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MOR-Bible, which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Peace to you and grace from God our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and us. We pray for you always that our God counts you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of believing with power. May the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

In the June 2023 teaching, we tracked, traced, and searched God's Word for the Greek word dokimazo used for our English word "prove" as documented in Romans 12:2. There were 23 usages of the Greek word dokimazo. The Greek word dokimazo means "to test, by implication to approve. To try, prove. To assay, to make trial of, put to the proof, examine; hence, to examine and judge of; prove by test; approve on trial."

The root word for dokimazo is dokimos. The Greek word dokimos means "tested, approved." We tracked, traced, and searched the Greek word and there were seven usages of the Greek word dokimos. We reviewed all seven usages.
In this month's teaching, we will trace, track, and search God's Word for the Greek word agathos which is translated to our English word "good" as documented in Romans 12:2.

And be not conformed [by the five senses information] to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind [to God's revealed Word], that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Note: The sources for all Greek-English words are Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, The Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament (Bullinger), Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible, The Word Study Concordance by George V. Wigram and Ralph D. Winter, and Harper's Bible Dictionary, Sixth Edition.

The goal of a Biblical word study is to determine the exact meaning of a word as God utilized it in the context of the verse(s). We will do a Biblical word study on the Greek word used in the New Testament as translated later into English to see its original Biblical usage and meaning.

The Greek word agathos is translated into our English word "good," which means "good; what is morally good." This word denotes the inner harmonious perfection, which is its own standard and measure, and which primarily belongs to God. There are 102 usages of the word agathos in the Bible. We will review the first usage, some usages from Acts, Romans, Ephesians, and Thessalonians, and then the last usage. We exhort and strongly encourage you to read all 102 usages and the context of each verse or verses to increase your understanding.

The first usage is documented in Matthew 5:45. We will read Matthew 5:43-48 for better understanding. The word "good" or agathos will be bolded for emphasis.

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

But [in contrast] I [Jesus] say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good [agathos], and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans [tax collectors] the same?

And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans [tax collectors] so?

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Jesus, God's only begotten son, told us to love our enemies and bless them that curse us. We are instructed in these verses to do good to them that hate us and pray for them which despitefully use and persecute us. We are to do this so that we may be a son or daughter of our Father, God which is in heaven, who makes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good (agathos). It is God who sends rain on the just, righteous and on the unjust, unrighteous.

The next usages we will look at appear in Acts. Let us start with Acts 9:36:

Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good [agathos] works and almsdeeds [mercy, pity, alms] which she did.

Acts 11:24:

For he [Barnabas] was a good [agathos] man, and full of the Holy Ghost [holy spirit] and of faith [believing]: and much people was added unto the Lord.

In these verses, we see that when we are filled to capacity of good (agathos) works, mercy, pity, alms, holy spirit, believing, and sufficient people can be added to the Lord, our master!

Acts 23:1:

And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good [agathos] conscience before God until this day.

Paul looked fixedly and gazed earnestly beholding the Sanhedrin and said I have lived in all good consciousness, before God until this day. Can you and I say the same to the people who accuse us?

Now, let's look at the usages in Romans. Romans 7:11-12:

For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good [agathos].

Romans 8:28 is the next usage. We will read Romans 8:26-27 for the context:

Likewise the Spirit [the pneuma] also helpeth our infirmities [infirmity]: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit [the pneuma] itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [See June 2016 teaching]

Every time we speak in tongues it helps our infirmity (such as, weakness, frailty, sickness, etc.). When we pray using our five senses knowledge, we know not what we should pray for as we ought. Let's continue with Romans 8:27:

And he [God]that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit [the pneuma] because he [it the spirit] maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Every time we speak in tongues it helps our infirmity and makes intercession for the saints according to whose will? God's Will! Romans: 8:28:

And we know that all things work together for good [agathos] to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

How do we know we love God? Turn to 1 John 5:3:

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Romans 13:3-4:

For rulers [the higher powers] are not a terror to good [agathos] works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power [authority]? do that which is good [agathos], and thou shalt have praise of the same.

For he is the minister of God to thee for good [agathos]. But [in contrast] if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he [the minister of God] beareth not the sword [refers to the Word of God. See Ephesians 6:17 and Hebrews 4:12] in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

The phase the minister of God refers to the five gift ministries documented in Ephesians 4:11:

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors, and teachers.

