Happy Father’s Day! Let’s see how good our Father is now and throughout eternity.
Jesus was good like His Father. His loving compassion moved him to help and heal others.
Matthew 14:14:
And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he HEALED their sick.
We can do the same through the “spirit of Christ” that dwells in us.
Philippians 4:13:
I can do all things through Christ which STRENGTHENETH me.
The Greek word translated “strengtheneth” is endunamoō and means to bring internal power [dunamis] and strength. We are empowered by Christ and not our ourselves.
Ephesians 6:10:
Finally, my brethren, BE STRONG [endunamoō] in the LORD, and in the power of HIS MIGHT.
This is all by God’s grace to us in His Son.
2 Timothy 2:1:
Thou therefore, my son, BE STRONG [endunamoō] in the GRACE that is in Christ Jesus.
God’s Goodness in the Old Testament
The Old Testament is FULL OF God’s goodness and His promise to send the Messiah to redeem all people. The two elements that show God’s great goodness are His GRACE [giving us ALL that we need and more] and His MERCY [forgiving ALL our sins and mistakes].
Psalms 103:8:
The LORD is MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
We see God’s grace and mercy in the first use of “goodness” in the King James Version.
Exodus 34:6:
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS, longsuffering, and ABUNDANT IN GOODNESS and truth.
We also find those same truths in the next use of “goodness.”
1 Chronicles 17:12,13,23,26:
He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.
I will be HIS FATHER, and he shall be MY SON: and I will not take my MERCY away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee.
Therefore now, LORD, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.
And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast PROMISED THIS GOODNESS unto thy servant.
God showed His grace and goodness to all people by promising to send His Son, the Messiah. The Christ would come from the lineage of David. This Savior would bring God’s mercy to its fullest extent, forgiving and saving ANYONE who believes.
1 Corinthians 8:6:
But to us there is but one God, the FATHER, of [Greek ek, out of, the source of] whom are all things, and we in him; and one LORD Jesus Christ, by [Greek dia, by means of, through] whom are all things, and we by him.
ALL GOOD THINGS come from God, our heavenly Father. And they all come to us THROUGH our Lord Jesus Christ! That includes God’s grace and mercy. We can boldly claim these blessings that we have through Jesus Christ today. And God will continue to be good to us in the future by sending His Son back for us.
Hebrews 4:14,16:
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, JESUS THE SON OF GOD, let us hold fast our profession.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of GRACE, that we may OBTAIN MERCY, AND FIND GRACE to help in time of need.
Yes, all good things are of God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. They make us new creations in Christ today! God dwells in us. And we will enjoy His presence and blessing for all eternity.
2 Corinthians 5:17,18:
Therefore if any man be IN CHRIST, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
And ALL THINGS ARE OF GOD, who hath reconciled us to himself BY [Greek dia, by means of, through] JESUS CHRIST, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
God’s Goodness in the New Testament
Romans is a letter and a treatise that explains God’s goodness to all people, even when they don’t deserve His grace and mercy. It begins by showing that God made Himself known, but people rejected Him and turned to evil. It also shows that Jesus Christ is the only answer to mankind’s dilemma. When a person repents, changes their thinking to ACCEPT GOD’S GOODNESS, they are saved [Romans 10:9,10]. It is the Father’s goodness through His Son that causes us to turn unto Him.
Romans 2:4:
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness [chrēstotēs] and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness [chrēstos] of God leadeth thee to repentance?
These two Greek words [chrēstotēs and chrēstos] are translated “goodness” and “good” in the New Testament. They come from the Greek word chraomai meaning to furnish what is needed. It may be related to the word for “hand” [cheir, where we get “chiropractor,” hand doer], since needs are supplied that way. God’s “hands” are upon us through His Son.
Let’s look at each of these words to explore God’s great goodness to us through Christ.
chrēstotēs
The noun form of this word means “goodness.”
Romans 3:12:
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth GOOD, no, not one.
The lesson here is simple: without God, NO ONE CAN BE GOOD. We can’t rely on our our own worldly philosophy, strength, or “wisdom.” Without God’s help we are lost.
Romans 11:22:
Behold therefore the GOODNESS and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, GOODNESS, if thou continue in his GOODNESS: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.
The context of this scripture is salvation through Jesus Christ to both Judean and Gentile [chapters 9—11]. This is addressed to Gentiles who received God’s goodness and salvation in Christ by God’s grace. His goodness is toward not only Judeans, but ANYONE who believes on Jesus. To “continue” in God’s goodness here means that the Gentiles would accept this free and gracious gift through Christ. Otherwise, like those Judeans who rejected God’s plan of salvation, they would see the “severity” of not being saved. The context shows all that they need to do to be saved.
Romans 10:9-11:
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LORD JESUS, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath RAISED HIM from the dead, thou SHALT BE SAVED.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
The only “work” that God expects from us is to believe on His Son.
John 6:29:
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the WORK OF GOD, that ye BELIEVE ON HIM whom he hath sent.
John 3:16:
For God so loved the world, that he gave HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whosoever BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Believing on Jesus brings us blessings now and everlasting life with him!
The next use of goodness shows how we can live with God’s grace and mercy.
2 Corinthians 6:5-7:
In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by KINDNESS [GOODNESS], by the Holy Spirit, by love unfeigned,
By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.
Despite life’s challenges, God continues to bless us with His kind goodness by giving us His spirit and causing His love to overflow in our hearts [Romans 5:5]. We have His Word as our sword, His power to give us strength, and His righteousness to protect our hearts. As we walk by the spirit, we see God’s fruit in our lives.
