Lesson 4 – Faith in the Goodness of God ‹ Church of Christ at South Bumby

Lesson 4 – Faith in the Goodness of God

Text: Jn. 17:25-26.
If the evidence tells us that there is a God, then God is an objective reality that must be accepted — regardless of what kind of God He is.
If God was all-knowing and all-powerful but neither loving nor just, we would still have to deal with the reality of His existence — but dealing with Him would be a fearful necessity.
The wonder of the gospel of Christ, however, is that it gives us reason to believe that the God who truly exists — the God who created us — is benevolently inclined toward us!
Our faith, then, can be not only in the reality of God’s existence, but also in the goodness of His character – Heb. 11:6.

As the One sent from heaven to bring us the truth about God, everything Jesus ever said or did was meant to foster faith in God – Jn. 12:44.
But what we are encouraged to believe is not merely that God exists, or even that He is powerful. Much more than that, we are urged to believe, based on the sending of His own Son to us, that God’s intention toward toward us is kind and loving – Jn. 17:25-26.
The gospel of Christ presents Jesus’ coming into the world as an act of grace – Jn. 1:14-18.
To accept the truth that Jesus was sent into the world by a loving God is to be moved to love God in return.

The amazing thing about Jesus Christ is not just the fact of the miracles — it is what those miracles imply as to the character and will of God – Jn. 7:21-24.
The miracles manifested Jesus’ glory and honor – Jn. 2:11; 5:19-23.
But they also demonstrated that God can be depended on to care for us and act in our best interests – Mk. 8:13-21.

The single text in the Gospel of John that most people are familiar with, is one which speaks of God’s love in giving His Son for us – Jn. 3:16-17.
The death and resurrection of His Son demonstrated not only God’s power, but His character, His willingness to help us – Rom. 5:6-8;8:32.
Also, in the death and resurrection of Jesus, God demonstrated that His power over us is subservient to His love for us – Jn. 15:9-13.

Faith in Jesus’ testimony to the goodness of God is at the heart of Christianity.
But if we truly believe that Jesus was sent from God, then we must accept God’s goodness as more than an intellectual theory. We must make a real, day-to-day commitment to that truth, and we must maintain it for the rest of our lives, even in the darkest hours of doubt and temptation.
When John explains to us what “faith” is, no less in his Epistles and in Revelation than in the Gospel of John, it is primarily the goodness of God that he would have us believe.
1. “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1 Jn. 4:16).
2. If we “believe” anything less than this, then our faith in Christ is not yet fully formed.
The ultimate result of “faith” is not merely that we believe in God, but that we love Him – Jn. 17:25-26.

Real love for God and His Son will show up in the care we give to God’s people – Jn. 21:15-17. Cf. 13:12-15; 1 Jn. 4:20-5:1.
Jesus demonstrated the self-sacrificial nature of God’s love for us, and we show gratitude for that by loving others with the same kind of love – Jn. 15:12-13.
The love that Christians have for one another is to be one of their distinguishing characteristics – Jn. 13:34-35.

Everything Jesus did was intended to prove that God is real and that He wants to save us.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (Jn. 3:16-17).
“And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1 Jn. 4:16).

Courtesy of Gary Henry – AreYouaChristian.com If you have any questions or wish to study further please contact us.