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Galatians 5:22-23, 2Peter 1:3 (Contemporary English Version)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. *We have everything we need to live a life that pleases God. It was all given to us by God's own power, when we learned that he had invited us to share in his wonderful goodness.
Goodness is the nature of God in us that causes us to passionately exhibit right values and uphold high moral excellence at all times; no matter the circumstances. God’s nature of goodness is what propels us to treat people justly and fairly, even when they are unjust and unfair to us. It also causes us to highly value and uphold integrity in all dealings and endeavours. It is what causes us to love righteousness and hate iniquity of all kinds. It renders us loving and willing to reveal the goodness and holiness of God in all its ramifications. In referring to Jesus, Hebrews 1:9 says, “thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”
God’s nature of goodness is also what causes us to maintain a good conscience. When we love God sincerely, we fill our hearts with God’s Word and use it as our standard of right and wrong. We love the things that pertain to light and we hate the things that pertain to darkness. When James 1:17 describes God as the ‘Father of Lights with whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning,’ it is a description of God’s impeccable integrity.
Ephesians 5:9-11 says, “for it is the light that brings a rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth. Try to learn what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light.” 1Peter 3:16 (NIV) implores us to “[keep] a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your nature of goodness in me that causes me to highly value and do what is right continually.
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