What does it mean to say God is "Good"?

[HeirofSalvation]

Nobility is that which is godly, and ignobility is that which is ungodly. Who will say that anything God does is ungodly, whether or not it appears fiendish to a carnal mind?

When we have the mind of Christ, we realize that there is nothing actually fiendish that he ever does. Only those who do NOT have the mind of Christ fail to comprehend the good in what he does. There is nothing that IS fiendish that he in fact, does. As you said, it can only APPEAR that way. But you would insist that he could do something ACTUALLY fiendish, and that it would rightly be called "Good". That merely makes the term "good" utterly meaningless. It is not possible for God, however, to actually do something "fiendish"...but not because we are required to merely re-define the term "good" (since he is the one doing it)...but rather because He is incapable of it. He is incapable of doing that which outside of his nature. "Fiendishness" is simply not something that it is in his nature to be or do. This means he is the only and ultimate standard, just as you rightly say. But not for some decretal reason, but one which is due to the necessity of his being.

 

[Aaron]

When we have the mind of Christ, we realize that there is nothing actually fiendish that he ever does.

We're not going to agree, but I want to ensure that what I'm saying is perfectly understood.

Of course God cannot lie. He is incorruptible, and He cannot deny Himself. I'm not suggesting He can or will do anything corrupt. When corruption comes into contact with Him, it is either destroyed or made whole.

[Just to draw a contrast here: With man it is the opposite. No matter how good, holy and just a man is, he is not incorruptible. His communication with corruption corrupts his good manners.]​

So far so good.

(All I'm trying to do here is draw a contrast between your thought and mine. You will disagree with me, and my point here is not to convince you, but just to clarify. I want the reader to understand what I'm saying about your thought.)​

You say God is good, but your presupposition is that good is an abstract, self-existing standard by which we know that God is good.

I am saying that God is good and good is God. Just to illustrate the point, I'm posed an impossibility. If God would speak an untruth, then it would be good, because He did it.

So, when I read about God's acts in the Scriptures, and they appear to go against that which to my mind is just and good, I don't interpret them to conform to my notions of justice (which is what noncalvinists do with passages like Romans 9), I accept them and understand that God is God. There is no other, and His ways are so much higher than mine.

 

[HeirofSalvation]

We're not going to agree, but I want to ensure that what I'm saying is perfectly understood.

Of course God cannot lie. He is incorruptible, and He cannot deny Himself. I'm not suggesting He can or will do anything corrupt. When corruption comes into contact with Him, it is either destroyed or made whole.

[Just to draw a contrast here: With man it is the opposite. No matter how good, holy and just a man is, he is not incorruptible. His communication with corruption corrupts his good manners.]​

So far so good.

(All I'm trying to do here is draw a contrast between your thought and mine. You will disagree with me, and my point here is not to convince you, but just to clarify. I want the reader to understand what I'm saying about your thought.)​

You say God is good, but your presupposition is that good is an abstract, self-existing standard by which we know that God is good.

I am saying that God is good and good is God. Just to illustrate the point, I'm posed an impossibility. If God would speak an untruth, then it would be good, because He did it.

So, when I read about God's acts in the Scriptures, and they appear to go against that which to my mind is just and good, I don't interpret them to conform to my notions of justice (which is what noncalvinists do with passages like Romans 9), I accept them and understand that God is God. There is no other, and His ways are so much higher than mine.

Thank you Aaron for your pertinent interaction on this thread :thumbsup:

I suppose that unless there is more debate or others choose to participate and add more posts, that the general topic has been covered, and that the alternative position (mine) has been covered...so I will simply resort to my previous posts for those "lurkers" who might read and learn from this thread. Your interaction Aaron has been fruitful in delineating the differences of opinion on the topic... Thank you for your participation :wavey: