The Evil and the Good

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

Man in his sinful state, not only is unaware of the true nature of either good or evil, but he simply does not know the difference. All of the stories invented in the imaginations of men and sold for entertainment, have for their theme some version of what is called “the struggle between good and evil.” There is no struggle between good and evil. As Christ said in Matthew 19:7, “there is none good but One, that is God.” Any goodness in men or angels is derived from, bestowed by and a reflection of Him Who alone is good, and the God of Heaven and Earth does not struggle with anyone or anything.

If God alone is good, then how can He behold good? Primarily and preeminently, in the Person of His Son, He beholds good. Matt 17:5 This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. God is and can only be well pleased with perfect goodness. We can only think naturally of goodness in relative terms. But notice in the text that there is nothing in between. God beholds either evil or good, there are no “gray areas,” with God.

So, what does God see when He looks at me? Well, in my flesh dwelleth “no good thing.” Is that clear enough? Yet we see in the Book sinners referred to as good. Prov 12:2 A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn. I am interested in this because I know that without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Heb 12:14), and I want to see Him and be with Him. Don’t you? We will have to flee, then, to the One Who is good, and by grace through faith say with Paul, Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Philippians 3:8 The word “faith” of Christ there means “the character of one who can be relied upon.” So let’s be clear about this. Paul said, I want to be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, that is my keeping of the law, my standing before God in myself, but having the righteousness which is by the character of one Who can be relied upon, Christ.” In other words, as scripture so plainly declares, Christ is, “the Lord, our righteousness.”

Psalm 11:4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. When the holy God tries me with His eyelids, I pray that I might with Paul, be found in “Him,” the Lord Jesus, the sinner’s Substitute.

Pastor