Pure Goodness

I hope to include with some other Christians here, perhaps as many as 100 miscellaneous examples from the Bible of the purest goodness issuing from God. These will include the multitude of acts of mercy, forgiveness, long suffering, compassion exhibited by God.


Here's a first submission.

When Adam disobeyed God by eating of the forbidden fruit.

#1 - Pure Goodness displayed by God.

When God knew that Adam had disobeyed the clear command He did not instantly destroy Adam in vengeful wrath. Rather he came asking Adam to consider what had happened to him and where he now was.

"And they heard the sound of Jehovah God walking about the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God among the trees.

And Jehovah God called to the man and said to him, Where are you ?" (Genesis 3:8,9)

God in His pure goodness came in the form of a man. He came as Christ in His pr-incarnation manifestation. Otherwise how could God be said to be walking about in the garden in the cool of the day.

He came to Adam on Adam's level seeking pleasant fellowship as they had enjoyed mutually before. But now Adam and his wife were shrinking back in fear hiding from their Creator.

"Where are you?" . God, being omniscient of course must know where Adam is. God is giving Adam a chance to consider where he was. No longer in pleasant communion with his Creator. Adam should now consider the dark and fearful contrast.

This is pure goodness of God. And this is how God came to so many of us. He came not seeking vengence but asking us to consider our own state - lonely, isolated, withdrawing from the light of His truth.

"Where are you?" is the surprising question of the disobeyed Governor of all the universe to the now alienated Man.

Then follows the next questions designed for Adam to consider what he has done.

" And he said, I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself.

And He said, Who told you that you are naked? Have you eaten of thetree of which I commanded you not to eat ?" (Genesis 3:10,11)

Again God's pure goodness is manifested. Of course God knows exactly what transgression Adam has committed. He gives Adam a opportunity to consider his own fall from the sweet fellowship he and his Creator previously enjoyed.

Examples of God's pure goodness - His questions to Adam.

Where are you?"
Who told you that you were naked?
Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"

Psalm 136

1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:
4 To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever;
6 To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,
For His mercy endures forever;
7 To Him who made great lights,
For His mercy endures forever—
8 The sun to rule by day,
For His mercy endures forever;
9 The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His mercy endures forever.
10 To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,
For His mercy endures forever;
11 And brought out Israel from among them,
For His mercy endures forever;
12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm,
For His mercy endures forever;
13 To Him who divided the Red Sea in two,
For His mercy endures forever;
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His mercy endures forever;
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
For His mercy endures forever;
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His mercy endures forever;
17 To Him who struck down great kings,
For His mercy endures forever;
18 And slew famous kings,
For His mercy endures forever—
19 Sihon king of the Amorites,
For His mercy endures forever;
20 And Og king of Bashan,
For His mercy endures forever—
21 And gave their land as a heritage,
For His mercy endures forever;
22 A heritage to Israel His servant,
For His mercy endures forever.
23 Who remembered us in our lowly state,
For His mercy endures forever;
24 And rescued us from our enemies,
For His mercy endures forever;
25 Who gives food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever.
26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever.

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgement -

Genesis 3 and James 2

Backing up before Adam's disobedience I see another manifestation of the pure goodness of God.

There are two accounts of God's creation of man in relationship with the animals. In both there is a common theme though the two accounts are difficult to historically reconcile.

Whether all animals were created first and THEN Adam was created as in chapter one or Adam was first created and then all other animals, as in chapter two, Adam in both cases is the unique head.

It is our curiosity which seeks a consistency which may miss the main point God wants to impress us with. Man is at the top of the pinnacle of all other created lives on earth.

Whether he came first or whether he came afterwards is really not the main point. That he was committed with dominion over them all in chapter one and that he was appointed to name, to define them all in chapter two, Adam is the unique created on on earth.

This is too God's pure goodness manifested. He clearly wanted man to appreciation both his connection TO all other living things yet his transcendency OVER all other living things.

This pure goodness of God did not want man to be in an ambiguous state lacking proper self consciousness about his existence.

I submit this as second miscellaneous example early in the Bible of the purest goodness of God.

Psalms 145:9

The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

Psalm 118

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2 Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”

Repeated later in the psalm just in case anyone misses it.

From a plea to common decency...

Genesis 18:25b

...Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Originally posted by sonship
Pure Goodness displayed by God.

When God knew that Adam had disobeyed the clear command He did not instantly destroy Adam in vengeful wrath. Rather he came asking Adam to consider what had happened to him and where he now was.

[/b]

Pure Goodness displayed by Wolfie.

When I knew that my son had disobeyed my clear command I did not instantly destroy him in vengeful wrath. Rather I came asking him to consider what had happened to him and where he now was.


Wow! Pure Goodness not to get angry and destroy someone!

