Matthew 5:16 – as Jesus is formed in us and we have now become a part of Him – we are good…
“13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
James 2:18 – the proof of this miraculous truth is our goodness and the fruit of that goodness…
“But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”
John 15:8 –and this is to God’s glory…
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
1Peter 2:12 – this is not only an expression of God’s love, but we become a proof text to God and His goodness – as are not just doing good, but we are, good… and this, because of Him
“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone…
John 10:18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.”
…It is the Father in me doing His work - Jesus wasn’t denying being God, neither was He saying (then) that He was not good. What Jesus was saying was “my Father and I, (and the Spirit) we are one, and the joy in what we do is that we to this - together - to love, honor, and glorify - bring joy, to the others”
John 6:57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of m
John 6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
John 14:10-11 …The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
And so, it is with us…
“There is nothing good that it is me… but Jesus”; and “...It is not I who live, but Christ who lives in me…” so, what was Paul then saying? Really, the same thing Jesus was. He is not saying that we are now just hollowed out tubes in which just Jesus resides and therefore it is He and only He that is doing the work through us - what He is saying is that we, He and I, do this together. In other words, “I have cleansed you of your sin, I have filled you with my righteousness, my Self, and we do this together - Me and you, Us and you, with one another – so now, choose to join me in good and enter into my joy, peacefully!”
Romans 7:18, 24-25 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out…24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
So, as I am now in Christ and He is formed in me I can join Jesus in humbly and joyfully saying…
John 14:11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.
And just so we understand how committed to us, and goodness, and that goodness in us God is, and just how excited He is for us to partner with Him in (His) goodness - He has given us His Spirit and…
Galatians 5:22-2322But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
...the fruit of the Spirit is… goodness. As we walk with, yield to, position and posture ourselves to be influenced by the Spirit that it is us, we, in union and cooperation with the Spirit, now, more and more, bear the fruit of goodness, being and doing the good that we now are - Jesus in and through us
The joy of doing good, the peace in being good. Why joy and peace? Because we are doing what we were – Gen 1;2; Proverbs 4:18; 22:18; 24:14; Eph 2:8-10
● Originally intended to do
● With Whom we were intended to do it
Made in His image and likeness – Genesis 1 and 2
● God as One - who is intrinsically good, and all He did was good: “it is good” - Genesis 1:1-25
● God as community - mutual love, admiration, edification, glorification: “we are good, let us do good - to one another and to all we have made” – Genesis 1:26-28
● God to man - “have life and breath, work with me, reign with me - dominion - and you, as I/we, do this together” and this, is, “very good” – Genesis 1:28-31
From the beginning… God invites into the partnership of good - being good and doing good - and experience the peace and joy that comes from it
Genesis 1:26-31 “26Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, a and over all the creatures that move along the ground… 28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground... 31God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning…”
Renewed in the attitude of the mind - word, prayer, fellowship of believers – what is good
Romans 12:2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Proverbs 2:199Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.10For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
Maintained in the attitude of the mind - walk by the Spirit and think on these things (Gal 5)
Philippians 2:8-9 “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Practice of the renewed attitude of the mind - do to others what you would want done to you according to your need, purposefully according to their need…
Matthew 7:10-11 “11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
