The Goodness of God

The Goodness of God

By Apostle Felix

16  And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 
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. 
18  He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 
19  Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 
20  The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 

Matthew 19: 16 – 20

The rich young man came to Jesus seeking something that he had seen only in Jesus – the goodness of God. He could not comprehend such goodness manifesting through someone who was just as ordinary as anyone else. The young man wanted to know Jesus’ secret of goodness. He called Him good Master because he had observed His life and had heard what people were saying about Jesus. How He went about doing good and healing people.

36  The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
37  That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Acts 10: 36 – 38

Jesus’ fame had spread across the land, and people were hearing about the good works He was doing. It is no surprise that the young rich man came to Jesus seeking what he could do to become good like Him. He presumptuously thought that Jesus was good because of probably observing one of the laws he was missing out on. He wanted to know what he could do to be good. This was a religious young man who lived his life observing the law, yet his life was empty. He called Jesus good Master, and Jesus somehow redirected his attention to God’s goodness. In other words, Jesus was saying that the goodness you see in Me is not due to observing the law but from My union with the Father. My Father and I are one.

30  I and my Father are one.

John 10: 30

The rich young man was seeking something he could do to be a better person; little did he know that being precedes doing. Jesus was not good by doing good. He did good because He was born the Son of God. He once said to the people to believe Him that He was in the Father, and the Father was in Him. Why is it so important to believe that? It is because believing precedes becoming. You first have to believe before you can become. Believe Jesus is the Son of God and He is one with the Father, and so it shall be a reality in your life. The rich young man was not seeking Jesus as the Son of God but for something he could do.

Jesus emphasized believing in Him as a prerequisite for working greater works, or rather doing good works. Unfortunately, even believers are caught up in trying to win God’s favor by our works. You will often hear believers emphasize serving God in order to please Him. There is no amount of good work you and I can do that can please God. God is not moved by our works. But how can we reconcile the words of James and the words of Paul?

18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 

James 2: 18

8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9  Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

Ephesians 2: 8, 9

Brother James emphasized the works produced by our union with Christ. Brother Paul focused on the work of Christ that produces salvation in us independent of our works. The two brothers were not contradicting each other. They were talking about one and the same thing: the goodness of God.