Goodness of God

INTRODUCTION

    Are learning ABOUT God so that we can use this knowledge to KNOW God.

    Have seen He is eternal & unchanging, Majestic and honorable, and Wisedom -

    This lesson to look at His goodness.

SCRIPTURES STATE HIS GOODNESS

    Psalm 25:8
      8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

    Nahum 1:7

      7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

    Psalm 34:8

      8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

    Psalm 100:4-5

      4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
      5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

    Psalm 106:1

      1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

    Psalm 107:1

      1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

    Psalm 118:1

      1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

    Jeremiah 33:11

      11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.

    Mark 10:18

      18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

Meaning of Goodness.

    1. Goodness can mean 'excellence'

      a. We say something is 'good' when it meets the standards of excellence for that product.

      b. It is good rather than poor.

      c. God is absolute in perfection in everything - righteousness, fairness, kindness, mercy, wrath, judgment -

    2. Goodness can mean 'morally good'

      a. Such as when we ask our children to 'be good' -

      b. Certainly God is good in this respect - for God will NOT do that which is evil.

      c. This not a main emphasis of the use of good in the bible though -

    3. Goodness can mean 'benevolence'

      a. as when someone is 'good to others' - has a benevolent spirit, a spirit of giving and sharing and blessing -

      b. It is the disposition to give to others in a way which has

      1. no mercenary motive and
      2. is not limited by what the recipients deserve -

      c. James 1:5
        5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

      d. Psalm 119:68
        68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

    4. Goodness can also mean that which is desirable - that which is the object of desire -

      a. Gen. 3:6 - the tree of life was 'good to eat' -

      b. So much more so with God - he is the desire of all creation -

      c. Psalm 73:25

        25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

That God is good means that his providential rule over his creatures is characterized by goodness -

God is good, all that He does is good!

Creation: everything created by God is good -

    1 Timothy 4:4
      4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

    Genesis 1:31
      31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

God provides a benevolent concern for ALL his creatures:
    Job 37:13 - concerning the rain & storm clouds:

      13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.

    Job 38:25-27
      25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder;

      26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man;

      27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?

    Psalm 147:9
      9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.

    Matthew 6:26
      26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

God NOT destroy Nineveh - because of animals there!

    Jonah 4:11 11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

HENCE:

    Psalm 145:9
      9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

    Psalm 145:15-16
      15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

      16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

In addition to the above, the bulk of God's providential care is reserved for mankind!

    Matthew 5:45
      45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

    Acts 14:17
      17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

    1 Timothy 6:17
      17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

    James 1:17
      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.

EVEN TO THE WICKED - God is good

    Luke 6:35
      35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Even in judgment, when God does punish the wicked by 'providential means' - it is characterized by His goodness.

    Lamentations 3:39-42
      39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
      (40-42 such should cause us to TURN to God)

To those who seek him by repentance and submission - His goodness is multiplied beyond measure:

    Lamentations 3:25
      25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

    Psalm 107:9
      9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

    Psalm 31:19
      19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

    Psalm 84:11
      11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Because of God's goodness -

  1. We can TRUST Him -

  2. We can LOVE Him -

  3. The goodness of God leads us to repentance - for He has given Christ inorder that we might be saved!

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