Introduction
Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Inspiration—Revelation—Integration—Transformation
“Good” is not determined by cultural standards or human decisions, but by the one true, good God, made known in Jesus Christ.
Psalm 119:68 (ESV)
You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.
Only God is good and is the One to determine what is good.
When humans define good and evil, we end up only with evil.
Psalm 14:1-3 (ESV)
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
Isaiah 5:20-21 (ESV)
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!
Mark 10:18 (ESV)
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
Acts 10:36-38 (ESV)
As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Only Jesus, the Word, reveals what is truly good.
Romans 12:2 (ESV)
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” ~ Charles H. Spurgeon
Romans 12:21 (ESV)
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Inspiration—Revelation—Integration—Transformation
Hebrews 5:11-14 (ESV)
About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
1 Peter 2:15 (ESV)
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
1 Peter 3:17 (ESV)
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
Doing good is an important and costly witness.
Galatians 6:9-10 (ESV)
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV)
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.