On the Phrase "God is Good" - Frank Viola

I’ve talked at some length on the subject of Christianeze elsewhere.

The phrase “God is good” is just another example.

Your friend has a baby and it’s healthy. Your friend declares to everyone, “God is good!”

A hurricane is headed toward your city. Against all expert prediction, it passes your town and hits another city instead. You post on your Facebook wall, “God is good.” (What about those people who got hammered by the storm? Never mind.)

Your favorite football team wins a big game and your prayers are answered. You tell your friends, “God is good.” (What about those people who prayed that their team would win, but lost? Never mind.)

You bought an awesome new house which was foreclosed for a steal. You tell your friends and family, “God is good.” (What about the people who lost that same house due to a financial crisis? Never mind.)

Whenever I see or hear people say, “God is good” when things go their way, my instant thought is, “What if that baby was born with a deformity? What if that hurricane hit your city and destroyed your house? What if your football team not only lost, but they got decimated? What if someone else bought that dream house you were hoping and praying for?”

Is God still good? Isn’t He always good, even when He doesn’t fulfill your desires?

I’ve yet to hear someone say, “I lost my job today. My girlfriend broke up with me, and my car blew up. Romans 8:28 is still in the Bible, and God is good!”

Let’s think about what we say and the implications.

Quick Humor – It’s Now Less Dangerous

Jesus Manifesto – the first volume in my JESUS trilogy with Leonard Sweet – is now less dangerous. The paperback version is identical to the hardcover original (2010), except that it’s cheaper and much safer.

We’ve received multiple reports from credible sources that Christians on both the Progressive Left and the Conservative Right were routinely chucking the hardcover edition across rooms and dislodging body parts. With the paperback version, there’s no risk in taking out an eye if you fling the book. With the new softcover edition, the damage shouldn’t exceed a few minor scratches.

Also: the hardcover edition will soon go out of print, so if you want to grab a copy before it becomes an ancient relic, you can get one on Amazon.

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