Feb 21
28
The Goodness of God – A W Pink
“The goodness of God endures continually” (Psalm 52:1). The goodness of God refers to the perfection of His nature: “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). There is such an absolute perfection in God’s nature and being that nothing is lacking to it or defective in it, and nothing can be added to it to make it better.
“God
is originally good, good of Himself, which nothing else is; for all
creatures are good only by participation and communication from God.
He is essentially good; not only good, but goodness itself: the
creature’s good is a superadded quality, in God it is His essence.
He is infinitely good; the creature’s good is but a drop, but in God
there in an infinite ocean or gathering together of good.
He is eternally and immutably good, for He cannot be less
good than He is; as there can be no addition made to Him, so no subtraction can
be made from Him” (Thomas Manton).
God is summum bonum—the highest good.
The original Saxon meaning of our English word God is “The Good.” God is not only the greatest of all beings, but the best. All the goodness there is in any creature, has been imparted from the Creator; but God’s goodness is underived, for it is the essence of His eternal nature. As God is infinite in power from all eternity, before there was any display thereof, or any act of omnipotence put forth—so He was eternally good before there was any communication of His bounty, or any creature to whom it might be imparted. Thus, the first manifestation of this divine perfection was in giving being to all things. “You are good, and do good” (Psalm 119:68). God has in Himself an infinite and inexhaustible treasure of all blessedness, enough to fill all things.
The goodness of God is seen in that when man transgressed the law of His Creator, a dispensation of unmixed wrath did not at once commence. Well might God have deprived His fallen creatures of every blessing, every comfort, every pleasure. Instead, He ushered in a regime of a mixed nature—of mercy and judgment. This is very wonderful if it is duly considered, and the more thoroughly that regime is expanded the more will it appear that “mercy rejoices over judgment” (James 2:13).
The goodness of God appeared most illustriously when He sent forth His Son “made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4,5). Then it was that a multitude of the heavenly angels praised their Maker and said, “Glory to God in the highest Heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors” (Luke 2:14). Yes, in the Gospel the “grace [which word in Greek conveys the idea if benevolence or goodness] of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11).
“Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8).
The goodness of God is the life of the believer’s trust. It is this excellency in God which most appeals to our hearts. Because His goodness endures forever, we ought never to be discouraged: “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. He knows those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7).
“When others behave badly to us, it should only stir us up the more heartily to give thanks unto the Lord, because He is good; and when we ourselves are conscious that we are far from being good, we should only the more reverently bless Him that He is good. We must never tolerate an instant of unbelief as to the goodness of the Lord; whatever else may be questioned, this is absolutely certain, that Jehovah is good; His dispensations may vary—but His nature is always the same” (Charles Spurgeon).
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The Glory of God – John MacDuff
He was as perfect before the birth of time — as He will be when “time shall be no longer!” He was as infinitely glorious when He inhabited the solitudes of immensity alone — as He is now with the songs of angel and archangel sounding in His ear! But “who can show forth all His praise?” We can at best but lisp the alphabet of His glory. Moses, who saw more of God than most, makes it still his prayer, “I beseech You, show me Your glory!” Paul, who knew more of God than other men, prays still, “that I may know Him.”
And is this the Being to whom I can look up with sweetest confidence — and call “My Father”? Is it this Infinite One, whom “the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain,” I can call “My God”?
Believer, contemplate the medium through which it is you can see the glory of God, and yet live. “No man has seen God at any time, the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has revealed Him.” He who dwells in inaccessible light, comes forth from the pavilion of His glory in the person of “Immanuel, God with us.” In Christ, “the Image of the invisible God,” the creature — yes, sinners — can gaze unconsumed on the lusters of Deity!
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God’s conscious comforting presence!
Octavius Winslow, “Beginning
the Year with Jesus”
Then Moses said to him, “If Your Presence
does not go with us, do not send us up from
here…..” Exodus 33:15
What a needed and solemn petition!
God’s presence, going with us! Such is the
response of every true God fearing, Christ
loving heart. The believer has learned to
understand the nature of God’s favor, to
know the value of His presence, to test the
wisdom of His guidance, and to experience
the blessedness of the light of His countenance.
And now, the one desire and prayer of his heart
is, “Let Your presence go with me. Let it
accompany me in all the chequered, changeful
history of this year. May Your Presence….
counsel me in difficulty,
soothe me in sickness,
cheer me in solitude,
keep me in danger,
shield me in temptation,
strengthen me in service,
sustain me in suffering, and
deliver me from evil.”
Let, then, the accompanying presence of God be
the intense desire of your heart, and the principal
element of your Christian experience.
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Our Immutable God
An old Greek philosopher once said; “the only constant is change”. He was never able to find any purpose behind this ever-changing world and ended up taking his own life. Truth is, everything is in constant flux, but not without purpose. The Lord changes not (Mal.3:6). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb.13:8). He controls all things in heaven, in the earth, and under the earth. His nature, purpose, and covenant promises cannot change. His mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations. (Ps.100:5) We are often confused by and attempt to control our circumstances in this ever-changing world. Remember, it is our immutable God that shakes the things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain (Heb. 12:27) There is a Rock, smitten by the rod of God’s justice, out from which flows rivers of living water. He follows us through this dry and thirsty land. I Cor. 10:2. The house built on this sure immutable foundation will not fall. ~GE
The Truth of Thy Salvation
We come into the presence of God only according to the, “Truth of Thy Salvation” Ps. 69:13. So, what is the truth of God’s salvation? Perhaps the alliteration will give us some hooks on which to hang our thoughts.
1. God is SOVEREIGN in Salvation. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy…Rom 9:15-16.
2. Christ is SUCCESSFUL in God’s Salvation. You shall call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins. Matt. 1:21. It is finished. Jn. 19:30.
3. Christ is SUFFICIENT in God’s Salvation. He only is my Rock and my salvation; He is my defense… Ps. 62:2.
4. Christ is the SUBJECT of God’s Salvation. …the gospel of God…concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 1:1-3.
5. Christ is the SUBSTITUTE of God’s Salvation. God will provide Himself a Lamb. Gen. 22:8
6. Christ is God’s SATISFACTION in Salvation. He shall see the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied. Is. 53:11a.
7. Christ is the SHINNING of God’s Salvation. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. II Cor. 4:6.
We bear these truths to be clearly set forth in the Word of God. Any attempt to approach God on a message of salvation contrary to these will surely fail. ~Greg
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John 3:30
John the Baptist, the man who was sent to prepare the way of the Lord; the man who our Lord Jesus Christ said was the greatest prophet born of a woman, said: “The Lord Jesus Christ must increase, but I must decrease.” To that, all of God’s people will cry: Amen! The higher that the Lord Jesus Christ is raised up, and the more exalted God’s people see Him to be… The happier they are! When Christ is exalted, their joy is exalted, their hope is exalted, and their faith is exalted as it LOOKS UP to Him, HIGH in the heavens. The higher they see His throne to be, the more glorious the gospel of their redemption is to them, and the more in awe they are of how far He came down to save them. After seeing Christ in all of His exalted glory, God’s people cannot and will not ever see Him any other way. They will cry to every soul who will listen: “He must increase, but I must decrease!” Pastor Gabe Stalnaker
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“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thess. 5:18
The Lord is working all things after the counsel of His own will. Knowing then that He Who is all wise, all powerful and merciful toward His people is working everything for His glory and the good of His people, is there anything that comes our way for which we shouldn’t give thanks? How blessed we are to have the Holy Spirit bring back to our memory the love, grace, and compassion that has been shown hell-deserving creatures like us. Whatever comes our way…” give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” ~Marvin Stalnaker