Expert in Goodness

Readings:
Job 2
Romans 16:17-27

Focus:
Romans 16:19b: "I want you to be expert in goodness, but innocent of evil."

We are to be expert in goodness. In order to be this way, though, we need to know what goodness is. We can't just be naively nice, thinking we sort of instinctively know what it means to be good. No, Paul says we should be expert in goodness. That means that we need to understand it completely. We must read and study the Bible, so that we will know what goodness is.

As Paul says earlier in verse 17, we must avoid those who lead people astray, contrary to the teachings we have received. In order to recognize this, we must know the teachings we have received. We must be expert in them. That is the only way to be truly good.