Galatians 5:22,23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, GOODNESS, faith,
Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
These fruit allow us to love our heavenly Father, our neighbor, and ourselves—as Jesus taught us to. You can learn more about this from God’s Word here.
Ephesians 2:4-7:
But God, who is RICH IN MERCY, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by GRACE ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding RICHES OF HIS GRACE in his KINDNESS [GOODNESS] toward us through [Greek dia, by means of] Christ Jesus.
Once again, we see God’s grace and mercy showing forth His kind goodness to us. And it is all THROUGH CHRIST JESUS.
Colossians 3:12-14:
PUT ON therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies [compassion], KINDNESS [GOODNESS], humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and FORGIVING one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
And above all these things put on charity [God’s love], which is the bond of perfectness.
What wonderful truths! This goodness of God can be “put on” by our good works. We don’t work our way to heaven, for we are saved by grace. But we do earn eternal rewards by the good we do in this life. We are created in Christ to do those good works!
Ephesians 2:8-10:
For BY GRACE are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus UNTO GOOD WORKS, which God hath before ordained that WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.
The final use of “goodness” is in Paul’s letter to his beloved fellow-minister, Titus. God’s grace and mercy are again a key part of His goodness to us. And it is only through our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Titus 1:4; 3:4-7:
To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: GRACE, MERCY, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
But after that the KINDNESS [GOODNESS] and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to HIS MERCY he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Which he shed on us abundantly THROUGH JESUS CHRIST our Saviour;
That being justified BY HIS GRACE, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
chrēstos
The adjective form of this word means “good.”
Jesus is our greatest example of God’s goodness in a person.
Matthew 11:29,30:
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is EASY [GOOD], and my burden is light.
When we “yoke” or join ourselves to our Lord Jesus, we have a “light” burden in life. We cast all our cares upon our Father, because He cares for us through His Son [1 Peter 5:7]. God is the source of life and Jesus is the vine [John 15:5]. We must be connected through him to have access to the Father [Ephesians 3:12].
Luke 5:37-39:
And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.
But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.
No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is BETTER [GOOD].
This is such a key truth so that we can live in God’s goodness, empowered through Christ by His grace and mercy. Religion is a stiff and rigid wine skin. The word “religion” comes from the Latin re [back] and ligō [to bind or fasten]. It binds back people to a standard. Sometimes those standards are man-made and are the opposite of God’s heart for us. Jesus confronted religious leaders about this in Matthew 15:1-9.
Wine skins were common in Jesus’ time. After much use, they became dry and impliable, unable to stretch. “New” wine is still fermenting and requires space to expand. A new and fresh wine skin is pliable enough to handle that fermenting. But an old, dry skin will not grow with the wine. It will crack and burst open—ruining both the wine and the skin! Jesus said that we must be open to God’s spirit in us so that we can go and do what the Father would have us to do. But human nature is to think that the old way of doing things is really the “good” that God wants for us. That could not be farther from the truth!
We can be good like our heavenly Father. We even love those who fight against us.
Luke 6:35,36:
But love ye your enemies, and do good [SHOW GRACE], 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 [GOOD] unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Be ye therefore MERCIFUL, as your Father also is merciful.
God shows His goodness to us by His grace and mercy. We can live that way and be “children of the Highest” as we love and give and forgive. There will be great rewards for such service.
1 Corinthians 15:33:
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt GOOD manners [Greek ēthos, ethics or habits].
We CAN live like our Father as we put on Christ. But hanging out with evil can distract us from the good. There is an old saying, “If you hang around a dog with fleas, you’re going to get fleas!” We don’t “hide” from people or worldly events. But we do keep our hearts pure in the midst of evil by keeping the scriptures in our heart and walking by the spirit, listening to our Father’s still small voice amidst the loud roars of the adversary. Don’t be deceived or tricked by the Devil. I have limited my internet time lately, to help me focus more on scripture, my family, and how I can best serve my Lord Jesus Christ. That will help me keep my “good manners.”
Ephesians 4:31,32:
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye KIND [GOOD] one to another, tenderhearted [MERCIFUL], forgiving [showing GRACE to] one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
We can put away bitterness, wrath, anger, unrest, evil speaking, and all forms of evil. How? We are gracious and merciful like our heavenly Father. God showed His grace and mercy to us for “Christ’s sake,” because of what Jesus did for us. In Christ we have eternal life and forgiveness from sin today. We have love, joy, and peace. We are healed in mind and body. We have a COMPLETE savior!
1 Peter 2:1-5:
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is GRACIOUS [GOOD].
To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
We don’t need the evil mental and spiritual diet that the adversary offers us. We can be like brand new babies who suckle the pure milk from their mothers. God designed a mother’s milk to have EVERYTHING GOOD for the baby and NOTHING BAD. It is the same with God’s words to us. They bring life to our souls and light to our paths. Jesus came as a stone, a foundation on which we are built into God’s habitation [Ephesians 2:20-22].
Now we are also “stones” that build up a spiritual house. We are like the priests in the temple who offered physical sacrifices. But our ministry is spiritual. We have “Christ in” us and can manifest God’s power in nine ways [1 Corinthians 12:3-11]. We can pray in the spirit and make intercession for others [Ephesians 6:18; Romans 8:27]. We can do the works of Jesus and even greater [John 14:12] because he was raised to the Father’s right hand.
What a glorious life we have today in Christ. And what a great hope we have of everlasting life and eternal rewards. It is all because of OUR FATHER’S GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL GOODNESS TO US IN CHRIST.
Amen. I love you.
