“What is Good” leads to a Humble Walk with God and True Repentance Not "Do this, do that" or Fear
Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
What is good that God has shown us? When we look around the world today we don’t see a lot of “good”. But yet God has showed us “What is good”.
Creation is good
Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.
The Lord requires us to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. But firstly he says he has shown us what is good.
There are many ministers today who will point out what we need to be or what we need to do. They will say “You’re required to do this, do that, etc.” You are required to keep the Ten Commandments. All of that is important; there should be no denial of this.
But what is more important? What is much more important? Is that the people see “the goodness of God” first. Let’s look at Romans 2:4-6:
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the
goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
There is none good but one, that is God. And he judges righteously. And each of us will be judged by our deeds. Our works. Works are important. Like Micah says “what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” But yet what is the goodness of God that many have failed to preach that will draw us to repentance and lead us to good works?
If we are not drawn to repentance by the goodness of God we will not do good deeds(works)
Paul tells us in the chapter previous about God’s goodness and where we can see it. Let’s look at Romans 1:16-20:
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
The gospel and power of God are clearly seen in creation. His power to save is seen in the creation. God when he was finished creation he saw that it was “very good”.
He has shown to us “oh man, what is good”(Micah 6:8). The gospel is good. And it is clearly seen in creation. Paul saw this and tells us it is revealed from heaven, it is revealed in the things made that God is good.
God’s Goodness Draw’s us to Repentance
According to Paul, God first revealed to us his goodness. And when seeing the “goodnesss of God” or as Micah said that God shewed us “what is good” then we can be drawn to repentance, and then what follows?
To Do Justly Major Point #2
What did Paul say about the just? Back to Romans we read in Romans 1:17:
Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
The just shall live by faith. Therefore in order to do justly, we are to believe God. That is faith. And what are we to believe? The gospel.
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
This is God’s love revealed. This is God’s salvation. This is how God manifested his love He gave his only begotten son. The name “Jesus” means “Jehovah’s salvation”. Have you ever imagined how hard it is to give up your beloved daughter or son. The one “brought up” by you.
The bible says “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God”(Romans 10:17). And the word of God says “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever BELIEVETH in him should not perish but have eternal life”(John 3:16).
Let’s go to Romans 10:9 and 17.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Believe and be saved. We’ve all heard these words before. Let’s look more closely at what Paul is telling us to believe. Verse 17:
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Let’s look closer at the creation for a moment. A lot of people today are spiritualizing away the creation today. They teach that this was not a literal 6 days as the bible says, but rather that there were time gaps in between each day that spanned billions of years. I won’t go into that issue here.
I’d like to propose that there is something else being “spiritualized” away in the creation. Spiritualized away from God’s “goodness”.
We Wrecked the World
It is not God’s fault that we wrecked what God gave us. God gave Adam something “very good”. God gave dominion to Adam to rule it. But Adam gave that dominion to Lucifer. We wrecked something that was “very good”. God didn’t force Adam to keep his rules. God gave Adam freedom of choice. Adam was free in Christ.
Adam knew that if he ate of the fruit he would surely die. Adam rebelled and killed himself. But though Adam wanted to die. God was not willing. God would do anything to save Adam. God went to Adam in love. “Adam my son, what have you done”.
How much God wanted to save Adam. God’s only begotten son whom God gave everything to was with God when he made man. In fact God said to his son, let us make man in our image.(Genesis 1:26). God was not alone in the work of creation.
To Believe God is to do Justly
1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Paul says of Christ our Lord.
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
The firstborn of God was given. To do justly is to believe that God gave his firstborn son to do the world. Why is this doing justly you might ask? You might be seeing now what was spiritualized away in our churches. The truth about God and his firstborn or only begotten son.
Ellen White wrote about spiritualistic theories regarding God entering among the brethren shortly after the passing of 1844.
