Goodness

Friend, we make a mistake when we judge goodness by our own idea of goodness.

Each one of us has within us, a "brand" of goodness we think is righteous. We may all agree on ten things as our idea of goodness but then we will find there are many other ideas on which we cannot come to an agreement of goodness according to our own personally held beliefs.

It's rare for two people to agree fully on every idea, subject, action to take, beliefs within faiths, decisions, and outlook on life and the hereafter.

Jesus the Word through the Holy Spirit's indwelling of holy men who were inspired and wrote, gave us the Scriptures for our edification.

He set out God's Goodness in those pages.  He wrote us an encouraging letter over many generations so that we could see that His Word applies throughout the ages until He comes again to put the devil in the bottomless pit and seal it up for 1000 years.

We must eventually give up our ideas of goodness and look to the Word of God to find the correct measure of Goodness.

Many of us will find that some of our ideas of goodness are correct and this is a good foundation on which to build into our thinking, the Goodness of God.

Some may have to abandon all the old and bring in the fresh new Words of Goodness that will change our lives dramatically.

But, we must open our hearts to accessing the Word of God to read what He says so we can move forward on our journey of renewal of soul and spirit that affect our mind and body.

Friend, here are some verses to ponder...

Romans 12:1-3

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the Mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good , and acceptable, and perfect, Will of God.

For I say, through the grace given to me, to every man that is among you, not to think of yourself more highly than you ought, but to think more soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Verses 9-15

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring another over self, not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.

Rejoicing in Hope, patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessities of the  saints who work for the Lord, given to hospitality.

Bless them which persecute you; bless, and curse not.

Rejoice with them who rejoice and weep with them that weep.

Recommended reading, Romans Chapter 12-16 on this subject. The Apostle Paul gives a good account of what God has taught Him and he passes on the words of wisdom to the church in Rome. They were believers both infants in the faith and others, strong born - again believers. The message is for all, given through Holy Spirit inspiration to Paul who laboured for Christ after his conversion from Judaism to Christianity on the road to Damascus where Christ appeared to Paul and changed his life forever from one "goodness" to the real Goodness of God.

The reason for Jesus wanting to change Paul was because Jesus had already come and carried out the Sacrifice and what Paul a very holy Jew was doing was persecuting the believers, and waiting for the Messiah when in fact He had come!

Jesus proved to Paul that He was who He said He was, and after that, Paul went on to spread the Good News with great authority because he was a learned scholar of the Holy Scriptures which told of the coming of the Christ and he knew of all the prophecies that had been fulfilled. It was undeniable to him, so Paul became a convert from Judaism to the Christian faith.

It is through Paul's conversion that many Jewish people come to the same conclusion and his teachings have converted many an unbeliever as well.