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.

May 24, 2022 a male, 18 years old, shoots his grandmother and then proceeds to Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX and kills 19 children and two school teachers.  He is shot and killed by a boarder patrol officer. The community and nation are stunned and shocked.  This tragedy will be scrutinized in many ways over the next few days.  The nagging question is why? What was the motive of the shooter?  The specific details of this question remain unanswered at this time.  However, the evil represented in the actions of this person is not unfamiliar.  He is not alone in being in the grip of Satan.  Jesus states, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin” (John 8:34).
The Lost
Those who give themselves over to sin become corrupted by that sin.  They are capable of horrendous acts of violence against themselves and others.  Those outside of Christ are empty souls.  Five words characterize them.  The first word is deceived.  They are not guided by the truth revealed by God.  They are guided by strong delusions.  When we reject God’s truth, we enter into darkness.  Darkness is the second word.  Those in darkness are ignorant of the truth.  In darkness, the understanding is compromised and these individuals are guided by perverted thinking.  Paul states, “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind.  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness” (Eph. 4:17-19).  The third word is destruction.  Sin always destroys.  Sin always corrupts.  Sin always brings condemnation from God which results in damnation.  Corrupt minds produce corrupt works.  The fourth word is despair.  Despair captures the essence of life without God.  It brings meaninglessness and hopelessness.  This defines even further those who manifest empty souls.  The last word is death.  But, this is not physical death, it is spiritual death.  The spiritually dead are separated from God due to sin.  The corruption and destruction caused by sin ruins the mind and heart of man.  These people are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1).  Paul further characterizes those who are spiritually lost, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others (Eph. 2:2-3).
The Saved
God offers us a better life.  Christ was manifested to give us life and more–the abundant life (John 10:10-the spiritually optimal life).  This better life begins with enlightenment.  We must know the truth.  We must know God and His Will.  God has revealed Himself in two great books:  His created world and His Word.  The ultimate quest of the human heart is to know God!  To know God, we must seek Him diligently (Acts 17:27).  He is not far from every one of us.  Second, we must follow the Light.  Jesus Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12).  Jesus said, “he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”  Being a disciple of Jesus is wholly transformative.  “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4-6).  This transformation begins with our spiritual conversion.  When we obey the gospel we put our trust in the Lord and set our affections upon Him and obey Him.  We repent of our sins.  We confess Christ that He is the Son of God.  Then, we are baptized (immersed) into the name of Christ for the remission of sin (Acts 2:38).  Undergoing this new birth (John 3:3-5), we become new creatures (II Cor. 5:17) to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).  The old man is crucified.  The new man is adorned (Eph. 4:20-32).  Now, we have hope in Christ.  We have new meaning and purpose.  We are defined as God’s children (Gal. 3:26-27).  We are productive, perfected, and promised everlasting life.  We are alive in Christ Jesus!  Empty souls give way to enriched and empowered souls. Once again, Paul declares, “But if our gospel is hid, it is hid to them that are lost.  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (II Cor. 4:4-5).
Too many follow the god of this world to their own destruction.  Too many company in the darkness.  When our hearts are shocked by the darkness, it is the time to run to the Light.

Psalm 63 is a psalm of David.  It was probably written when he was in the wilderness of Judah fleeing from Absalom, his son, during the time of insurrection.  David did not quit singing while in the wilderness.  He made his worship suitable to his circumstances.  The wilderness was a barren place.  But, there was no barrenness in his heart.  His heart was full of praise for God.
The reason for this unique, unquenchable longing for God is found in v. 3, “Because Thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.”  David’s circumstances did not dictate the passions of his heart.  His love for God did.  He compares God’s lovingkindness to life itself, indeed, a monumental comparison.
First, There is Life
There is life with all of its benefits.  The accumulation of experiences, wisdom, relationships, and accomplishments.  Add to that all of its riches.  Over the years, we accumulate wealth in property, material objects, and money.  And, to that add, all of its pleasures.  The things that we enjoy, derive pleasure from, and experience through recreational pursuits.  In addition we must add all of its honor and fame.  Every accomplishment recognized by people.  All of the applause and accolades and popularity we have obtained.  Don’t forget all of the educational attainments and the positions that we occupy along with the power that those positions give to us.  All of life must be placed on one side of the balance.  Yes, life is precious, but it is also temporal, fleeting, and filled with trouble.    “Man that is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1).
Second, There Is God’s Lovingkindness
On the other side of the balance, we must put the lovingkindness of God.  The lovingkindness of God is a combination of His love, mercy and grace.  None of these is temporal.  They are eternal aspects of the nature of God that benefit His people.  These qualities of God’s nature and character are greater in effect than any of the aspects of life because they transform life now and prepare it for eternity.  The word better is a term of comparison wherein one thing is placed above another in value, esteem glory, and effect.  Men weary of life, but no man has ever yet been found who was weary of the love and favor of God.  What could be so desirable in life if a person hath no place in the heart of God?  The grace/favor of God is all good.  There is no sorrow in it nor is there any evil attendant in it.  The grace of God bestows the abundant life (John 10:10).  This is the spiritually optimal life.  Life cannot be any better than life in Christ with the expectation of life with God forever.  The grace of God saves (Eph. 2:8-9).  Salvation is the deliverance from the penalty and practice of sin.  Sin corrupts and destroys and leads to spiritual death.  To be saved from that condemnation is to be given life in its fullest measure.  This is spiritual life and eternal life.  The grace of God transforms us into new creatures that God claims as His people.  His people are redeemed, special, distinct from the world (Titus 2:11-12).  In short, the grace of God shapes us for eternity.  David realized in the midst of dark and desperate times that God’s lovingkindness was to be prized above life.  While contemplating this monumental comparison, it lifted his spirit and brought hope in the midst of despair.  It made his heart sing.  Fortunately, he wrote about it and preserved for all generations after him these lofty thoughts drenched with spiritual insight.
I Will Praise Thy Name
Is it possible that any man should have a dog or some other possession that he loves and he would not commend it?  Yet, none of these can stand with the love of God.  How often do we speak of Him to others?  David wrote a hymn of praise in which he declares the difference between life without God and life with God.  What can God add to my life?  His lovingkindness is better than life itself!  Interestingly, Solomon, David’s son, discerned the same thing.  After Solomon had experienced everything life had to offer, he declares, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12:13).  Oneness with God is priceless.  Everything else is vanity.