Only God is good

We often hear the expression "he is a good person" or "they are good people." But what exactly is a good person; what makes us truly good?

Good people are plugged in people; people plugged in to the Father, the source of all goodness.

We not only know this from scripture in general but the following passage may give us the most striking example.

"And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone." Luk 18:18-19 

This is a very curious statement. Christ seems to suggest that he himself has no goodness ("...why do you call me good…"); only his Father ("...God alone..." ) is good. However we are told elsewhere that Christ was without spot or blemish i.e. he had no sin. Christ too is perfect and good not to mention co-equal with the Father. So exactly what is Christ saying here?

Some might argue that this was actually a roundabout way of making a claim to be God himself since we know elsewhere in scripture that he too is good. So when he said God alone is good, since he himself was (and is) God, he was referring to himself. And though he certainly was God the Son, this doesn't seem to be his point since he speaks of God in contrast to himself ("...no one...except God..." who was his Father, distinct from him as the Son). 

I think the essence of what Jesus was suggesting is all goodness, even his own was (is) by virtue of his being in ^[1]relationship with his Father, the source of all goodness i.e. Christ was not saying he was (is) not good but rather his own goodness was the fruit of his relationship with his Father. To say it another way the goodness of Christ was a genuine and real goodness but also a goodness ^[1]derived from being in union (one) with his Father who is good. 

Keep in mind we are told Christ was the radiance and only expression of the glory of God, and the exact representation and perfect imprint of His essence... not the other way around i.e. the Son emanates (issues forth) from the Father to put the Father on display. The Father does not emanate from the Son (though he does display himself through the Son). Just as the Spirit issues forth from both the Father and the Son. So in this sense the Father is the source of everything, even the Son i.e. who is ^[2] the only begotten of (eternally comes from) the Father. 

This is not a matter of Christ being created. He is the co-eternal and co-equal God along with the Father and the Spirit. This is about the nature and dynamics of the relationship between God the Father and God the Son. 

If this is an accurate interpretation of this passage (and I think it is) and fits the rest of scripture, what is Christ telling us? What is his point?

If Christ, who is perfect, was good by virtue of his union and relationship with the Father how can we (who are sinful and imperfect) ever hope of being good without that same union and relationship with the Father. Are we not good only by virtue of being plugged into God himself, the source of all goodness?

How do we plug in?

If so, how do we plug-in? By receiving the love of the Father through Christ.

How do we receive that love? By God revealing himself to us in Christ through his Spirit. 

Where does God reveal Christ to us? Initially, and primarily through Christ's incarnation, but now through his word and people; not just any people but people who are also plugged into the God of all goodness.

As a man on earth operating solely in the power of the Spirit, Jesus was our example. He showed us not only what to do but how to do it i.e. By abiding in the Father's goodness and love.

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you -- i.e. not only do I love you with the same love the Father has for me but I love you as I receive it from him i.e. "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you...[in the same way and by means of that same love] "). Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just (in the exact same way) as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love." - Jesus - John 15:9-10

I should note that the Father's love of his Son was a fixed reality. This verse, however, suggests the manifestation of that love and Christ's experiencing it was based on his abiding in it through faithfulness (i.e. obedience) to his Father. How much more so it must be for us? 

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^[1]  For a fuller discussion God as a being of relationship click here

^[2]  For a fuller discussion on "only begotten" click here