ALL THINGS RELIGIOUS

I was struck with the realization that there is a whole world of people out there who have no idea. (even the clergy it seems), as to why at Easter the term GOOD FRIDAY is used to describe the horrendous events which lead to his Easter Sunday resurrection. To address the current banter on the subject of Good Friday, it's significant to point out that the word "GOOD" in Good Friday, is taken from the perspective of Heaven's agenda in the whole affair. From mankind's perspective the acts of evil perpetrated on the person of Jesus that day served no common good whatsoever.
To us here on earth, the use of the word GOOD resides soley within the context of either an occurance of some circumstance in a time line which works to someone's advantage, or a promissory expectation in our minds, based also, on events in a time line - real or imagined.
To mankind, GOOD is a relative term. It has to be. In a comparative context we can go with the majority of thinkers because - majority rules. With God however we can easily see that his declarations aren't in the same ballpark... (as an illustration The European who's asked a question which he thinks he knows the answer to but is not 100% sure about. He makes a face -pursing his lips together and with palms outstretched he waggles his hands. (By his actions he's saying ..."Well, sort of!)
If everyone could be solidly in agreement with the definition then we'd have the word "GOOD" nailed down for use in EVERY challenge for ALL assessments of life's issues.

Jesus was quick to point out when the , "good" son who had done all things right in his life asked the Lord what, if anything more was required, to insure that he had a place in Heaven. The young man simply started his question by addressing the Lord with - "GOOD master" ... and the Lord interrupted him right away to inform him that his understanding of the word GOOD was way off the mark. Good is God's private word. This is established from the first page in our bibles, after each day of God's creation he declared out loud to the heavenlies ..."IT IS GOOD!"

If we see clearly that in his own Son's death on the cross, God's personal judgment of mankind has been placated by the turning away of His own wrath against sin. It was His joy to see it banished away ..."as far as the east is from the west", for all of mankind ...for the past, present and the future, this easily tops His earlier declaration that creating the rocks and vegetation and a wondrous universe, falls into the category of that which is GOOD.
His anger was sated when Jesus died - that was truly GOOD!
We are usurpers it would seem of the word good. So far, it seems, He hasn't taken us to task on it

~yours truly
Neville Park