One of my favorite songs right now is "Forever Reign" by Hillsong...thats a shocker, I know. My favourite line in the song is the opening line, "You are good, you are good when there's NOTHING good in me." Nothing. Such a strong word. It sounds pretty harsh. As we sang this over the past weekend, I really began pondering the word "good." And then it appeared in a bible study I'm doing based on Titus 2. I think the good Lord is trying to tell me something...
Good. There is a big movement in our society to "do good." A big emphasis is being placed on doing for others. You see a lot of commercials on TV promoting all sorts of activist groups that Hollywood Stars are founding. In light of our current events with Japan, New Zealand, Australia, the list could go on and on; everywhere you turn people are "doing good" to help these victims of injustice. Do participating in these worthy causes make us good? Is being good defined by doing something nice or helping other people? Many scholars will tell you that as humans we are born good. There is some level of goodness in us. Leading psychologists teach that we are the product of our environment and that defines our state of "good." However, after studying the Word, it is NONE of these...
"I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, my sinful nature," Roman 7:18.
"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and ALL our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away," Isaiah 64:6.
The list could go on and on of the scriptures I found on humanity and being good. And the conclusion was the same, there is NOTHING good in me. In other words, in my FLESH (key word) there is NOTHING good in me. Now this seems like a bummer, but here is some good news...
"Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" Jesus responded, "Why do you ask me about what is good?" "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments." Matthew 19:16-17 *I strongly urge you to grab your Bible and read the rest of the story. Its life changing, but its another post:)
These two verses teach us the definition of good. The LORD is good. He is the standard of goodness. We don't measure up. We can do good all day long, and we still won't make the cut...on our own...in our flesh...here is where it gets "good"...
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1st John 1:9
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet he did not sin Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16
These verses, among a ton others in the Word, tell us God offers his goodness to US. God who defines GOOD desires to cleanse us. We can receive his goodness. God can clean our "filthy" selves and make us new. We can try and give and do all day long, but on our OWN we will always come up short. It is ONLY in the saving power of Christ, through salvation, can we as humans receive goodness. If you are reading this, and do not know Christ or have recieved his goodness through salvation, and want to know more, please leave me a comment or email me at elopperman@gmail.com.
And here is the good news for us as Christians. In our flesh we are nothing but filthy rags. But by the power of salvation, we are more than conquererors (Romans 8:37). We are co heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). The same POWER that conquered the grave LIVES in ME (Ephesians 1:18-20). This is LIFE changing. Powerful. Doesn't get any better than this. If this truth doesn't make you want to jump up and down, worship, give HIM praise, please take a minute and check your pulse...
By receiving his GOOD, we can then and ONLY then give goodness to others. Bring justice to the unjust. Serve the unlovely. Dont' get me wrong, earlier when I discussed the world's view of good as doing good deeds, I wasn't downplaying or saying we shouldn't do good. But in order to truely DO good we must FIRST understand the definition of good. Without the Lord, our good deeds stop at that. Just a deed. But in the power saving grace of Jesus, who is good, it is only then that we can truely pass goodness on. It is only through Christ that it becomes more than just a deed. This is the call of the local Church. We are to give goodness to others. Bring justice. Be the hands and feet of Christ. Afterall, the SAME power that rose Christ lives in ME and every believer. Let this change your every thought, word, and action.
He is GOOD.
