The good life has been the pursuit of mankind throughout history. Greek philosophers like Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle wrestled (and wrote about) what made a good life good, and not surprisingly, their conclusions revolved around contemplation, learning, and moral virtues.
“Good” is one of those words we use often and in various ways without stopping to explain what we mean by good. We just assume a common definition. Here are a few of the more common uses:
- “Have a good day.”
- “You did a good job.”
- “I am doing this for your good.”
- “I am in pursuit of the good life.”
- “We should seek the good of our country.”
Since the term is used in so many different ways, the question is who determines its definition and use? Is it subjective or objective? Is something good only if I say it is or is there a higher authority or moral framework for making something good? Are happiness, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose and meaning essential to the good life?
A current definition of the good life by Merriam-Webster
1. The kind of life that people with a lot of money are able to have
2. A happy and enjoyable life
The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurious said that what makes life worth living is that we can experience pleasure. His view of the good life is known as hedonism. Although none of us would want to identify with Epicurious, there is no doubt that our western culture is significantly hedonistic. Our Christian culture has certainly bought into the view of good to mean whatever makes me feel happy under the banner of the “abundant life.”
So, what does good mean in Scripture? The Bible uses good a lot. Jesus said, “Only God is good.” We are told to engage in good works and bring forth good fruits from a good tree in the good ground. Then we have the good news as well as good and faithful servants. We have good salt, good teachers, and good health. That’s a lot of good.
One of the most well-known claims of good is found in Romans 8:28 where God promises us the “good life”.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
In a Christian culture that tends to be narcissistic and myopic, good applies to whatever makes us happy. We tend to think that God wants us to live the good life and promises his help to do it. Who could turn that down? All we need to do is fill in our definition of good and hold God to it. Often our presentation of the good news of the gospel can sound a bit like a promotional for the “good life.” “Bring your hang-ups, hurts, and habits to God and he will deliver you and make you happy.” God is presented as a gentle Genie who loves nothing more than to grant our wishes.
While the English language has one word for good, the Greek has several, each with a different focus. A quick look at three of the most often used forms of good in the New Testament can help us understand God’s perspective regarding good and our journey of faith.
Agathos is the most common word translated as good in our New Testament. Vines New Testament Dictionary defines agathos (good) as “that which, being “good” in its character or constitution, is beneficial in its effect.” It also means that it is “morally honorable, pleasing to God, and therefore beneficial.”
A second Greek word for good is kalos which Vines says denotes “that which is intrinsically “good,” and so, “goodly, fair, beautiful,” as of that which is well adapted to its circumstances or ends, of that which is ethically good, right, noble, honorable.”
A third Greek word for good is Chrestos. This word is only used a few times in the New Testament while agathos and kalos are used over 145 and 85 times respectively. Vines defines chrestos (good) as “things which are pleasant.”
Although there is some overlap, each word has a distinctive focus.
- Agathos = Beneficial, profitable
- Kalos = Beautiful, well adapted to its ends
- Chrestos = Pleasant, comfortable
In John 10, Jesus refers to himself as the good Shepherd. Here the word kalos means beautiful, well adapted to its ends. However, Romans 8:28 uses the word agathos, not kalos or chrestos. When we continue to read verse 29, the meaning of verse 28 is clear. God works through our life experiences to grow our love relationship with him and to conform us to the image of Christ. In other words, God works an agathos/good which is beneficial because it is transformational.
The agathos kind of good can also be beautiful and pleasant, but that is not its focus. If we want to understand and experience God’s sovereign work in our lives, we need to accept and even celebrate the agathos meaning of good because agathos develops a deeper relationship with God and transforms us into the image of Christ.
With this in mind, we can understand why Paul changed his view of good regarding his suffering as told in 2 Corinthians 12. He begins by asking God to remove his “thorn in the flesh” since it did not line up with Paul’s view of good. Whatever the issue was, Paul’s preference was to be free from it. I’m sure it was uncomfortable, inconvenient, perhaps embarrassing, and maybe painful. I would think Paul reasoned that if he were free from this thorn, he would be more effective in his kingdom mission.
But when Paul reviews his “that I may know him” priority and God reminds him that weakness is an opportunity to experience the grace-filled presence of God more deeply, he changes his perspective regarding good. Now rather than seeking deliverance from it, he seeks to experience God in it.
In future blogs, we will consider various landscapes of life that God allows us to go through. In this journey, we need to keep in mind his purposes and his definition of good. If not, we will want to escape what could be profitable in search of what is pleasant. We need to remember that our life journey landscapes are opportunities to experience the glory of God in its various dimensions. Essentially, we need to ask God to retune our good meters. Our natural desires and cultural pull seek that which is pleasant rather than beneficial. The more we embrace and develop our relationship with Christ, becoming more like him, the more we will discover the true meaning of agathos/good.
For Reflection
1. Think of a time in your life when you wrestled with your view of good vs. God’s view.
2. What can help us recalibrate our vision of good?