Understanding The Divine Goodness
O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him ~ Psalms 34:8.
Introduction
The God of the Bible is the “Eternal Being” that possesses so many unusual and distinctive attributes which are very essential to our lives and godliness. He is omnipotent (all-powerful), omnipresent (everywhere-present), omniscient (all-knowing) and omni-benevolent (supremely good).
God is also peculiarly characterized by His infinite knowledge and wisdom, universal dominion, everlasting faithfulness, infinite purity, inflexible justice, and so on. Now, each of these divine attributes is worthy of our highest contemplation and unending admiration. In particular, the thoughts of His eternity and immensity are fearfully amazing!
However, some of these attributes appear rather overwhelming than delightful to many uncircumcised hearts. For instance, with all its loveliness, the infinite purity of God appears too glorious and too tall for the carnal minds to contemplate with joy. Talk less of the striking terror of His inflexible justice!
Happily, there is an attribute of God which represents Him under the idea of an amiable as well as a glorious Sovereign-Father: His attribute of divine goodness. Knowing that the Lord is good, kind, loving and gracious sounds more cheering to many people than any of His other divine attributes (Psalm 34:8).
Quite unfortunately, God’s goodness is also the main reason why so many people, in the painful error of their ways, misjudge, misappropriate and misapply the subject of His grace. Nonetheless, it must be clearly spelt-out that God's goodness doesn’t overlook evil. Rather, God always manifests His justice, even in His love and goodness (Exodus 34:7).
Yes, God loves sinners, but He always deals with their sins through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ first before qualifying them for a full access to His ultimate goodness. At any rate, God’s ways are just altogether (Deuteronomy 32:4).
Understanding the Goodness of God To His People
The thought of God’s goodness, and the prominence given to it are very conspicuous features in the Bible. This is rightly so because the goodness of God, Who is worthy of worship, cannot lack perfection.
Generally, goodness refers to the state or quality of being good, morally excellent, virtuous, kind, generous and gracious.
Excelling goodness belongs only to God. He alone is really good (Matthew 19:17). Hence, all the goodness that may be found in man, or in any other creature, is only an emanation (or, a reflection) of His divine goodness.
God is the sum and substance of all good fortunes (James 1:17). He is abundant in goodness and plenteous in mercy: “The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness” (Exodus 34:6).
The nature of God’s goodness and kindness is made manifest in His benevolent provisions for the wellbeing and the happiness of all His creatures. He gives rain, sunshine, etc., to both the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45b; Luke 6:35).
Meanwhile, though God’s benevolence is a more generalized display of His goodness that doesn’t automatically lead to salvation, God has a special love only for His children which particularly manifests in His specific goodness that always works out all things for their good (John 1:12-13; Romans 8:28).
Moreover, as a gracious Father that He is, God readily gives good gifts to His children: health, healing, protection, peace, joy, inner strength, wisdom, prosperity, victory, deliverance and many other spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Exodus 18:9).
As a matter of fact, God always gives us so much more than we deserve, as demonstrated when He sent Jesus Christ to die on the Cross for our sins (John 3:16). Today, all that we describe as “glory” is rather the “goodness of God” manifested (Exodus 33:19).
Beloved, as a child of God, just imagine how much God has been so good to you! He changed you. He healed you. He delivered you. He made all provisions to abound for you. He answers your prayers, and He still keeps showering you with blessings after blessings.
Even the Lord’s favour that we all enjoy today is a product of His characteristic goodness. His mercy flows from His goodness. God would still be good even if He never showed mercy (Romans 9:14–24). Yet, in His mercy to us, He purposed to be good in a special way to His people.
The high note here is that goodness is one of the fruits of the indwelling Spirit of God (Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 5:9). Hence, the authentic Spirit-controlled Christian life is in likeness to God, and it’s the expression of His goodness in and through us to the world around us (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).
The Distinctive Peculiarities of the Divine Goodness
God's goodness is perfectly free and gratuitous. No one ever deserved it (Matthew 10:8). His goodness is rich and abundant, even unto the utmost bounds (Psalms 36:7-10). It is uniquely special, particularly to those who believe in Christ.
Furthermore, God's goodness is immutable and everlasting (Psalms 100:5). The goodness of man is often as the morning dews, but the goodness of our Lord is forever, inexhaustible and untiring in its work (Psalms 103:17).
This earth shall pass away, and time shall sink into eternity! Yet, we can boldly say that the goodness of God is stored up for those who fear God, and bestowed upon all that take refuge in Him (Psalms 31:19).
Friends and brethren, our God is very rich, benign and excellent in His lovingkindness and goodness to His people (Romans 2:4; 11:22). He is fully glorified when our desires for His goodness are accomplished.
We should always glory in the goodness of God, and be very thankful to Him for it. The memory of His great goodness should always keep us joyful and grateful at all times (Psalms 145:7).
I pray that this season will be to you and yours a wonderful season of overflowing blessings, with abundant goodness, grace, glory, joy, and all-round fulfillment. May you continue to enjoy the fatness of God’s mercy and favour.
Please, stay fresh in the the power of the Holy Spirit like never before, and continue to soar on the prophetic wings of ease, even as you start to experience a new dimension of supernatural greatness. You won’t miss it, in Jesus Name. Amen. Happy Sunday!
** Bishop Taiwo Akinola,
Rhema Christian Church,
Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
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