“After the passing of the time in 1844, we had fanaticism of every kind to meet. Testimonies of reproof were given me to bear to some holding spiritualistic theories. There were those who were active in disseminating false ideas in regard to God. Light was given me that these men were making the truth of no effect by their false teachings. I was instructed that they were misleading souls by presenting speculative theories regarding God.” {E. G. White, Testimonies Volume 8, pp. 292, 293} 1904
The Seventh Day Adventist pioneers understood this matter of “Spiritualism” regarding the father and son. James White wrote about a particularly popular doctrine that spiritualized away the truth about the father and the son in 1846. 2 years “after the passing of the time in 1844”. Here is what he wrote:
“The way spiritualizers have disposed of or denied the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ is first using the old unscriptural Trinitarian creed, viz., that Jesus Christ is the eternal God, though they have not one passage to support it,while we have plain scripture testimony in abundance that he is the Son of the eternal God.” {J. S. White, The Day Star,January 24, 1846}
Ellen White wrote something similar concerning the father and son.
“Modern spiritualism, resting upon the same foundation, is but a revival in a new form of the witchcraft and demon worship that God condemned and prohibited of old.… Peter, describing the dangers to which the church was to be exposed in the last days, says that as there were false prophets who led Israel into sin, so there will be false teachers, “who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them.… And many shall follow their pernicious ways.” 2 Peter 2:1, 2. Here the apostle has pointed out one of the marked characteristics of spiritualist teachers. They refuse to acknowledge Christ as the Son of God. Concerning such teachers the beloved John declares: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father.” 1 John 2:22, 23. Spiritualism, by denying Christ, denies both the Father and the Son, and the Bible pronounces it the manifestation of antichrist.” (Ellen White, Patriarchs and Prophets, page 686)
Pretty forceful words in regards to denying the father and son.
Let’s summarize what we’ve already went over in point form.
The just live by faith
Faith is to believe God
Faith comes by God’s word
We are to believe God gave his only begotten son.
In this is revealed the goodness and love of God.
The goodness of God seen in giving his son draws us to repentance.
Repentance is a change of heart.
Repentance will produce a man who will do justly, love mercy and walk humbly by FAITH
Therefore the conclusion is that “the just live by faith” believing “God gave his only begotten son” “the firstborn of every creature” and this “faith” or “belief” produces a change of heart.
This is not something we work at. But it is something that we accept by faith. Seeing God’s goodness brings about a completely different reaction to the requirements of God. Now instead of hating God’s law or being “at enmity with the law of God”(Romans 8:9) we say “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.”(Psalm 119:97).
Christ with God at creation
Christ our creator was with God in the beginning, all things were made by him. God said he did it “by” Jesus Christ. Do we accept it? If we want to twist it all around to teach some doctrine that says Christ was never “begotten” and that those words don’t mean what they say, then are we truly accepting what God’s word says? Are we truly walking by faith? Are we truly believing the goodness of God? Are we truly being brought to repentance by the goodness of God? Are we truly doing justly? Are we truly justified?
Those questions have been answered by God’s word.
Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Rev 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
God is the creator, the first angel says “give glory to him”, “worship him”. His judgment is come. How can we fear God? Do justly.
Ecc 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
In order to do this, to keep his commandments, we need first to teach the goodness of God as Micah said. Then when we realize the creative power in the word of God, we can accept by faith that God will do in us, exactly what his word says. This is not something we evolve into, or work at, but God creates it in us by the power of his gospel. It didn’t take God millions of years to make the world “very good”. God spoke and it was done.
Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Created to do good works which God before ordained that we should walk in. And how do we walk in it. Holding his hand like a child.
The devils believe there is one God and tremble the bible says. But they are too prideful to accept Gods mercy, love and goodness in giving his only begotten son to die for them.
Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Christ was in Gods form, equal with God. He was worshipped by angels the bible says. And he gave himself completely for us and was made in the likeness of men. This is the express image of God, this is God’s son. This is how God was manifest in the flesh. God through his son saved us by being humble and dying for us on the cross. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ, which was inherited from his father as any son inherits the attributes of his father.
Conclusion:
The God of Jesus Christ so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Not a co-equal twin brother or anything like that. But a real begotten son. How do we know? We believe the gospel. And this love that was manifest draws us to repentance and to finally “do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God”(Micah 6:8)
Faith and Law
Truth About God
Victory Over Sin
Pillars of Our Faith Changed
Comment and/or Like our Facebook Page
