‘God is a good God,’ the late Dr Oral Robert’s was known to say repeatedly. It angered his generation of preachers, I understand. The same goes for the view of the world today. Since the idea of God is one of a grand puppet master who sits over the universe and is orchestrating and controlling all things and all beings in a massive universal entertainment of Himself. He is, therefore, to be blamed for every evil upon the earth. No one is responsible for this distorted view of God but the devil. He knows a universal law, ‘People respond to us based on our perception of them.’ (Numbers 14:28).

God is inherently good. Due to limited Hebraic literature, the etymology of the Arabic counterpart of the Hebrew word ‘Elohim’ reveals God as inherently merciful and beneficent. The Anglo-Saxon name ‘God’ was derived from ‘Good.’ He is truly the embodiment and personification of all goodness. He is the source of all that pleasant, gracious and kind (James 1:17). When Moses cried out for Him to show him His glory, He responded, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you’(Exodus 33:18-19). Everything about Him is good. Goodness is His very nature and constitution.

The goodness of God conveys the idea of His generosity. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. James admonishes that we should ask for wisdom when we lack it and God will give us liberally and He does not scold us when we come to Him (James 1:5). He opens His generous Hand and satisfies the desire of all living things (Psalm 145:16). in His perfection, He causes His sun to shine both on the righteous and the wicked (Mathew 5:45). He is kind to everybody under heaven. He is kind to every being in the universe and provides for all. According to the Lord Jesus, He clothes the lilies and feeds the birds. His provisions do not discriminate. He blesses all as much as He can.

In God’s goodness is also the idea of His moral excellence. He is morally strong and has no weaknesses. He is the personification of all purity and perfection. He is the thrice holy God (Isaiah 6:3). He is infinitely holy and can do no wrong. He cannot even lie (Numbers 23:19). He is light and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). He is a God of equity and will not endorse cheating and partiality. He abhors diverse weights and diverse measures as an expression of corruption (Provers 20:10). Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 32:3-4 KJV,

‘Because I will publish the name of the LORD: Ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: For all his ways are judgment: A God of truth and without iniquity, Just and right is he.’

The goodness of God manifests in His power to save, heal, and deliver. It is this goodness of God that is so clearly demonstrated in the finished work of Christ on the cross of Calvary. This goodness of God leads men to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). Of course, many would rather take the goodness of God for granted. For such, the same goodness will definitely first chasten them with the Word of God (Hebrews 12:5-6), allowing them to go through circumstances that will call them back to order and where they are stiff-necked, they may experience His wrath and judgement. God judges to restrain evil on the earth as the judiciary does on earth. But even in His judgements, God is still good.

To be continued…

Victor Adeyemi