The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Good News

I think all your questions can be answered from this one. It is impossible that we can alienate an act of God from His attributes or from the ultimate end for which He has purposed all things, to wit, His ultimate glory. Thus, everything that God has decreed and then providentially brought to pass is inherently good, for God IS good. We should flee from this world's philosophy of self-absorption where they are the final arbiter of what is "good for them." (cf. Dr. Phil and pop psychology) The world and Satan would have us believe that unless we ourselves see something as beneficial to us, then it cannot be "good". Hear the lie of the Evil One as he tempts Eve:

Genesis 3:1 (ASV) "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?"

If I may take the liberty here to paraphrase this vicious lie, "God doesn't truly love you! No, no... for if He did, you would have been allowed to eat the fruit of every tree in the garden. He wants to deny you something which is "good" and thus He isn't interested in what is best for you." Now Eve, having spent many hours watching Opra Winfrey and Dr. Phil, knew that what this serpent was saying had a ring of "truth" to it and thus:

Genesis 3:6 (ASV) "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat."

God's greater purpose was rejected and "self" dominated their action of disobedience.

One may ask if God isn't a rank egotist since everything is for His own glory; even at the "expense" of the eternal destiny of men. I answer, but WHO is more worthy of glory than God? Could there be ANYTHING that could fully bring the glory deserved to the Creator? I believe there is but one thing; the man Christ Jesus, Who being God, humbled Himself, taking upon Himself human flesh and suffered that which was ours so that we might be reconciled to God in Him. For He is the essence of the glory of God. Mankind was given the opportunity to show his proper place as God's ultimate creature. But he chose to revolt against God and become his own "god." Thus the entire human race was plunged into ruin as well and the entire world. ANYTHING other than immediate eternal torment which men experience in this world is testimony to the goodness of God. And this goodness is meant to lead men to repentance. Yet it too is twisted around to be something "bad", because it doesn't meet their standard of "goodness", i.e., it doesn't benefit them according to their own contrived standard of "goodness".

Any "moral goodness" shown my man is nothing less than the common grace; restraining power, of God. Thus no man can boast of any goodness in and of himself. (cf. Gen 20:1-6) Is this not a testimony to God's providence and goodness? The damnation of sinners also is a testimony to the goodness of God, for it shows forth His perfect justice and vindication of those saved through Christ's vicarious substitutionary atonement.

Okay.... enough for now! [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin[/img] Does that help clear up a few things, just a wee bit?