9781433573606-epdf

The God Who Reigns over the Coronavirus
overflows in goodness, and his righteousness guides its
bestowal. They never contradict each other.
God’s goodness is his disposition to be generous—to do
what blesses human beings. The transcendent fullness
and perfection of God—his holiness—is like a fountain
that overflows. This is why he is disposed to be generous.
God is not needy. Therefore, he never exploits others to
make up for some deficiency in himself. Instead, the impulse
of his nature is to give, not get. “He is not served
by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he
himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything”
(Acts 17:25).
But his goodness is not disconnected from his righteousness.
It is not bestowed in a way that would deny his
infinite value and beauty and greatness. This is why God’s
righteousness involves final punishment as well as goodness.
When God punishes the unrepentant in hell, he is not bestowing
his goodness on them. But he does not cease to be
good. His holiness and righteousness govern the bestowal
of his goodness.
This is why his goodness flows especially toward those
who fear him and take refuge in him. “Oh, how abundant
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