How Goodness Works

Goodness has only to do with how persons interact with each other, with ways of behaving that affect and enable living together. (a) Goodness is person-al.

Goodness has to do only with a person’s own behavior. God does not hold my sin against my son, my friend, my fellow human being. The Law of Moses said the one who does God’s commandments is the one that has life by them (Leviticus 18:5 < Galatians 3:12). The prophet said that the goodness or sinfulness of a person will be on himself (Ezekiel 18:20). (b) Goodness is personal, individual.

(c) Goodness has to do with perfect goodness, not just predominant goodness. That means continuing to do everything God expects of us (Deuteronomy 27:26; cp. James 2:10).

Since “nobody’s perfect” (Romans 3:23), goodness can be a matter only of (d) being considered good again by the Person sinned against.

At this point, we “fast forward” to Jesus, who established on the cross his own righteousness to the highest level possible: voluntary self-sacrifice for goodness purposes. Our continued commitment to that Righteous One is the Father’s condition for continuing to consider us righteous like him. Taking these emblems of remembrance is one way, especially when we are gathered, that we continue to commit ourselves to him so God continues to consider us good like his Son and to keep us in active relationship to himself.