Article of Faith: There is none good but one (1), By Femi Aribisala

We can do nothing that God asks us to do.

I recently discovered two gems of scripture: The one from Jesus says,

“No one is good but One, that is, God.” (Matthew 19:17).

The other one from David says,

“Lord, You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.” (Psalm 16:2)

Goodness of God

Like David, I have discovered that my goodness is nothing apart from God. I am completely overwhelmed by God’s goodness. I am overwhelmed by God’s love.

This has nothing to do with what God has done for me. It has everything to do with what He has done in me.

I cannot stop thinking about God. I cannot stop blessing Him. I cannot stop praising Him. Nevertheless, I know that this is not my doing. He is the One making me do this. 

I now see everything in the light of God. God is in all my thoughts (Psalm 10:4). I see everyone and hope they know God. I want all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). I am grieved when I hear that someone has died, especially if he was not a paragon of godliness. I was upset when I heard of the death of Buhari, especially because I do not think he knew my Jesus. I was grieved when I heard Hulk Hogan died of cardiac arrest. I hope he knew God and received forgiveness before his passing. I have difficulty talking to Muslims. I don’t know what to do about Indians. I am very afraid for Donald Trump. I know Bola Tinubu is in trouble with God.

I see a stone and I think of God. I see a flower and I bless the Lord. I see an orange and I give God glory. I bless God for every bite of food that goes into my mouth. I see God in everyone in Healing Wings. I pray that every one of us will take God seriously.

God is the precious pearl we find for which we sell everything else. Jesus was at pains to make us understand this:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13:44-46). 

Arranged Marriages

You fell in love with a woman and, as the relationship developed, you became more and more convinced that she would be your life partner.

But then, suddenly, your parents introduce you to another woman, and they tell you she is the wife they have found for you.

“But I don’t know her,” you protest.

“It does not matter,” they reply.

“But I don’t love her,” you insist.

“You will grow to love her,” they reply.

What should you do? Should you marry the wife they have chosen for you, or should you marry the woman you love?

Modern Western culture says you should marry the woman you love. But the culture of the kingdom of God prescribes that you should obey your parents. What would you do? Would you obey your parents or follow your heart?  

Be careful!

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Arranged Marriages

God arranged the marriage between Adam and Eve. Abraham arranged the marriage between Isaac and Rebecca. But Esau and Jacob broke the mould.

“When Esau was forty years old, he took as wives Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. And they were a grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah.” (Genesis 26:34-35).

Jacob also decided to choose his own wife. Laban, his uncle, had two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Jacob chose Rachel, the younger girl. But Laban deceived him by giving him Leah instead. However, Jacob would not relent in his love for Rachel and ended up marrying both sisters. 

In this marriage, Leah was unloved. All Jacob’s affections were lavished on Rachel. God responded by shutting the womb of Rachel, while Leah bore Jacob six sons. Nevertheless, Jacob refused to love Leah. On one occasion, Leah traded one of her son’s mandrakes to Rachel so she could go to bed with Jacob.

What was wrong with Jacob? He did not understand the love of God. He only understood the love of women. He did not know that true love is a decision. We do not truly love emotionally. We love by an act of the will. And:

“It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13).

When love is a decision, it is unconditional. It does not grow cold. It is till death do us part. 

Only God

God is love, but man is not. God is love, but man cannot love. God is good, but man is not.

We can do nothing that God asks us to do. The things God wants us to do can only be done by God. The things God wants us to do are beyond us. So why does God tell us to do what He knows we cannot do? Why does He ask us to do what is beyond the capacity He has given us? 

Moses gave the law to show us that God’s requirements are beyond us. He gave us the law to show us that God’s standards are way beyond our reach. His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8).

Only Jesus can do what God requires:

“Therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24).  

Thank God

This is what I learnt at the feet of Jesus. When I do something and someone thanks me, I readily correct them by saying, ‘Thank God.’ Many think I am only trying to be religious or spiritual. Or that I am only trying to be humble. 

It is nothing of the sort. God knows that I know I cannot do anything good. But there is a goodness of God in me. It is God and His goodness in me that does every good thing. I came to realise this a long time ago. Since I met Christ, I lost all confidence in myself.

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.” (Romans 7:18).

It is God who performs all things for me. This is confirmed in David:

“I will cry out to God Most High, to God who performs all things for me.” (Psalms 57:2).

Jesus says:

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).

In Jesus’ Name

The Lord gave me this scripture early in my relationship with Him:

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17).

I, in turn, give it to whoever is willing.

I discovered something strange only this year. I discovered that I am not the author of my prayers. I discovered that the Lord puts in my heart and my lips prayers He wants to answer. He plants in me prayers for which He has already prepared answers.

This is confirmed in Isaiah:

“It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24).

Have you experienced this before? This is my testimony: it now happens to me habitually. When you want to speak to someone, they phone you. As you are about to pick up the phone to call them, the phone rings, and it is the very person you were just about to phone. Or, you want to see someone, and the person comes to see you. You pray in your heart for someone, and the person suddenly appears.

“This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:23).

This relationship we have with God is a great privilege. It is wonderful and amazing.

Loving God

Jesus says:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37). How can this happen? The love that man knows is emotional and erotic. Agape love is anathema to man. “You shall love the Lord Your God” is an instruction. It is a commandment of God. But no man can obey God’s commandments.

 “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10).

Only Jesus can obey the commandments of God. So what does God do? God has to work His love into us. (Philippians 2:13). It then becomes our responsibility to work out what God has worked into us.

God gives a new heart to His new creation. The love of God is then poured into His elect by the Holy Spirit.

“The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5).

[email protected]; www.femiaribisala.com