Knowing the Desirous Will of God: Doing Good in Every Manner of Life

Good is that which is beneficial.

Although God allowed the nations to walk in their own ways, focusing only on Israel,

He did not leave Himself without a witness for He did good by giving rain and fruitful seasons while filling the heart with food and gladness (Acts 14:17).

Acts 14:17 NKJV

Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”

Doing good in an evil world will often bring persecution and suffering.

When we suffer wrongfully because of a good conscience this is to be done in patience,

for we are called to this and were left an example by Christ to follow in His footsteps,

Who did no sin, nor was deceive found in His mouth,

Who when verbally abused did not return abuse,

when threatened He committed Himself to God the Father, the righteous Judge (1 Peter 2:19-23).

1 Peter 2:19–23 NKJV

For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

If we are going to suffer for doing the will of God in our lives,

it is better to suffer for doing what is good.

For this reason, we are to set apart Christ as Lord,

always being ready to give a defense for the hope that we have,

while living with a good conscience,

when those who do evil verbally revile our good conduct in Christ,

so that by our good they will be put to shame (1 Peter 3:15-17).

1 Peter 3:15–17 NKJV

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

We are not to imitate that which is lacking in character, but that which is beneficial.

The one doing good is from God, but the doer of wrong has not seen with discernment (3 John 11).

3 John 11 NKJV

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.

Doing good is in direct contrast to doing wrong.

Good is beneficial, wrong lacks in character.

Within our beneficial acts, we are to also be proper and do things the way they should be done for our actions will always speak louder than our words.

It is when others speak wrong of us as though we are ones doing wrong that our proper conduct will express a proper opinion of God (1 Peter 2:12).

1 Peter 2:12 NKJV

having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Therefore, when we suffer according to God’s will, we are to commit our souls (emotions) to God in continuing to do good, for He is the Faithful Creator (1 Peter 4:19).

1 Peter 4:19 NKJV

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

And remember, we are called to this.

We are called to do good, and when necessary to wrongfully suffer for doing good and rejecting that which is wrong or lacking in character (1 Peter 2:21).

1 Peter 2:21 NKJV

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

Doing good takes practice.

As we mature, we train our senses to discern the difference between what is proper and what is wrong so that our actions are beneficial (Hebrews 5:14).

Hebrews 5:14 NKJV

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

However, there are those who, even though they have had plenty of time, remain inarticulate babblers,

needing someone to again teach them the basic principles of the Christian life for they are not using what God has given and are governing their lives by law (Hebrews 5:12-13).

Hebrews 5:12–13 NKJV

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

Let us go on from the elementary principles of the Christ into maturity,

not laying again a foundation of dead works through law,

but of good works out from faith as we shine like luminaries among this crooked and perverse generation,

while encouraging them to be reconciled with God because of the hope they see in us by doing good.

1 Peter 2:15–16

Because this is the desirous will of God, while doing good silence the ignorance of foolish humans, as free and not having a cloak of wrong, the freedom, but as servants of God