There was a movie that came out a few years ago that popularized the saying, "God is good all the time, and all the time God is good." God is good because there is never a time when He is not. It is who He is. Because He is good, he always acts in accordance with His goodness. The psalmist describes God's nature when he writes, Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way (Psalm 25:8 NKJV). His good nature compels Him to act so that sinners have the opportunity to be saved from their sins. Aren't you thankful for that? God's nature does not change, therefore we can know Him and fully trust in His word. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17).
On the other hand, man falls short of God's goodness despite his best intentions. Jesus said that no one is good but God alone (Matthew 19:17; Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19). The apostle Paul quoted Psalm 14 in the book of Romans: As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one... there is none who does good, no, not one” (Romans 3:10,12c NKJV). As God's children we strive to take upon His nature, as we should, but sometimes we do wrong, and fail to do right. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8). But we should not let this discourage us, but rather encourage us to draw closer to the One who is good. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
However, we cannot use our imperfections as an excuse to continue in our sins and presume upon God's goodness. The inspired apostle Paul anticipated some may reason this way, so he wrote, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it (Romans 6:1,2)? Our mentality is to always do the things that please our heavenly Father, and to abhor sin (cf. John 8:29). When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he described his taking on this nature as a continual, upward process. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).
The goodness of God is something we can behold (Romans 11:22), even though we may not be able to fathom the entirety of it (Romans 11:33). In beholding God's goodness, we are attracted to Him. Paul asked the Romans, Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance (Romans 2:4)? Indeed it is the cross that gives us the clearest picture of God's goodness. That is why Jesus said, And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself (John 12:32). How many sinners have turned to God when they surveyed the wondrous cross? May we meditate on the goodness of God. It will bring us closer to Him, and motivate us to be more like Him. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him (Psalm 34:8)!
Brotherly, Jamie
