knowing goodness

Wipe away the habit of vice with the knowledge of true good.

Knowledge exceeds intellection. The person who is content to know something merely in their mind is a person to be pitied. God would not have us merely know how to talk about true goodness—he would have us experience it first-hand, by faith. He would have true goodness occupy actual space in our soul. He would have the bed of lust packed out to the garbage dump so a bed of chastity can take its place. He would have walls of hatred demolished so a new home of love can be built. He would have lists of envy burned so our mind has room to meditate on what is noble, pure, praiseworthy and good.

Nor would he have us put on a show with counterfeit “goodness”. A veneer of goodness is no goodness at all. Appearances matter not here. He is in the glorious business of transforming us from the inside-out. The righteousness that comes by faith is a righteousness that does indeed surpass that of the Pharisees. It is imparted to us by Jesus, the sinless One.

The good news is: even God can not give you what he doesn’t have; he can only impart what he possesses—and what he has is Truth and Goodness, absolute and unspoiled. This is what he gives to you, simply by faith.

Rejoice: he will answer your prayer.


This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. -Romans 3:22