ATTRIBUTES OF GOODNESS
1. MORAL PURITY
God’s Goodness we begin by understanding and knowing that His goodness is His virtues in action. When I think of the concept of virtue I am reminded of three basic virtues of faith, hope and love or charity.
1 Cor 13:13 says
“13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love”.
God’s goodness as virtues are seen in His excellence in influencing or guiding people through the conviction of His Holy Spirit. As God works out His Purposes for humanity, His attributes of goodness are seen in His perfect moral qualities as follows.
(i) Holiness
God is without evil or sin. As will be seen from the references below, His attributes of holiness is about uniqueness. He is unique and separate from all creation.
Exodus 15:11-13
11 “Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?
12 You stretched out your right hand and the earth swallowed them.
13 “In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.
1 Samuel 2:2
2 “There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God.
Psalm 99:1-3
1 The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.
2 Great is the LORD in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.
3 Let them praise your great and awesome name— he is holy.
Isaiah 6:1-4
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.
2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.
3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.
Isaiah 57:15
15 For this is what the high and exalted One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
In the above references to “holy”, the Hebrew root is “qds” meaning “to cut”, “to separate” – “cut off” from all that is evil and sinful. It defines sacred. This equals God’s absolute purity, His goodness untouched by evil. God is Holy.
Leviticus 11:44-45
44 I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, be- cause I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground.
45 I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.
Job 34:10-12
10 “So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong.
11 He repays a man for what he has done; he brings upon him what his conduct deserves.
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.
Isaiah 6:5
5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”
Habakkuk 1:13
13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
Matthew 5:48
- Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is
As we will see latter in this book the only way to be perfect is to be perfect in all one says and; the only way to do that is through the power of the Holy Spirit.
James 3:2
2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
How important it is for his elect to walk in The Holy Spirit.
(ii) Righteousness
God’s Righteousness is the second quality of God’s moral purity. This is God’s Holiness applied to His relationships with people. In this truth of the subject of God’s Glory, His truth is not discussing man’s righteousness – righteousness credited to man from God through faith but – it concerns the subject of God’s Righteousness. God’s Righteous is all to do with His commitment to His purposes. His purposes in Holy Scripture is salvation of His elect. So, God’s Righteousness is His commitment to do for His people, His chosen, His elect whom He regenerates and saves, what they cannot do for themselves. We cannot save ourselves for eternity. It is to do with the side of God’s perfect justice which deals with our rescue and acquittal, through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus our Lord and Saviour and substitute. God’s righteous actions are always in line with His perfect law. It needs to be said here, but it is a different subject, the difference between law and its relation to sin in humanity.
Romans 8:1-5
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man,
4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.
In the above passage “the law of the Spirit of Life” refers to the controlling power of God’s Holy Spirit in the life of the elect. Also “The Law of sin” refers to the controlling power of sin. The Law only defines or points out a sin. It can condemn a sin but cannot remove sin. Only Jesus can do this – and this is a separate subject.
This subject in the attributes of God’s Glory and His Righteousness at this point focuses on God.
Genesis 18:25
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Psalm 9:8
8 He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice.
Psalm 19:7-9
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
23 This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches,
24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,”
Jeremiah 23:6
6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called:
The LORD Our Righteousness.
Micah 7:9
9 Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD’s wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.
(iii) Justice
As defined in notes on God’s Righteousness above, God’s Justice acts in conformity with His law. He administers His rule with perfect Justice – Justice which deals with the rescue, redeeming and acquittal of the elect in Jesus His Saving Son.
Genesis 2:15-17
15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;
17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”
Deuteronomy 7:7-12
7 The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.
8 But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh, King of Egypt.
9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
10 But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.
11 Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.
12 If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers.
Psalm 58:11
11 Then men will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.”
Amos 5:24
24 But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 12:19
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
2. INTEGRITY
(i) Genuineness
The attribute or quality of God’s Genuineness focuses on the fact He is a real God not a false god. The wonderful truth of Elijah on Mount Carmel and the fact that the God of Holy Scripture is the one and only true God (I Kings 18:20-39), is proven in this reference. Also the above shows God’s integrity – definitely His genuineness, soundness, honesty and wholeness. True God.
Jeremiah 10:1-10
1 Hear what the LORD says to you, O house of Israel.
2 This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the sky, though the nations are terrified by them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
4 They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.
5 Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.”
6 No one is like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power.
7 Who should not revere you, O King of the nations? This is your due. Among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.
8 They are all senseless and foolish; they are taught by worthless wooden idols.
9 Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish and gold from Uphaz. What the craftsman and goldsmith have made is then dressed in blue and purple—all made by skilled workers.
10 But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath.
John 17:1-3
1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.
3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
I Thessalonians 1:9
9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,
1 John 5:20
20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Revelation 3:7
7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.
