 5:¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

How do we overcome evil, with good. Romans 12:²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Peter explained overcoming evil this way; 1 Peter 3:⁹ Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. Paul told the church in Galatia this, Galatians 6:⁶ Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. ⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

I will finish this blog with two Psalms about His goodness. The first is; Psalm 118:¹⁸ The Lord has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.

¹⁹ Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the Lord.
²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord,
Through which the righteous shall enter.

²¹ I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.

²² The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
²³ This was the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

The second one is: Psalm 23:⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.