Goodness: The fruit of the Spirit (X)

Let me ask you a question “Is mankind basically good (the quality of being morally virtuous)?” Your answer is likely to shape all your social, moral and political views (Prager). It will also colour your attitude to God and religion. Without going into this in detail, what I mean is that if you believe that human nature is basically good, then the “good news” of the gospel will make no sense to you. If we are basically good, why would we need to be rescued from ourselves (Matthew 3:7)? So is mankind good? The Scripture makes no bones about it “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Romans 3:12). Jesus asked a certain ruler “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone” (Luke 18:19).

But if goodness is part of the fruit of the Spirit, then is it not then possible for us to be good? Well in Jesus yes, but it is His goodness, not our own. The believer stand in His righteousness which is a robe He puts on us (Isaiah 61:10). The Lord describes our own (self) righteousness as being like filthy polluted garments (Isaiah 64:6). Motive is important! With Paul we may have to get rid of all that we hold dear (including the sense of our own goodness), in order that we might be “found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own …, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith” (Philippians 3:9). So what I am saying is that those of us who have fully surrendered to Christ, and among other things are dealing with our issues, we are being changed from one degree of glory to another, as we practice being partakers of the divine nature (2 Corinthians 3: ; 2 Peter 1:3 - see below).

One of the most important verses in the New Testament is 2 Corinthians 5:21. Speaking of Christ we read “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Sometimes known as the Divine exchange He takes our sin and gives us His righteousness. And it is in His righteousness that we will stand (if we believe) on that day. It is His righteousness and goodness that qualifies us for Heaven, not our own. When we are dealing with our issues, this is not just theory, it is very very practical. The point is that He has made it possible for us to be “partakers of the Divine nature” (2 Peter 1:3), and in particular of His goodness. So what exactly is our part? It is “beholding,” for “we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory" (2 Cor 3:18). So what is this beholding? Well at least part of it is worship and meditating on His word, and in practicing His presence which is perhaps the essence of praying without ceasing.

Father, I truly believe that Your virtues are infectious as we spend time in Your presence. They say we become like what we worship. If we worship money, we become cold and calculating. That surly was the rich young rulers problem! In terms of this morning’s post, if we worship You, then Your goodness will rub off on us. Thank You Lord we have access 24/7 to the best teacher in the Universe - You. Please Lord help us not to neglect this awesome privilege in Jesus Name Amen