BiblicalInsights.net

How would you define the good life?  Do you think that it would be to have plenty of money to do whatever you wanted to do?  More play and less work?  Self-indulgence, but not to the point of self-destruction? Being the envy of your neighbors?  Success, yes, but how do you define success?  What do you really want out of life?
God’s word defines the good life.  Psalm 34:11-14 and I Peter 3:10-11 point us in the right direction.  Psalm 34 was written by David and Peter wrote I Peter 3 and quoted David’s Psalm.  The Psalm invites us to consider the aspects of the good life.  There is the invitation, the explanation, the question and the answer.
First, the invitation is given.  “Come, ye children, hearken unto me….”  Are you interested?  Listen and learn.  Your life begins to be shaped by who you listen to.  What voice(s) direct your choices?  Each person is a collection of voices.  We have those voices in our memories and they affect our thinking and our decisions.  Most of us can recall what our parents have taught us.  We can remember the words of our grandparents or other family members.  Add the voices of good teachers and friends.  Who are you listening to?  The wisdom from above comes from God.  If we are not listening to God, can we say that we are pursuing the good life?  The invitation has been extended.  You have to answer.  What will your answer be?
Second, the explanation is given.  “I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”  This sounds like a great life lesson.  What does it mean?  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7).  Knowledge of God, God’s Will, life itself, and the good life of course.  Life’s decisions are based on what we know.  When we know the truth and utilize it, our decisions become more attuned to God’s wisdom.  The fear of the LORD is a combination of love for God (adoration, affection, attachment and allegiance) and knowledge of God’s punitive power which produces reverence and godly fear (Heb. 12:28).  The good life is shaped by our attitude toward God.  The right attitude toward God is the pathway of wisdom.  The wrong attitude toward God is the pathway of fools.  The good life is shaped by the fear of the LORD.
Third, the question is given.  “What man is he that desireth life, and liveth many days, that he may see good?”  Let’s break this thought down.  “Desires life” means that he wants to live life to its fullest.  The optimal life is the spiritually optimal life (John 10:10).  Spiritual life comes from God and is given only by God to us.  Sin brings corruption, destruction, and death (both spiritual and physical).  Only God can redeem our soul and impart spiritual life.  Can we say we are living the good life if we are not spiritually regenerated?  “Loveth many days” refers to the length of life and its productivity.  The longer we live, the more fruitful we can be.  “See good” refers to experiencing the good.  God is good!  Good is defined by God.  God is morally perfect (holy).  God is infinite in goodness.  The goodness of God is the fountain of His grace toward us.  To be good is to be like God and manifest His nature and undefeatable, benevolent, goodwill.  Good is the opposite of evil.  God leads us in the pathway of righteousness.  If we are not following God, can we say that we are living the good life?
Fourth, the answer is presented to us.  There are four aspects to the answer.  “Keep thy tongue from evil” is the first aspect.  James 3:2-18 reveals that if we can control the tongue, we can control the entire body.  Self-control is an attribute of the good life.  All relationships depend upon being able to control the tongue.  Evil communications are destructive to the soul of man and destroy relationships with others and with God.  No wonder James says that the tongue is a fire and is set on fire of hell!  The good life must be characterized by speaking the truth and speaking words of encouragement and edification.  The second aspect is lips that speak no guile.  Guile is deceit.  Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34).  Out of an evil treasure, evil things are spoken.  Out of a good treasure, good things are spoken.  The good life is characterized by speaking the truth thus indicating a good heart.  Relationships are built upon trust and without truth there can be no trust.  The third aspect is departing from evil.  The only intrinsic evil is sin.  The good life is characterized by the pursuit of righteousness and godliness.  We must pursue love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (the fruits of the Spirit–Gal. 5:22-23).  We must reject every sinful attitude and behavior.  The good life is marked by Christlikeness.  Finally, David encourages us to seek peace and pursue it.  True peace is the tranquility of soul that fears nothing from God because it rests in God’s grace and love.  Spiritual peace is reconciliation to God.  Sinners live in enmity with God.  The righteous live in peace with God.  The good life is characterized by oneness with God where there is salvation, security, safety and peace.
The apostle Peter quotes this Psalm in I Pet. 3:10-11.  He defines the spiritually optimal life, indeed the Christian life, utilizing the words of David.  The good life is shaped by the voice of God.  It is shaped by an attitude of reverence and godly fear.  It is shaped by a pursuit of God and imitation of God.  It is shaped by self-control, a good heart, the pursuit of good not evil,  and peace with God through the redemption that was secured by the Lord Jesus Christ.  The good life is the Christian life.  All are invited to come and learn the wisdom from above that leads us to spiritual life now and eternal life in the world to come.