ALL GOOD AND LOVE IS FROM GOD!

5 Minutes

OUTLINE

 

1. INTRODUCTION

2. GOD IS LOVE!

3. THERE IS NO ONE GOOD BUT GOD

 

 

1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this section is to discuss the source of love and good. It's best to read over the section about God's Love and Power first.

 

The passage below needs no introduction or explanation, only meditation. 

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for

 

   love comes from God.

 

Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins "

I Jn 4:7-11

 

Before reading further, spend at least 2-3 minutes reading and thinking about the above passage.  


It couldn't be more clear here, stated and repeated for emphasis: Love comes from God, not us. 

 

Origin of love: "Love comes from God."

 

   "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us..."


 

 

2. GOD IS LOVE!

 

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."

I John 4: 16

 

All good comes from God.

 

Again, the Bible couldn't be more clear about the source of good, as this passage begins with a warning against being deceived to believe otherwise.

"Don't be deceived, my dear brothers.

 

   Every good and perfect gift is from above..." 

James 1:16-17a

 

3. THERE IS NO ONE GOOD BUT GOD

 

"As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered.

 

   "No one is good--except God alone." 

 

Mark 10:17-18

 

Someone may protest that in these verses Jesus is insinuating he isn't good. That's not what this passage says. Jesus asked why the man called him good. The man did not know that Jesus was God. If you look at this passage from the man's perspective, there's no confusion. 

 

The important takeaway is the statement by Jesus that there is no one good except God alone.  While we may accept this statement as truth, it is important to make sure it is our view of ourselves. Many people, including many Christians, see themselves as "good."

 

   Nobody is good. Period.

 

Let's look at what integrating this truth into our lives looks like. We will be humble, not seeing ourselves as better than we are. Another passage speaks directly to our view of ourselves. 

 

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."

Rom 12:3

 

Our view of ourselves should be that we are sinful, broken people with no good in us whatsoever. Any good we do, any good we have ever done before or since we've been saved is God's good in us and through us. This may be hard to take, to believe. Thankfully, God is so good to be so clear about everything that is important for us to know. 

 

" In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.'

Matt 5:16

 

If there was any hesitation in accepting the source of good in our lives, this should clarify it.  When our light, our good, is evident to mankind, we don't get the praise. God does. God does because it is His good showing through broken, sinful people!

 

Our attitude then is one of humility, of not being the source in any manner of good or of love. While we feel like nothing, or useless without God, that's not the whole picture. The rest of the picture is that the God of the universe uses our broken sinful vessels to show His goodness and love to the world.  We are ambassadors of Christ (I Cor 5:20) and

 

   God glorifies Himself in and through us.

 

(Eph 1:11-12) 

As we walk through life and find ourselves showing love for someone else by doing what's best for them and serving them, we can be excited that the God of the universe chose to use lowly us for His glory. When someone does something kind for us, and shows us love, we can look up and thank God for loving us through that person. Having a view based on truth saves us much heartache from people letting us down. The reality is that for a season,  God showed His goodness and love through a person to touch our lives. When a particular person lets us down, for at least that moment they are no longer being vessels of God in our lives. God has promised neither to leave nor forsake us. He is still here. He doesn't want us leaning on anyone so hard that when they no longer become vessels, we fall.

 

   We need to first look up and know how much we're loved by God

 

(FIVE WAYS GOD LOVES US) and look around wondering who He will use as a vessel next in our lives or when that person who let us down will again become that vessel.

 

Living in this truth helps us live in the truth presented in It is not about us, and our desired way; it is about God.