The Goodness of God

Last time we looked at the faithfulness of God, that being His sincerity, firmness, and constancy in performing His Word to His people in all times and cases. No one is as faithful as this One. He is never not faithful. Today we look at the fact that He is GOOD. In the true sense of the Greek word, “agathos” as seen in Math.19:17, as Jesus speaks to the rich young ruler, "There is only One who is good." That of course is God Himself. The gospel writers say it as well in Mark 10:18, and in Luke 18:19. The word applies to that which is recorded as "perfect in its kind, so as to produce pleasure and satisfaction... that which, in itself is good, is also at once for the good and advantage of him who comes in contact with it."
God is good because His nature is infinitely perfect. He is good sure as the sun gives off light. And He does not change, (Mal.3:6) The psalmist knows it very well, doesn't he? Psalm 119:68,"You are good and do good." In one sense He is good to all, Math.5:45,"He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." But to the believer, oh how we see His goodness! 1John 3:1,"Behold what manner of love the Father has lavished on us that we be called the sons of God". We were not appointed to suffer wrath but receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Thess.4:9) The mercy of God is different from His goodness, English Puritan Stephen Charnock states, "The mercy of God is exercised on those that merit punishment... The goodness of God is exercised on those creatures that have not merited anything contrary to the acts of His bounty."
God is described as being abundant in many things in the Scriptures, one is goodness. Psalm 145:7, "They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness." Goodness is just one of so many great attributes of our God. All the acts of God are nothing else but His goodness flowing out from them. A cool illustration of this goodness is seen toward Moses in Ex.33:19, Moses longed to see His glory, God told him He would give Moses a glimpse of His goodness, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you." When goodness bestows happiness on a being who does not have any similar merit, it is grace. Is not our God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in loving-kindness? Without being good to pitiful sinners at enmity with Him, how could He still not spare His own Son, but deliver Him over for us all? Rom.8:32 How good could a Being be, except infinitely good?
Doesn't He do all things well? Charnock states “When goodness comforts a distressed person, it is pity. When it supplies an impoverished person, it is bounty. When it justifies or rights an innocent person, it is righteousness, and when it pardons a repentant person, it is mercy." Wow, what a good God we know and are known by! Goodness is the complement and perfection of all His works. Surely without Him we could do nothing, we would have nothing, and we would be nothing. Is He not the greatest portion to have? To always be for you and never against you, to never leave you or forsake you, and that no one can pluck you out of His hand? He alone is the only true God, the incomparable God, the one God that none other is like! Praise Him for His goodness today!

Elder Randy Slak
06/27/2022