Originally posted by divegeester
Psalm 136

1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:
4 To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
5 To Him who by wisdom made the ...[text shortened]... y endures forever.
26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever.

I like this example of the Psalmist overflowing with gratitude for God's mercy.
What can he do but review and repeat ?

After Adam sinned causing the earth to fall under a curse, God does not instantaneously slay the couple. Rather God slays some of the cattle to cloth the couple.

The shame of their no longer innocent nakedness He covers for them. Their own covering was flimsy and inadequate. What a picture of the story of divine redemption. Man's attempt to cover his transgression may be well intended but inadequate. God must come in. And at a high price of the shedding of blood, man is covered by God.

What pure goodness. One might wonder why should God even care? Afterall He knows the couple is doomed to die anyway. Why doesn't he just let them die in their flimsy covering of fig leaves?

Early in Genesis we see the seeds of God's pure goodness working in coordination with His pure righteousness. If God lets them completely off the hook He is not righteous.

It does not appear to many modern minds that there could be such a thing as unrighteous forgiveness. What we see in early Genesis is the seed of the truth of righteous forgiveness. A price of execution for sin upon a substituted is enacted so that the sinner may be covered before a just Creator.

"And Jehovah God made coats of skin for Adam and for his wife and clothed them. ... So He drove man out, and at the east of the garden pf Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life." (Genesis 3:21,24)

Originally posted by wolfgang59
Pure Goodness displayed by Wolfie.

When I knew that my son had disobeyed my clear command I did not instantly destroy him in vengeful wrath. Rather I came asking him to consider what had happened to him and where he now was.


Wow! Pure Goodness not to get angry and destroy someone!

Include the reference.

Originally posted by divegeester
From a plea to common decency...

Genesis 18:25b

...Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

This was said by Abraham at the end of a long negotiation for mercy upon any non-deserving people in a city of abject guilty behavior.

"Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Abraham challenges God by way of reminder. Of course in His goodness God knows exactly the situation of every single soul in Sodom and Gomorrah. His detailed omniscience of every person's life is infallible.

Latter in the Bible God has to tell His over eager prophet Jonah that he should not be dissappointed that God desires to have mercy on Israel's enemy the city of Nineveh.

God knew the exact count of the number of people who should not be held culpable for the sins of the society -

"And Jehovah said, You had pity on the tree that you did not labor for nor cause to grow, which came into being overnight and perished overnight.

And I, shouod I not have pity on Nineveh, the great city, in which are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot discern betrween their right hand and their left, and many cattle ? " (Jonah 4:10,11)

The God who knows the number of each hair on our heads (Matt. 10:30; Luke 12:7) knew the precise number of people who should not be judged.

We are dealing with a Just God of pure and infinite omniscience and pure goodness too.

Originally posted by wolfgang59
Pure Goodness displayed by Wolfie.

When I knew that my son had disobeyed my clear command I did not instantly destroy him in vengeful wrath. Rather I came asking him to consider what had happened to him and where he now was.


Wow! Pure Goodness not to get angry and destroy someone!

But afterwards you did throw him out of your house and cursed his children and his children's children, right?

It's about doing the Good Thing, after all.

Then we move on to the history of Cain the first murderer. Again the all knowing God really has no need to ask Cain what has happened to Abel his brother. He knows.

"Then Jehovah said to Cain, Where is your Abel your brother? And he said, I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper." (Gen. 4:9)

Maybe Cain was the first staunch "just look out for myself" philosopher. He would have loved Ayn Rand's philosophy of the virtue of selfishness. His murdered brother is certainly not his responsibility. Cain is just out to take care of Cain.

As God was giving Adam a chance to stop and consider from where he has fallen so God does with the first murderer out of religious jealousy. He asks Cain "Where is ... your BROTHER?" .

I see the pure goodness of God and the pure self control of His anger also. Cain is not beyond recovery evidently. But he will be disciplined nonetheless.

"And He said, What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to Me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand." (Gen. 4:10,11)


Some people cannot ascertain that there could be some forms of forgiveness which are unrighteous. This again is a pardon yet not without discipline.

Is Cain to be the object of someone's revenge? That is all Cain is concerned with apparently. But God forbids that anyone take revenge on the first murderer and puts some identifying mark on him.

"And Cain said to Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Now You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground, and from Your face I will be hidden; and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.

And Jehovah said to him, Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengence will be taken on him sevenfold. And Jehovah put a mark on Cain, so that anyone who found him would not strike him." (Gen. 4:13-15)

How come God didn't just say "That's tough for you that anyone who finds you will kill you. You deserve it." ?

He didn't say that because the pure goodness of God yet with discipline was in action. Capital punishment had not yet been allowed by God. This was a period in human history of true libertarian anarchy in the best sense. No human government existed. Each man and woman was accountable only to their own conscience and to God.

What pure goodness of God was displayed in His dealing with the world's first murderer.