Understanding God's Sovereignty and Goodness in Trials
God's sovereignty and goodness are understood as intrinsic aspects of His nature, particularly in the context of trials. The goodness of God is a perfection of His character, demonstrated in His benevolence towards His creatures, His mercy in their miseries, and His grace towards the unworthy [4]. This goodness is evident in His provision of refuge for those who trust in Him, protecting them amidst life's difficulties [11, 12].
The righteousness and justice of God are also fundamental to His character [1, 6]. God's justice is not an optional product of His will but an unchangeable principle of His very nature, by which He is infinitely righteous in Himself and in all His actions [2]. This includes His legislative justice, which requires conformity to the moral law, and His distributive justice, which deals with accountable creatures [2]. The psalmist desired to be judged according to God's righteousness, whether referring to the righteousness by which God justifies His people or the perfection of His essential justice displayed in His governance of the world [3, 10].
In trials, God's sovereignty is understood as His ultimate control and authority over all things. The concept of "trial" from a divine perspective is seen as a command for the tested individual to bring forth potential into actuality, allowing them to be rewarded for good deeds [14]. God "tries the righteous" and "sees the reins and the heart," knowing the uprightness and sincerity of His people [13]. These trials are considered a "proof of the righteous judgment of God," intended to make individuals "worthy of the kingdom of God" [7].
God's goodness and justice are considered different aspects of a single, unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection [4]. He acts equitably when judging the wicked and provides refuge for those who trust in Him [11, 12]. The Lord Jesus Christ is appointed to judge the living and the dead at His manifestation and reign [8]. This judgment is a revelation of God's righteous judgment [5]. The demonstration of God's righteousness is also seen in His forbearance, allowing Him to be both just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus [9].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ps 7:9; 116:5; 119:137. Described as Very high. -- Ps 71:19. Abundant. -- Ps 48:10. Beyond computation. -- Ps 71:15. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:142. Enduring for ever. -- Ps 111:3. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 97:2. Christ acknowledged -- Joh 17:25. Christ committed his cause to -- 1Pe 2:23. Angels acknowledge -- Re 16:5. Exhibited in His testimonies. -- Ps 119:138,144. His commandments. -- De 4:8; Ps 119:172. His judgments. -- Ps 19:9; 119:7,62. His word. -- Ps 119:123. His ways. -- Ps 145:17. His acts. -- J”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justice of God — That perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according”
- Psalms “Dominus judicat populos. Judica me, Domine, secundum justitiam meam, et secundum innocentiam meam super me. -- Psalms 7:9”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Goodness of God — A perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Ps. 145:8, 9; 103:8; 1 John 4:8). Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of his creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favour on the unworthy it is grace. "Goodness and justice are the several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Judgment, The — Predicted in the Old Testament -- 1Ch 16:33; Ps 9:7; 96:13; Ec 3:17. A first principle of the gospel -- Heb 6:2. A day appointed for -- Ac 17:31; Ro 2:16. Time of, unknown to us -- Mr 13:32. Called the Day of wrath. -- Ro 2:5; Re 6:17. Revelation of the righteous judgment of God. -- Ro 2:5. Day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. -- 2Pe 3:7. Day of destruction. -- Job 21:30. Judgment of the great day. -- Jude 1:6. Shall be administered by Christ -- Joh 5:22,27; Ac 10:42; Ro 14:10; 2Co 5:10. Saints shall sit with Christ in -- 1Co 6:2; Re 20:4. Sh”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Justice of God, The — Is a part of his character -- De 32:4; Isa 45:21. Declared to be Plenteous. -- Job 37:23. Incomparable. -- Job 4:1. Incorruptible. -- De 10:17; 2Ch 19:7. Impartial. -- 2Ch 19:7; Jer 32:19. Unfailing. -- Zep 3:5. Undeviating. -- Job 8:3; 34:12. Without respect of persons. -- Ro 2:11; Col 3:25; 1Pe 1:17. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 89:14. Not to be sinned against -- Jer 50:7. Denied by the ungodly -- Eze 33:17,20. Exhibited in Forgiving sins. -- 1Jo 1:9. Redemption. -- Ro 3:26. His government. -- Ps 9:4; Jer 9:24. His judgments. -- Ge 18:2”
- II Thessalonians “II Thessalonians 1:5 (LEB) — a proof of the righteous judgment of God, so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, on behalf of which also you are suffering,”
- II Timothy “II Timothy 4:1 (YLT) — I do fully testify, then, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who is about to judge living and dead at his manifestation and his reign--”
- Romans “Romans 3:26 (LEB) — in the forbearance of God, for the demonstration of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just and the one who justifies the person by faith in Jesus.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 35:24: Judge me, O Lord my God, according to thy righteousness,.... Either that righteousness of his, by which he justifies his people, which Christ has wrought out, God has accepted of, and imputes; and which, though revealed in the Gospel, was witnessed to by the law and prophets, and was known to the saints under the Old Testament, and particularly to David; see Rom 4:6; or the perfection of his justice, his essential righteousness displayed in all his works and actions, and in the government of the world; according to this the psalmist desired to be judged; not with res”
- Nah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Nah 1:7: 1:7-11 This second stanza (see study note on 1:2-11) concentrates on God’s sovereignty, righteousness, and justice in dealing with all people. 1:7 The Lord is good: God acts equitably when he judges the wicked. He also provides refuge for those who trust in him. He accepts them and protects them in the midst of life’s trials (Pss 18:2; 62:5-7). God’s rich goodness can lead individuals to repentance (Rom 2:2-4).”
- Nahum (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Nahum 1:7: 1:7-11 This second stanza (see study note on 1:2-11) concentrates on God’s sovereignty, righteousness, and justice in dealing with all people. 1:7 The Lord is good: God acts equitably when he judges the wicked. He also provides refuge for those who trust in him. He accepts them and protects them in the midst of life’s trials (Pss 18:2; 62:5-7). God’s rich goodness can lead individuals to repentance (Rom 2:2-4).”
- Jeremiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jeremiah 20:12: But, O Lord, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart,.... That tries the cause of the righteous, and vindicates them, rights their wrongs, and does them justice; being the omniscient God, the seer and searcher of the hearts and reins; who knows the uprightness of their hearts, as well as their ways, and the sincerity of their affections: or that tries the faith and patience of the righteous, their constancy and integrity; and upon trial finds that their affections are real, and their souls sincere; let me see thy vengeance on them; his enemie”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Genesis 22:1: AND G-D TRIED ABRAHAM. The matter of “trial,” 364 See Rambam’s discussion of this problem, ibid. , III, 24. in my opinion, is as follows: Since a man’s deeds are at his absolute free command, to perform them or not to perform them at his will, on the part of one who is tried it is called “a trial.” But on the part of the One, blessed be He, who tries the person, it is a command that the one being tested should bring forth the matter from the potential into actuality so that he may be rewarded for a good deed, not for a good thought alone. Know further that”