November 4, 2023
Dear Friend,
I’m going to start with a new question: What is good?
The answer matters if we want to choose good things, right?
Good, From the Beginning
In the diagram below, fill in the left side with the opposite of what is on the right.
Life is good; therefore, death is evil. God is not willing for anyone to perish.
- All the trees were good for food except one.
- The moon has no light of its own, unlike the sun.
- Living things need air, sunlight, food, and water to live. An environment devoid of those basic requirements cannot sustain life.
Discernment
From the beginning, our Heavenly Father gave us good things so we would be discerning. This is good parenting, and we can see it demonstrated in the earthly life of Jesus.
“Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good.” - Isaiah 7:14-16
By discernment, Jesus pleased God. He accomplished perfect obedience without doing anything right.
- He said all the wrong things.
- He hung out with the wrong crowd.
- He healed on the wrong day.
- He helped the wrong kinds of people.
Hence, He was wrongfully tried and sentenced to death.
Now, more than ever, we need to recognize the vast difference between “good and evil” and “right and wrong.”
Sin (Evil) vs. Sins (Wrongs)
While the English translations give us the same word, “sin,” for evil and wrong, they are NOT the same. Jesus forgave sins (wrongs) and warned, preached, and condemned sin (evil). Know the difference!
Wrong belief: Jesus gave the same warning, “Go and sin no more,” to the lame man (genetic wrong – John 5:5-15) and the woman caught in adultery (morally wrong – John 8:1-11). Both of them believed God condemned them to die (evil) with no one to help them (lie).
Wrong faith: A young, wealthy, religious man came to Jesus (religiously right – Luke 18:18-25). He wanted eternal life. Jesus told him to sell everything and follow Him, but he couldn’t. His wealth and religious obedience could not earn good standing with God.
Wrong judgment: The publican and the sinner prayed to God (socially right – Luke 18:10-14). The publican judged and even gave thanks for his superiority over the sinner, but God heard the sinner’s prayer.
What are we missing? The difference between being judged by what you do, and being seen for who you are is relationship. God loves you, and His love is unconditional. His love “covers a multitude of sins (wrongs)” and paid for sin (evil). That is God’s all encompassing grace.
Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
Like a Good Father
Our Heavenly Father is gracious to us because we are His children!
“Who among you will give your children a stone when they ask for bread? Or give them a snake when they ask for fish? If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask Him?” – Matthew 7:9-14
Your Father has freely given you all His riches that could never be earned. Don’t let anyone rob you of your inheritance of freedom through Christ.
Join me next week as we learn more about discernment in a deceptive world.
Thank you for being here!
Believing Him,
Monisha.
