By sis Tan Geok Eng
Only God is good.
In Luk 18:18-19, Luke records, " And a certain ruler asked him, saying, "Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
Yes, Jesus said: none is good, except one, that is God. Jesus testified that only God is good.
The apostle Paul wrote in Rom 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"
Man is not able to live up to the standard of God. Man has failed to obey God's commandments.
We read in the Genesis account of Adam and Eve, the first couple who disobeyed God’s commandment when told not to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Adam and Eve may not have realized the gravity of the consequences that God had forewarned them about.
David, the man after God’s own heart. He too had failed. But he was forgiven when he repented before God for his sins.
Men want to do things their way. Or they are perhaps curious, wanting to explore. Like a child, what will happen if I touch this or eat it? They succumb to temptations. Though God was enraged that Adam and Eve disobeyed His command, God demonstrated His love for them. God cared and made clothes for them. Gen 3:2, reads “The LORD God also made coats of skins and clothed Adam and his wife.”
It is like a parent to their child. Regardless of how many times the child has done wrong, the parent is always there, not giving up, to help change the child to be good.
Psa 68:19 “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.”
Barnes had this in his commentary: the idea here is, “Blessed be the Lord God even if he lays a burden on us, and if he does this daily, for he is the God of our salvation.” He enables us to bear it; he gives us strength; and finally he delivers us from it. “Though,” therefore, he constantly lays on us a burden, he as constantly aids us to bear it. He does not leave us. He enables us to triumph in him, and through him; and we have occasion constantly to honour and to praise his name.
The apostles and the Christians recorded in the New Testament of the Bible were faced with great persecution for preaching Christ. Yet, they continued to be steadfast in their faith. They had tasted the goodness of God, the salvation for the remission of sin.
And so do we!! Though we may not suffer as great persecution as the early Christians, there are many vices in this world that the devil uses to tempt us to forsake the goodness of God’s salvation.
God goodness manifested
Joh 3:16 “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. Joh 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
Yes, God sent his son to save men rather than to condemn them.
In John 10:11 Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
Like a shepherd who cares for his sheep's safety and welfare, Jesus, our good shepherd, gave His life for ALL MEN so that we can have the redemption of our sins by His precious blood that was shed on the cruel cross.
Jas 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Every good and perfect gift comes from God, the Father of lights—God Himself is the main and perfect source of light. God is the great light.
The apostle John wrote in 1Jn 1:5 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
As children of God, we are to walk in the light because God is light. In Him is no darkness at all. Everything good is done in the light.
Let us have this fruit of the Spirit—goodness. Let the goodness of God be seen in us, so that people may know the goodness of God.
While we think of the goodness of God, we too must be aware of God’s wrath.
1Pe 3:12 “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.”
God’s eyes are over the righteous. God is their protector. God hears their prayers. But for those that do evil, the face of the Lord is against them.