We use the word good in many different ways, so much so, that when we talk about God being good, we don’t really understand the full impact of that statement. We talk about food as good, meaning it is pleasing to our tastebuds. We tell the receptionist at the doctor’s office that the appointment they have assigned us is good, meaning it fits our schedule. However, when we talk about God being good, we are expressing a quality that is far beyond any goodness we will ever attain in this life. Good, when referring to God is moral excellence, virtuous, righteous, and perfect.
In Psalm 119:68, the psalmist declares that God is good and what He does is good. It is not just a feeling the psalmist has, but it is based on the actions of God toward His creation. David not only praises God for His goodness he gives God the glory for it. He understands the vastness of God’s goodness is too much to comprehend. If we were to make a list of how good God is to each of us our time would be consumed with only those thoughts. In Psalms 25:8, David understands this and begs God to teach him of His goodness so that he also could do good. He seeks the ability to do good that only God can give. As a sinner saved by God’s grace, the only capacity for good will come from Him. In Matthew 19:17, Jesus asks the Jews why they called Him good. Jesus knew they understood this was a title reserved for God, and yet, they had not acknowledged Him as God in the flesh. Jesus knew they were only using the term as flattery, not in its sense of infinite perfection or divinity.
Psalm 119:68 “Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.”
Psalm 25:8 “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.”
Matthew 19:17 “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.”
God showed His goodness in His love for us. Because He is good, perfectly holy, He cannot be in the presence of sin. Yet, He desired for us to be with Him for all eternity. We as sinners had no way to redeem ourselves. We had nothing to offer as payment for our sins. A just God must punish sin unless the sin debt is paid. The only one who was qualified to pay that debt was the sinless Son of God. Because of His love, He sent His Son to die for our sins. This would open up the opportunity for us to come into God’s presence if we would place our faith in Jesus and seek forgiveness for our sins. Jesus’ righteousness would be applied to our lives to cover our sins. This goodness is offered to everyone.
John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
God’s goodness is shown in His mercy. Mercy is God’s unmerited favor bestowed on us. He has the power to do whatever He chooses with our lives. In Psalm 100:5, His mercy is everlasting. Because of His goodness, He chooses to show mercy, and to it, there is no end. His goodness gives us what we don’t deserve.
God’s goodness is revealed in His attribute of truth. The Hebrew word truth is em-oo-naw’, which is defined as firmness. It is stable and it is steady. There is no time that God is not truthful. In Titus 1:2, we are told that God cannot lie. Because He is holy and perfect, because He is good, it is impossible for Him to lie. This is an attribute of His character that allows us to have confidence in all His promises. When God says it, that settles it! As some would say, “It’s as good as done.”
Titus 1:2 “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”
Psalm 100:5 “For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
Everywhere we look we can see the goodness of God. His creation is a revelation of His goodness to us. He provides us with a world full of beauty. His goodness is seen in the protection He provides. There is also the goodness that we don’t see. There are angels that are given charge by God to protect us. Everything God allowed in the life of a believer will work for our good according to Romans 8:28. We can’t always see the good from situations in our lives, but God will reveal it in His time. The good that God is talking about is revealed in verse 29. It is to make us more like Jesus. We can’t forget that the goal of every Christian is to become like Jesus. He is the one we are to seek to be like.
Psalm 91:11 “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”
Rom 8:28-29 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Rest assured, no matter what happens in this world, no matter how confusing life gets, my God is always good. He is perfect in all His ways. He is always working on our behalf. He provides the Holy Spirit to dwell within us to guide us and comfort us. He shows mercy to us and He extends grace and forgiveness! He is good in all His ways and our response should be overwhelming gratitude for such a good God.
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