The Goodness of God
Subtitle: Are we misinterpreting the word?
Scripture Reference: Mark 10:17-22 / Mark10:18 (KJV)
Mark 10: 17-22 17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God. 19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
INTRODUCTION
Let’s take a contrasting look at the word good. First let’s look at what it is not then we will look at what it is.
Can’t Be:
- The opposite of bad or evil.
Jesus did not allow himself to be called good in this passage. Certainly if Jesus did not feel as if he should be called good he was not saying call him bad or evil.
- A word to describe an ordinary man doing ordinary actions. Jesus did not accept it to describe himself. If Jesus felt that his work in earth is not enough to describe as good then certainly this word must have some supernatural value.
- A word to describe your favorite thing such as food, car, etc. The same word that describes a piece of chocolate cake can’t describe God. I have often said that a piece of chocolate cake is good. If Jesus did not feel that he warranted being called good then certainly this word could never describe a piece of cake. Or anything else on earth that we call good for that matter
- A level of achievement
In today’s society Good is not even a high mark. If I were to say to one of my comrades that he did a good job and another an excellent job the one who I told that they did a good job to would probably wonder what he was doing wrong. However I can assure that the person that did the excellent job had not and will not ever do anything that can compare to the perfect work of God.
Must be:
- A powerful and life changing word
Try saying Good morning to someone everyday for thirty days (Someone will get offended). It is truly funny how we try to exclude the word good from our daily greeting to each other. To say, “Morning.” is fully acceptable and fits into the daily scheme of words. However if we add the simple word good into this scheme people tend to get offended. Why is it? Does this word contain any power?
- A word in which God dwells
When we speak it on even the worse situations they must change. (Today is a cold and windy day. This will be a good day to wear my favorite cashmere trench coat.)
I realize that there are times when God speaks a word that is not what we want to hear or pleasing to our situation but God’s goodness does not have to make you feel happy. It is sharper than any two-edged sword. (Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.)
MAIN BODY
The young rich ruler was a powerful and influential man. He knew how to use the right words at the right time to get people to do what he wanted them to do whether they agreed with what he asked or not.
These are some of his traits that allowed him to become a young rich ruler in the first place. In this passage he confronts Jesus Christ with the obvious intent of using persuasive words to get Jesus to do what he wanted whether Jesus agreed with what he was asking for or not. The man decided to combine his position of authority along with flattery in an attempt to persuade Christ. He was sure that if there were any good man on earth then certainly Christ would be the epitome of him. He must have been quit shocked to find that Christ denied him of the profession that he was good.
I love the Lord and I believe that Jesus is who he says he is and can do what he says that he can do but when I heard this passage I was completely taken for a loss as to how could a man of his statue deny the right for someone to use the word good to describe him.
Of course after continued reading I realized that he wasn’t denying himself the right to be called good (because he and the Father are one) but he was setting the records completely straight about the fact that he and his father are completely separate yet they are the same.
Immediately after explaining to the young man that he was not good Jesus came back and said that the Father was good. Giving only the Father the privilege of being called good.
By Jesus doing this, he was decreasing himself that the Father may get the increase. We need to adopt this from Jesus in our lives. We need to stop poking our chest out so far about some of the achievements that God has allowed us to attain under his spiritual guidance. We need to make sure that the right credit gets to the right individual. As long as we give God the glory we will be lifting up his name. However on the other hand, if we decide to deny the Father the glory then we are subjecting ourselves to face the wrath of an angry God. Saints let me assure you of one thing. You do not want to fall into the hands of an angry jealous God.
We also have to keep an open mind when dealing with God because we may have a way that we think is the perfect and most polite way to approach the Lord. The Lord however may not receive you the way that you come before him. He may also refuse the offering that you have for him. This does not mean that he does not love us, for the Lord chastises those that he loves. This means that we need to humbly submit and seek the Lord on what he would have for us to do.
(Mark 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.)
As we see here, the young rich ruler in this passage was asked to give up something that was close and dear to him but it was also keeping him out of heaven. God may be asking us to give up some things that are near and dear to us but are ultimately keeping us out of heaven. We have to be careful as we acquire riches that we don’t get so rich that we are no good to God.
It wasn’t the way that the young man acquired the riches that was the problem. Neither was it the how the young man was now living that he had the riches that was the problem either. It was the fact that he thought the value of his riches were greater than the riches of the Kingdom of heaven. If Jesus walked up to you right now and said that he wanted you to sell all that you have and follow him could you do it. The less that you have the higher the chances of you being able to give it all up increase. However as a man gains great riches it becomes more and more difficult to sell it all and follow Jesus.
Goodness of God
A perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Psalms 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.)
(Psalms 145:8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.)
(1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.)
Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of his creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favour on the unworthy it is grace. “Goodness and justice are the several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes merciful and sometimes just, but he is eternally infinitely just and merciful.” God is infinitely and unchangeably (Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.), and his goodness is incomprehensible by the finite mind (Romans 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.) “God’s goodness appears in two things, giving and forgiving.”
CONCLUSION
We need to be careful about how we loosely use the word good in today’s society. We have taken this word and almost taken the value completely out of it. If Jesus deemed this word good enough to describe his Father only then certainly anytime else in society that we use this word it should be the highest superlative.
Let’s Pray
Dear God thank you. I love you and need you Father God. I pray that I never lose the value or importance of the word good because in the word good is where you dwell. God you are good and that is that. Thank you for blessing me and I pray that you continue to keep me in your good graces. Amen
Thank You. May God continue to bless you and keep you. Amen
Your Friend
Minister Juan D. Lane Sr.
