The goodness challenge

[Guest]

The Heart Beat

Take heed, brethren,

lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Hebrews 3:12

Of Sin

Of sin, because they believe not on me; John 16:9

Kills

For the wages of sin is death; Romans 6:23(a)

But Jesus Saves

but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23(b)

[EricH]

God's goodness means that everything He does is worthy of being approved.

[7thseal]

God's goodness means that everything He does is worthy of being approved.

So to be in goodness, we have the blood of Jesus covering our sins, the Holy Spirit molding our hearts into the image of Jesus Christ and awaiting to receive our new bodies.

All done by Him as a gift.... God is awesome.

[nebula]

God's goodness means that everything He does is worthy of being approved.

True -

But how well do we understand this?

I mean, we "know" that God is good, even in anger and judgment - but do we know it such that we can walk in His goodness in our own anger and discipline of others?

[7thseal]

I mean, we "know" that God is good, even in anger and judgment - but do we know it such that we can walk in His goodness in our own anger and discipline of others?

I think it falls back on whether we respond in our own emotion of anger without relying on the Holy Spirit. Or do we pray and simply ask the Spirit and wait (waiting is not something I generally like to do) for His guidance before responding. Many times I fall under the first option.

[Emanuel]

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22- 25)

Therefore, goodness is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God. Hence a follow up with another scripture: Scripture to the Condemned!

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?

21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Matthew 19:16-22

Matthew 19:16-22 is scripture about the condemned but before this let link the two scriptures;

Mankind is born in the physical and soul dimension at natural birth(Adamic nature - root of Sin) and then at rebirth he/she is reborn spiritually into the spirit dimension (Christ nature - root now in God).

From this, we discover the wholesome of being 'good'. Meaning as the human 'still in Adam' has the root of Sin still in them, they therefore have no true spirit fruit of goodness in them: The good they now do, may not be God's perfect will to them because they do their own will without Jesus (Christ) at their centre.

Moreover, at best, even if they were the best humans in their country, they operate from the best attribute of the Adamic nature; still without God and having the root of Sin hidden in them.

Therefore accepting Jesus (Christ) as one's personal God is an essential attribute to having true goodness in one. On the other hand as we see from the man that had possessions who came asking Jesus (Christ) about eternal life: He was asked to show forth the fruits of the kingdom (The Will of God to him at that moment!) since instead of wanting to receive God, he just wanted the goods.

Nevertheless, obviously he could not exhibit the fruits by selling what he had and giving to the poor; simply because he did not start with Jesus(Christ) as the centre of his life.

Note that being perfect before God is only because of what Jesus (Christ) did for all humanity ever born and to be born - dying for the Sin nature that whosoever believes in Him shall be saved!

Edited May 2, 2009 by Emanuel