The next usages we will review are in Ephesians. We will begin with Ephesians 2:10:

For we are his workmanship [handiwork], created in Christ [the anointed one, messiah] Jesus [the humble one] unto good [agathos] works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

In the phrase For we are his workmanship (which means handiwork), we became God's handiwork when we confess the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God has raised him from the dead. We are then saved (sozo - made whole). See Romans 10:9.

God created His spirit in us, which is Christ in you the hope of glory, to do good works. It is important to remember that we are not saved by works, rather we are saved by grace (see Ephesians 2:8). Nonetheless, our salvation is to do good works as opposed to doing works to be saved. We are saved and therefore we do good works!

Ephesians 4:28-29:

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good [agathos], that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but [in contrast] that which is good [agathos] to the use of edifying [building up], that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Who controls what comes out of our mouths? We do! We can decide to use words that are good and that build us up. Our words should minister grace to the hearers!

Ephesians 6:7-8:

With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

Knowing that whatsoever good [agathos] thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

Because we do good things in service to the Lord our master, we will receive good things from the Lord our master! This is an iterative process or a series of steps that you repeat, tweaking and improving with each cycle. In practical terms, think of it as practice to make your doing in service to the Lord perfect.

Now let us look at usages of the word agathos or good in 1 Thessalonians. We will start with 1 Thessalonians 3:6 and read verse 5 for context:

For this cause, when I [Paul] could no longer forbear [cover or protect], I sent to know [the Greek word ginosko - to know by experience] your faith [believing], lest by some means the tempter [the devil] have tempted you, and our labor be in vain [empty].

But [in contrast] now when Timotheus [Timothy] came from you unto us and brought us good tidings of your faith [believing] and charity [love], and that ye have good [agathos] remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you. [See November 2019 teaching]

1 Thessalonians 5:15:

See that none render evil [kakos] for evil [kakos] unto any man; but [in contrast] ever follow that which is good [agathos], both among yourselves, and to all men.

We are to see that none render evil, which is morally or ethically evil to any person, qualities, emotion, passions, or works for evil to any man. In contrast, as born-again believers, we are to ever follow, put to flight, pursue, that which is good not evil. We are encouraged to be spiritually the best both among ourselves, and to all men. See February 2020 teaching.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17:

Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good [agathos] hope through grace,

Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good [agathos] word and work. [See April 2020 teaching]

Now our Lord and master, Jesus the humble one, Christ the anointed one, and God, Elohim the creator of the heaven and earth and all things that are in earth, which has (past tense) loved us, His children, and given to us everlasting consolation and good [agathos] hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good [agathos] word and work.

The last usage of agathos is documented in 3 John 1:11:

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but [in contrast] that which is good [agathos]. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

We are children of God (see 1 John 3:2). We are not to imitate evil, but that which is good or agathos.

Now we will re-read the first usage (Matthew 5:45) with the last usage (3 John 1:11) to see what God's Word reveals to us.

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good [agathos], and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but [in contrast] that which is good [agathos]. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

When we read these two verses together, we see how God our Father, which is in heaven, who makes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good or agathos, sends rain on the just, righteous and on the unjust, unrighteous. God's Word commands us, as beloved children of God, to not follow and imitate that which is evil or bad. In contrast, we are to follow and imitate that which is good and spiritually the best. We that do good are of God! They that do evil have not seen God! What a tremendous truth!

In this month's teaching we traced, tracked, and searched God's Word for the Greek word agathos used for our English word "good" as documented in Romans 12:2. The Greek word agathos as translated into our English word "good" means "good; what is morally good" and denotes the inner harmonious perfection, which is its own standard and measure and primarily belongs to God. There are 102 usages of agathos in the Bible. We reviewed the first usage, some usages from Acts, Romans, Ephesians, and Thessalonians, and the last usage in 3 John 1:11. We exhort and strongly encourage you to read all 102 usages and the context of each verse or verses to increase your understanding.

As it is written in James 1:17:

Every good [agathos] gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Remember, every time we speak in tongues, it helps our infirmity (such as weakness, sickness, frailty, etc.) and makes intercession for the saints according to the Will of God. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God and to them who are called according to his purpose (see Romans 8:28).

We pray that our Lord and master, Jesus, the humble one, Christ the anointed one, and God, Elohim the creator of the heaven and earth and all things that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, give to us eternal consolation, comfort, and solace, good hope, and expectation through grace. May all things that were created by God our Father, and for God our Father be before all things. We thank God our Father, which has loved us, His children, for His unmerited divine favor. May God our Father, comfort, exhort, and encourage your hearts. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

In the Lord,

Ministry of Reconciliation
Son of God through Jesus Christ
Ambassador for Christ

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