THE LORD JESUS’ VIEW ON GOODNESS

How does Jesus define goodness? In the next passages of the Sermon on the Mount, we are given an understanding of what is good in the eyes of the Lord.

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Matthew 5:38-42
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away."

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is what the law of Moses required in dealing with injustices. As Rev. Daniel Caram puts it, the law of Moses was exacting and unforgiving. However, the Lord Jesus called for a higher standard in addressing situations among the brethren. He says we are not to resist an evil person. We are not to get back at those who have wronged us instead we are called to turn the cheek (Caram: 69).

God certainly allows seeming injustices to happen to His saints for a purpose. He allows us to go through such to see how we will respond (Caram: 69). There are those who have had the impression that Christianity keeps a man from sufferings. Thus, when a wrong is done to them they are offended not only at the person responsible for their suffering but also at God for allowing such to happen to them. However, it is a reality that even the best of saints are allowed by God to be wronged by others because such circumstances do two things - they reveal and purify the heart of the saint. If somebody wrongs us will we fight back and get even or will we entrust our situation unto the Lord and forgive those who have hurt us? How do we view such circumstances? Do we see them in the light of Romans 8:28 that all things work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes?

But at this point, let us strike a balance to this teaching as some others have taken Jesus’ statement to the extreme. We are to allow injustices where it concerns small infractions. It must be noted that Jesus’ illustrations dealt with everyday infractions and injustices, not life-threatening situations or such that can endanger you or your loved ones. In our day and age, these small infractions can translate to being spoken against, discriminated against, or being deprived of some right. These can pertain to instances where we can legitimately protest the wrongdoing yet we choose to let God act in our behalf (Caram: 69-70).

Admittedly, this is not something that is natural to men. However, by God’s grace, meekness can be worked out in us. What can help us respond correctly in such circumstances? It helps not to react right away whether in speech or action. Knee jerk reactions are often wrong. Giving yourself time to respond helps you process through the situation and can calm a rising temper. Instead of answering quickly, let us pray quickly. Pray in the spirit. If somebody is doing you wrong, declare to the Lord “ Lord, have mercy on him.”

Isaac chose to avoid conflict when he was repeatedly wronged by others who stopped up wells he had dug. He just kept on digging new ones. Because he refused to contend for his rights he received the 100-fold blessing of God. Those who respond correctly to injustices are rewarded generously by the Lord. Our vindication must come from Him (Caram: 74).

Matthew 5:5
“Blessed are the meek for the shall inherit the earth.”

Also, the Lord tells us to go the extra mile. This is a terminology familiar to the Jews because during the rule of the Persians and Romans, they exercised the privilege of demanding those they have conquered to assist a government courier or agent. A bystander can be ordered by a Roman soldier to carry his pack for a mile. We saw this happen with Simon the Cyrenian who was compelled to carry the cross of Christ (Caram: 75).

Jesus is teaching us that the way to have victory over injustices is to walk the extra mile, to go beyond the call of duty. These injustices again are referring to day-to-day infractions that can irritate, offend, or annoy us. If we want to be victorious over such, go the extra distance. True goodness is doing good to those who do not even seem to deserve it. Can we walk the extra mile for somebody who has caused us harm or who will not do the same for us?

People get hurt and become offended over wrongdoings because they feel that their rights have been stepped on. They seek to protect those rights thinking that it is in keeping and fighting for those rights that they will be satisfied. But God is showing us that it is actually when we let go of those rights, when we are able to lay them down, that we experience  true liberty, victory and peace.

On the issue of lending which the Lord spoke about, it is important to strike a balance. The Lord Jesus is not simply telling us to lend or to give to all at all times. The Apostle Paul in 2 Thess. 3:10 says:

2 Thessalonians 3:10
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

Jesus is not telling us to give or lend to those who are slothful and not helping themselves or to those who could possibly only use the resources given them in wrongful ways like using them for their vices. We are to give and lend to those who are really in need.

James 2:15-16
If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

In the above passage, the Lord clearly speaks about how He wants us to deal with those who have and continue to do us wrong. The Lord tells us to love our enemies. This is an attribute of true goodness. He demonstrates for us what loving our enemies means. He tells us to bless those who curse us. In return for the hurtful words, we are to speak blessing upon them. We are told to do good to those who hate us. In return for hateful actions, we are to do them good. We are told also to pray for those who use and persecute us. In return for the abuse and persecution, we are to intercede for them. Why are we to do this? Because this is exactly what the Lord did for us, that while we were yet sinners, He died for us. As sinners, we were His enemies, yet He died for us.

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

This is the nature of God. He is altogether goodness. If we are to become Christians in its truest sense, we must shine forth the goodness of God, which is His glory. And His goodness is defined as a consistency in goodness towards both the good and the bad. The Lord Jesus tells us that perfection is demonstrated by such kind of goodness. Colossians 3:14 says that love is the bond of perfection. To quote Rev. Daniel Caram, “love is not the beginning of our experience, but rather, the ultimate of our experience." It is the end product which is attained through much cultivation (Caram: 83). And the times we are given the opportunity to love our enemies helps this fruit mature in us significantly. How consistent is our goodness? Are we the same to all? Or is there a partiality in our dealings? Are we like the tax collectors who love those who love them or are we like the Father who loves even His enemies?

It is not an issue of how many people we are good to but whether we are good to those who are not good to us. Even if we become good to almost everyone and yet be harsh to just one person who has been doing us wrong, we fall short of the goodness of God.

