What Is Good?

Since I joined the ministry and started to truly write for God, I have learned that there are many things deemed as controversial but just because something is seen as controversial does not mean it should not be talked about. In fact, the lesson that I have learned from such situations is that they are usually what needs to be discussed most.

When we think about what it means to be good, one hundred people will probably come up with a hundred different answers. When we look at the 1611 King James Dictionary, good is described as “Valid; legally firm; not weak or defective; having strength adequate to its support; as a good title; a good deed; a good claim.” When we think about different verses that speak of what is good, Genesis 1 is probably the best place to start as God saw what He had created and thought it was good.

When we think about what God says about these things being good—His creation—we must remember that this was before the fall of man: “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31). When we think about the human heart, while it can be well meaning and with the best of intentions, can be greatly misled: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Matthew 15:19 tells us that “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” which is why we must separate ourselves from our emotions and attachments. Going by scripture, good is not a matter of the heart nor can it be gauged on intentions or outcome but good is based on and centered on God. From the same 1611 King James dictionary, good is also defined as “Conformable to the moral law; virtuous; applied to actions”: “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,” (Titus 2:7).

When we think about the recent events in the city streets with the protests and riots, we have to ask whether they are good or not. The human heart says that it’s good to protest for what you believe in and our Constitution does as well as long as they are peaceful and organized. Someone may ask about organization and the reason organization is important is a demonstration of any magnitude easily gets out of hand so if a protest is not well organized, it can quickly turn into a riot and get out of control which is why there is a different between a protest and rioting.

The riots that we are seeing all over the news or on the internet are unjustified. What happened to George Floyd was bad and thankfully, those involved have been arrested and they will have justice delivered. With that said, tearing up your city streets, burning and looting buildings, stealing from any business, and taking what is not bolted down (and then unbolting what is bolted down) will never be justified in the eyes of God. Two wrongs do not make a right and when someone justifies killing innocent people with what happened to George Floyd, you know that they are void of what God deems as good and that they do not care for scripture: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).