Galatians # 23 Gal 5-22 thru 5-25
Today we’re going to continue on the subject of the fruit of the spirit. The 6th one listed here is Goodness. The HS has given all of the fruit of the spirit to us when we received Jesus into our hearts. Now it’s up to us to begin to manifest these in our daily lives. Just as we are told to put on the armor of God in (Eph 6), we are also to put on the fruit of the spirit.
I) Goodness is one of the Attributes of God. We said before that God is love, and that he has joy, He has peace, He is long-suffering or patient and He is good.
A) Turn to PSA 25:8 We know that God is Good.
1) Even when something bad happens, God is still good. It’s not God that caused bad things to happen.
(a) (JAM 1:17) Says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (KJV)
2) (JOHN 10:10) Says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have {it} more abundantly.” (KJV)
3) Jesus came to give us the life more abundant, or you could say the good life, not the bad life. It’s the thief or the Devil who wants to give us the bad life. He wants to steal, kill, and destroy.
(a) But God is good.
B) PSA 33:5 This V. again tells us that the Lord is good, but it also tells us that the Earth is filled with the goodness of the Lord.
1) We’re dwelling in the goodness of the Lord. I’m not saying that everything in this world is good, there is a Devil on this Earth, there’s evil spirits walking the face of this Earth.
2) But just think of it, if the goodness of the Lord wasn’t here. Men would be helpless and hopeless.
(a) There would be such crime and destruction on the face of this Earth. Far more than it is now.
(b) As we just read, Satan comes to kill, steal, and to destroy.
(i) I believe that it is the goodness of God that is holding back Satan destructive force.
C) Another thing about the goodness of God is that there is pardoning power in God’s goodness.
1) ROM 2:4 It’s God’s goodness that leads people to repentance and salvation. God doesn’t have to forgive men of their sin.
2) Men deserve punishment, if it wasn’t for the goodness of God, His mercy, and His grace, we would receive His punishment.
(a) You might remember the song; “God is so good.”
(b) We have a good God!
(c) It’s only the goodness of God that keeps us from hell, but God is so good He sent His son to die for us so we don’t have to.
(i) We we’re supposed to die spiritual, but Jesus died spiritual so we don’t have to.
(ii) Some argue that point, but what is spiritual death? --- Separation from God.
(iii) In (MAT 27:46) Jesus Said, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
(iv) Was God separated from Him or did Jesus lie? Jesus was separated from God for a season.
(v) God is so good that He let Jesus pay for our sins, and Jesus is so good that He wanted to.
II) What about us, if God is so good, do we have to be good? Yes, we’re told in (EPH 5:1) “To be imitators of God.”
A) MAT 5:13 The part that I wanted you to see is that Jesus said that we are the salt of the Earth.
1) What does salt do? It preserves. You can compare salt and goodness to each other.
2) The only thing that prevents utter demoralization in the world is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(a) Remember what happened in (GEN. 18), Abraham pleaded for Sodom, and the city would have been spared according to his prayers if there was only 10 righteous.
(b) It was the goodness of Abraham that caused him to pray he was the salt of the Earth.
B) There is also what I call passive goodness.
1) When a truly good person, a godly person, walks in a room of worldly people, the conversation changes, they stop swearing, they stop telling immoral jokes.
(a) Without even knowing it you are making a difference. You’re the salt of the earth.
2) LUKE 14:34‑35 [“Savor” means “Saltiness”]
(a) To remain good, in the true sense of the Word, you have to have a close walk with the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God.
(b) Fellowship with Him, who is the source of goodness, will inevitably produce goodness.
(c) You become like who ever you fellowship with.
III) There is also an active goodness, and that’s called good works.
A) MAT 12:35
1) This V. tells us quite a bit.
(a) 1st it says, “A good man,” This is talking about a godly person.
2) Then it says, “Out of the good treasure of the heart,” The heart is the spirit of man, it’s also where you receive the fruit of the spirit.
3) Then it says, “Bringeth forth good things,” Those things are supposed to manifest in our lives.
(a) We should bring forth goodness and good works.
(b) MAT 5:16
(c) (COL 1:10) SAYS, “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (KJV)
(d) (TIT 3:8) Says, “{This is} a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” (KJV)
B) MAT 16:27
1) God will reward us for the things that we did on earth. This isn’t salvation.
(a) Salvation only comes through the Lord Jesus Christ.
(b) This is talking about the good things that we will receive from the Lord because of the good things that we did.
(c) Look at 2 COR 5:10
2) There’s also a negative side to this.
(a) Paul said in (2TIM 4:14) “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works.” (KJV) The NIV says, “The Lord will repay him for what he has done.”
(b) ISA 3:11
(c) The word “reward” here means “recompense.”
(i) One of the definitions to the word “Recompense” is “Payment in return for something.”
(ii) That pretty much sounds like an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
(iii) The Bible does say in (Galatians 6:7) “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (KJV)
3) That’s going to be true if there is no repentance.
(a) (1 John 1:9) Says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (KJV)
IV) Turn with me to GAL 6:10
A) In this V. Paul under the inspiration of the HS said to do good to all men especially to those of the household of faith, that is to Christians.
1) If you can’t do good to your brothers and sisters, you can’t do good to those of the world.
B) HEB 13:20-21
1) I’ll end with this last scripture, (REV 22:12) “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward {is} with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (KJV)