When I am struggling with being good to a person who has given me an ill treatment, I have seen how much it helps to meditate on the goodness of God, on how He continues to make the sun rise for all and the rain pour for all.

After speaking on the aspect of goodness that deals with how we treat others, the Lord Jesus then went on to expound on how good acts are to be done. The Lord spoke on charitable deeds in vs. 1-4, prayer in vs. 5-6, and fasting in vs. 16-18 of Matthew 6. In all three, He consistently gave the same message. Do them in such a way that you do not seek to get the praise of men but rather the praise of God.

In the days of Jesus, it is said that Pharisees hired trumpeters to herald their generous gifts. Obviously, it is intended to call the attention of others to their giving. Jesus called this hypocrisy. The Lord Jesus brings the issue back to motives (Caram: 86). In previous messages, the Lord spoke about how a person can sin simply by having a sinful thought or motive. Now He is speaking of how one’s good action can only be truly good if it was done with the right motive. The Lord Jesus is showing us that both goodness and sinfulness are not merely gauged in outward appearances but in the condition of the heart.

We must be apprehended by the truth that our God is a God who does not only see what is external but is one who searches the depths of our hearts. He weighs not only the actions but the intents of a man because nothing is hidden from His sight. He sees whether or not we are seeking recognition from men from our good deeds. When we have done something for others, do we expect something in return, an acknowledgment or a reward? Are we offended when we are not recognized for a good deed? Perhaps somebody else gets the accolade for something we are responsible for? Sometimes our wrong motives are not so evident because they are mixed with good intentions. Also, sometimes motives can start out pure but eventually get marred with wrong motives. Thus, we must always ask God to search and purify our hearts. No matter how big the good deed is, God will not take pleasure in it if our motives are not pure. It is a sobering thought to consider that at the end of our lives it is possible for our good works to not stand the test when they are brought through the fiery furnace because they were not pure.

Jesus instructs us in how we are to do a good deed. He says, we are not to let our left hand know what our right hand has done which became an expression that means to tell no one. It means to be discreet in our good works. Contrary to the practice of the Pharisees, Jesus implies that we are not to call attention to what we have done. Motives are tested by discreetness. When a good deed is done discreetly all glory is given to the Lord. But when we seek to get acknowledgment for our efforts, we are desiring to share in the glory that belongs to God.

In praying, again, the Lord Jesus says to do it in the closet. This is not to be taken literally. In fasting, He says, do not let it show. It simply means God does not want us to have a motive of flaunting or calling attention to our spirituality. It calls us to reflect on our motives in our ministries or actions when we are in the midst of the body or other people. Do we pray the way we pray or worship the way we worship so that others can see that we are spiritual? The Lord is not telling us to be restricted in our prayer and worship in congregational settings. It is not necessarily flaunting when we cry before the Lord in public or when we praise with liberty. But the Lord is asking us to reflect on our motives for why we do what we do and ensure that it is to gain His approval and not man’s.

Whose approval should we be after?

Matthew 6:4
That your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

Repeatedly, Jesus would say to do charitable deeds, prayer, and fasting in secret, because the Father is in the secret place and He sees the things we do in secret and He shall reward them openly.

When a person does a good deed to gain acknowledgment, he gets the commendation of men but Jesus says he will not gain any reward from the Father. But those who will seek to shun away from the praises of men, their works are acknowledged by the Father because they have done their work out of a pure heart. The Father sees their work. Will we not rather have our work recognized by God than men? While good deeds done away from public eye may escape the praise of men, they do not escape the eyes of the Father. Will we not rather have the Audience of One over the audience of men? We were created for the pleasure of God and not the pleasure of men. Thus, our deepest and greatest satisfaction will not be found in the acceptance of men but in the approval of the God whose pleasure we were made for.

What kind of riches should we be after?

Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Those who seek after the approval of men do so because in reality they are seeking after the wrong rewards. All that men can give are riches that can be destroyed or lost. The praises of men or the material rewards are all temporal. We will not be able to bring them to eternity. We must have an appreciation for the true riches. The true riches are those that will matter in eternity and only the Lord can give such.

The Lord Jesus speaks to us of how we can know what our hearts are after. He says, where our treasures are, there our hearts are as well. Where we are putting our energies, talents, time, and money determines what our hearts love. How much of our lives are going to the things that are eternal.

It is also a question of when do we want to receive our rewards, in this lifetime or in eternity. Those who will be doing good with pure motives seeking to invest in eternity, will receive their reward from the Father. Their rewards are eternal. They will not rust or be destroyed, and the Lord shall give it to them openly. As the Father, it brings Him pleasure that others see the excellent end of His faithful sons and daughters.

It Begins with Gaining the Right Perspective

Matthew 6:22-23
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

If we look at the Lord Jesus’ sermon on the Mount, His message either raised the standard to the predominant understanding of things or challenged them. His views showed superiority and a contrast to general practice. He is certainly calling us to come up higher. He says when facing injustices, do not fight back and instead love your enemies. He says when we are doing good, do not just do good but do it for the right reasons. How are we going to be able to do these? How are we going to be truly good in the eyes of God? It starts with gaining the right perspective. Our eyes speak of our vision, our understanding of the situations we are in and what they are for. If our vision is right, our whole body will be full of light. If our vision in life is to please God, it will set our motives, thoughts, and actions in order. Let us seek to have the right vision and walk in goodness that we maybe perfect like our heavenly Father.

Source:
Daniel G. Caram. The Sermon on the Mount-An Introduction to the New Covenant, Zion Christian Publishers, 2002.