Revelation 6:10
10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
(ii) Veracity
This quality refers to the fact that God is truth and thus represents things as they actually are.
1 Samuel 15:29
29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind.”
John 17:17
17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
Titus 1:1-2
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness
2 a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,
Hebrews 6:13-19
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,
14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”
15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.
17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath.
18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.
19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure….
The above last reference is a great encouragement to the elect in our ministry to continue to be true and honest in the teaching of Holy Scripture enabled by the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians 4:1-2
1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
- Faithfulness
God’s faithfulness is true proof of His genuineness, that is being true, and His veracity, that is always telling the absolute truth.
1 Corinthians 1:9
9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
2 Corinthians 1:17-22
17 When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?
18 But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.”
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.”
20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us,
22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
2 Timothy 2:13
13 if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
1 Peter 4:17-19
17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Further in this attribute of the Faithfulness of God we know from Holy Scripture that God always fulfils His promises. So should we.
Genesis 3:15
15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
Matthew 5:37
37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’;……
Hebrews 13:5
5 …God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
- LOVE
To begin this section before looking at relevant attributes there are some important truths from scripture on God’s Love.
Matthew 3:17
17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
John 14:30-31
30 I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me,
31 but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.
1 Corinthians 13:11
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
1 John 4:8, 16
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
(i) Benevolence
God’s Benevolence is His charitable qualities in action – His faithfulness in meeting the specific needs of His people – His elect – those born-again and in Him and His Son Jesus and filled with His Holy Spirit. Simply it is God’s welfare for those He loves eternally. Concerning welfare of those mentioned above Holy Scripture gives a perfect example in three parables in Luke’s Gospel. They are all printed for emphasis. God seeks us out.
Luke 15
1 Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him.
2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3 Then Jesus told them this parable:
4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders
6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’
7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
8 “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?
9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’
10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons.
12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.
16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’
20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate.
24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing.
26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on.
27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him.
29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.
32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 6:37, 39, 40, 44, 65
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.
40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”
John 15:9-17
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
17 This is my command: Love each other.
1 John 4:10
10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Romans 5:6-10
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!
10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
(ii) Grace
When I was young – a long time ago – there were two definitions for God’s Grace:
- The free unmerited favour of God – The One True God of the Bible.
- G God’s favour and
R Righteousness
A At
C Christ’s His Son’s
E Expense – The carrying out of His mission to save the elect.
Grace is the epitome of His outworking of His wonderful Love. Grace is God’s love in action for His elect, His people, His chosen ones. It is nothing to do with our merit. It is all to do with why we worship Him – His Glory – it is His “Worth” – His “Worth Ship” – Our worship of a great, glorious true loving God who has redeemed us through the mission of His Glorious Son our Lords Jesus – our Saviour. God is so loving and gracious.
Exodus 34:6
6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
Psalm 86:11-15
11 Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness, give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.
14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God; ruthless people are trying to kill me—they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Psalm 103:1-4
1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-
3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
Ephesians 1:5-8
5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Ephesians 2:4-10
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Titus 2:11-13
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ,
Titus 3:3-7
3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour,
7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
It is a joy to focus on the truth that our salvation – our Holy faith is a gift. Through the faith of Jesus, we have Holy faith in Jesus (Romans 3:22 and Jude 20-21).
(iii) Mercy
God’s Mercy is His attribute of being eternally tender-hearted with loving compassion to those who are faithfully obedient to His perfect will and commands.
Psalm 86:1-7
1 Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you.
3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.
Psalm 103:8-14
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbour his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Matthew 9:35-36
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed (by spirits & pharisee’s) and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Mark 1:40-41
40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”
Mark 6:30-34
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.
31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
(iv) Persistence
This attribute of God’s Glory is to do with His eternal “keeping on – Keeping on” – continuing in His purposes.
Exodus 34:5-7
5 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD.
6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”
Psalm 86:11-15
11 Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.
14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God, ruthless people are trying to kill me – they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Matthew 6:12
12 Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
John 15:12
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
1 Peter 3:18-20
18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,
19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison
20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
1 John 2:7-11
7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.
8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.
9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.
10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.
11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.
1 John 3:11-18
11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.
16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
I am so thankful that this question was asked when I was commenting on the miracle of Our Lord Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the dead.
This was a type/foretelling of what Our Lord would do about His death and resurrection. What hope we have in Him!! What joy about our eternal future! May we all take strength in the power of His Holy Spirit in our lives as we strive in this evil world to please Our Lord Jesus.
Again, the question – What is God’s Glory?
When we discussed the truth of the raising of Lazarus a wonderful friend – a senior army officer in our lunch group named Barnabas mentioned it was about the “Glory of God” and yes, it is!