Q8. WHAT IS GOD? (GOODNESS)


ANSWER. God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, GOODNESS and truth.

Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”

I. GOD IS GOOD

Q. What is goodness? A. Goodness does not mean “the opposite of badness.” Goodness does not mean the same thing as “righteous.” Goodness means kindness, mercy, patience, generosity. That God is good means God is kind, God is merciful, God is patient, God is generous.

Psalm 100:5 “For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

Exodus 33:18-1918 Moses said, ‘Please show me your glory.’ 19 And [The LORD] said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.’”

II. GOD DOES WHAT IS GOOD

Psalm 119:68 “You (LORD) are good and do good.”

I) God does what is good to all mankind.

Matthew 5:45 “[God] makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Acts 14:17 (Paul and Barnabas at Lystra) “[God] did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”

II) God especially does what is good to His saints.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Genesis 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Thomas Watson: “To know that nothing hurts the godly, is a matter of comfort; but to be assured that all things…shall co-operate for their good…this may fill their hearts with joy till they run over.”

III. GOD DID HIS HIGHEST GOOD BY SENDING HIS SON TO DIE SO THAT YOU COULD HAVE ETERNAL LIFE

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Concerning the word “so” in John 3:16, Thomas Boston: “This is an inexpressible so, a so that all the angels of heaven cannot analyze. None can conceive or understand the boundless extent and dimensions of it.”

C.S. Lewis: “It cost God nothing, so far as we know, to create nice things: but to convert rebellious will cost him crucifixion.”

Q. How must you respond to God’s goodness?

IV. YOU MUST NOT PRESUME UPON GOD’S GOODNESS—IF YOU DO, YOU WILL GO TO HELL

Romans 2:3 “Do you suppose, O man…that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness (goodness) and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s  [goodness] is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”

Thomas Watson: “Knowledge without repentance will be but a torch to light men to hell.”

V. YOU MUST REPENT AND BELIEVE GOD’S GOOD NEWS—IF YOU DO, GOD WILL FORGIVE AND CLEASE YOU

Mark 1:14-1514 Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’”

Psalm 86:5 “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.”

Isaiah 55:2 “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.”

VI. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST IMITATE GOD IN HIS GOODNESS

Luke 6:35 “…love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”

Martin Luther: “Good works do not make a good man — but a good man does make works good.”

VII. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST TELL OTHERS OF GOD’S GOODNESS

Psalm 145:4, 74 One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. … 7 They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.”

VIII. IN CHRIST, YOU MUST PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS

1 Chronicles 16:34 “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”

Psalm 135:3 “Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!”

Psalm 31:19 “Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!”

CONCLUSION

Thomas Boston: “Seek not your happiness in created things and enjoyments, but in an ever-bountiful God, who is the spring and source of all goodness and mercy, and who can fully satisfy all the desires of an immortal soul.”

Psalm 34:8 “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”

Ekklesia Muskogee is a reformed baptist church that gathers for worship in Muskogee, Oklahoma. We confess the 1689 second London baptist confession of faith. We affirm the five solas of the Reformation as well as the doctrines of grace (otherwise known as the five points of Calvinism), and each of our pastors would not be ashamed to be called a Calvinist. We are a church led by elders, of which there is a plurality (also called pastors and overseers in the Scriptures). Our mission is to make disciples, love cities, and plant churches.