God’s goodness is not relative to “our goodness”. The Lord’s blessings are not earned and they definitely do no constitute approval of actions. After the fall of Adam, communion with God was no longer available because of sin. God’s desire is to be our God and for us to be His people but He cannot be the God of a people not consecrated to Him through the Blood of Jesus Christ.

“For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the Testator liveth.” Hebrews 9:16-17.

Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, came to be the Testator of His New Covenant. He came to die on Calvary’s Cross to pay our sin debt to God and restore our fellowship with Him. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

What Jesus accomplished on Calvary’s Cross is the means by which all blessings are given. God’s goodness has never wavered. Once we taste the goodness of God, we often begin to attempt and “earn” more of His goodness. In our heart and mind, we want more of God’s blessings and therefore begin attempting to consecrate ourselves more through various scriptural doctrines which, at that very moment, we have just turned to religious works. As soon as our faith is placed on what we have done for the blessings of God or for our consecration to God, we have rejected Jesus’ work as not enough. We have just made God’s goodness relative to our works for consecration which leads to self righteousness. The yoke of religion is the most deceiving. Memorizing scripture, fasting, reading your Bible are all scriptural and every Christian should do these things. However, as soon as we do them for deliverance from the bondage of sin or victory over sin, consecration or sanctification, we have just turned these scriptural things into religious works. The blessings of God humble a heart consecrated through Jesus and leaven a heart attempting to consecrate themselves with pride in their works being the fruit.

God’s goodness is not relative to “our” consecration. God’s goodness is the definition of good. He is the scale by which we know good. Someone once said the best way to reveal a crooked stick is to place it next to a straight stick. We are the crooked stick. It is our faith in what Jesus did on Calvary’s Cross that restores our communion with God and HIS goodness, no matter how “good” or consecrated we are. It is our faith in Jesus, Who He is and what He accomplished by paying our sin debt which consecrates us to God. If we are trusting in our level of consecration to allow us more access to God’s blessings, His goodness, please understand this is not God’s plan for our consecration to Him and He does not approve…even though we are blessed by Him. Remember God blessed us as sinners in hopes we would come to the saving knowledge of Him. God also blessed the Israelites in the wilderness who rebelled against Him.

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the Blood of Jesus, ²⁰ By a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; ²¹ And having an High Priest over the House of God; ²² Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;)” Hebrews 10:19-23.

We are consecrated through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and from His work on Calvary’s Cross is where all blessings from God flow…for He is faithful that promised. “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,…” 1 Timothy 6:12, faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified. –Donna Clark Warren