Lessons 2 & 3 The Goodness of God
“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Pet 1:15-16)
God is a moral being. His basic moral attributes are purity, integrity and love
Purity
The moral purity of God means that he is free from wickedness and evil. He is, therefore, holy, righteous and just.
Holiness
(Ex 15:11) God is different from all other beings. He is majestic in holiness.
(Is 6:1-4) Isaiah saw the Lord “sitting on a throne, high and lifted up”. The seraphim cried out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts”
God is unique. He is totally different from all of creation.
(Hab 1:13) God cannot look on evil.
(James 1:13) God cannot be tempted with evil.
(Lev 11:44-45) We are to be holy because God is holy.
God is absolutely pure and good. He is allergic to sin and evil.
Righteousness
(Ps 19:7-9) God commands only what is right and have a positive effect on the believer who obeys.
(Gen 18:25) God’s actions are in line with the law he himself has established.
God is righteous. The law of God is as perfect as he is.
Justice
(Gen 2:17) Sin has consequences.
(Rom 6:23) The consequence of sin is death.
(Rom 12:19) God punishes sin.
(Deut 7:9) God rewards obedience.
God is just. He punishes those that violate his law and rewards those that obey his law.
Integrity
Integrity is about truth. God is a God of truth.
Genuineness – Being true
(Jer 10:10) The Lord is the true God. God is real.
(John 17:3) Jesus addresses the Father as the only true God.
God is real. He is not a being of our imagination. He is what he appears to be.
Veracity – Telling the truth
(1 Sam 15:29) God does not lie.
(Titus 1:2) God does not lie.
(Heb 6:18) God cannot lie because lying is contrary to his nature.
God always tells the truth. He represents things as they really are. What God says is always accurate.
Faithfulness – Proving true
(Num 23:19) God always fulfils his promises.
(1 Thess 5:24) Paul affirms that God is faithful and he will do what he says.
God is faithful. He keeps all his promises. He always fulfils what he has said he will do.
Love
(John 17:3) Jesus addresses the Father as the only true God.
God is real. He is not a being of our imagination. He is what he appears to be.
Veracity – Telling the truth
(1 Sam 15:29) God does not lie.
(Titus 1:2) God does not lie.
(Heb 6:18) God cannot lie because lying is contrary to his nature.
God always tells the truth. He represents things as they really are. What God says is always accurate.
Faithfulness – Proving true
(Num 23:19) God always fulfils his promises.
(1 Thess 5:24) Paul affirms that God is faithful and he will do what he says.
God is faithful. He keeps all his promises. He always fulfils what he has said he will do.
Love
The nature of God is love. God’s love to us is expressed in benevolence, grace, mercy and persistence.
Benevolence
(John 3:16) God loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for us. God’s love is seen in his act of self-giving.
(Deut 7:7-8) God loved the Israelites.
(John 15:9-17) Jesus emphasizes that his relationship with us is on a friend –to- friend basis and that love is the basis of this relationship.
(1 John 4:10) The apostle John affirms that God loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins not because of our prior love for him. God first loved us.
(Rom 5:8) While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(1 Cor 13:4-7) Since God is love, this description of love is also a description of him.
God’s love is an unselfish interest in us for our sake. It is agape, an unconditional love. God’s love is seen in what he has done. He cares for us. He provides for us. He ultimately sent Jesus to die for us. God’s love is active not passive.
Grace
(Ex 34:6) God is compassionate and gracious. He is slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness.
(Eph 1:5-8) Paul attributes our salvation to the grace of God.
(Eph 2:7-9) Salvation is a gift of God.
Grace means that God gives us undeserved favors. Grace begins from God seeing people as sinful, guilty and condemned.
Mercy
(Ps 103:13) God has compassion on those who fear him.
(Ex 3:7) God heard the cry of the Israelites under bondage to the Egyptians and knew their sufferings.
(Mark 1:41) Jesus had compassion for the people who were suffering from physical sickness.
God’s mercy is his tenderhearted loving compassion for his people. Mercy begins from God seeing people as miserable and needy.
Persistence
(1 Pet 3:20) Peter suggests that the flood was delayed to provide an opportunity of salvation for those who were ultimately destroyed.
(2 Pet 3:9) Peter suggests that the Second Coming is delayed because of god’s patience.
God’s persistence refers to God withholding judgment and continuing to offer salvation and grace over long periods of time. God’s long-suffering was especially seen with Israel who repeatedly rebelled against God and falling into idolatry. But God remains faithful to them.
Conclusion
God is morally pure. God is truth. God is love.
Review questions
Benevolence
(John 3:16) God loves us so much that he sent his Son to die for us. God’s love is seen in his act of self-giving.
(Deut 7:7-8) God loved the Israelites.
(John 15:9-17) Jesus emphasizes that his relationship with us is on a friend –to- friend basis and that love is the basis of this relationship.
(1 John 4:10) The apostle John affirms that God loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins not because of our prior love for him. God first loved us.
(Rom 5:8) While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
(1 Cor 13:4-7) Since God is love, this description of love is also a description of him.
God’s love is an unselfish interest in us for our sake. It is agape, an unconditional love. God’s love is seen in what he has done. He cares for us. He provides for us. He ultimately sent Jesus to die for us. God’s love is active not passive.
Grace
(Ex 34:6) God is compassionate and gracious. He is slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness.
(Eph 1:5-8) Paul attributes our salvation to the grace of God.
(Eph 2:7-9) Salvation is a gift of God.
Grace means that God gives us undeserved favors. Grace begins from God seeing people as sinful, guilty and condemned.
Mercy
(Ps 103:13) God has compassion on those who fear him.
(Ex 3:7) God heard the cry of the Israelites under bondage to the Egyptians and knew their sufferings.
(Mark 1:41) Jesus had compassion for the people who were suffering from physical sickness.
God’s mercy is his tenderhearted loving compassion for his people. Mercy begins from God seeing people as miserable and needy.
Persistence
(1 Pet 3:20) Peter suggests that the flood was delayed to provide an opportunity of salvation for those who were ultimately destroyed.
(2 Pet 3:9) Peter suggests that the Second Coming is delayed because of god’s patience.
God’s persistence refers to God withholding judgment and continuing to offer salvation and grace over long periods of time. God’s long-suffering was especially seen with Israel who repeatedly rebelled against God and falling into idolatry. But God remains faithful to them.
Conclusion
God is morally pure. God is truth. God is love.
Review questions
- What practical implication can we draw from 1Pet 1:15-16? How does this implication apply to all the other moral attributes of God?
- “At times the rule of God does not appear to be just. Those who lead sinful lives are not always punished, and the righteous frequently seem to go unrewarded.” Discuss the statement.
- What is the relationship between God’s love and God’s justice ? Is there a tension between these two attributes of God?
- What is the difference between God’s grace and God’s mercy?
- What is meant by the “beauty of the Lord” in Psalm 27:4?
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