For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added to the Lord.
A good man is —
A MAN WHO BELIEVES IN CHRIST AND MAKES AN OPEN AND STEADFAST PROFESSION OF HIS FAITH.
Infidelity is obviously incompatible with true goodness; for it is the wilful deliberate rejection of the truth. But unbelief, in the sense of the refusal of a sinner to accept Christ as his Saviour, is equally incompatible. How can it be otherwise? All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. A Saviour has been provided, and, in the riches of the Divine beneficence, has been freely offered to men. Can there be any goodness in the heart which remains unmoved by love like this? Is there anything but the spirit of unholy rebellion in the breast of that man who refuses to comply with the first duty of a perishing sinner? No, a life of holy obedience must have its beginning in submission to the righteousness of Christ as the only ground of acceptance. And this faith we must openly and steadfastly profess. Believing with the heart unto righteousness, with the mouth we must make confession unto salvation. This is one the evidence of the sincerity of our faith, the proof to ourselves, and the world around us, that our faith is a true and saving faith, and not merely the cold speculative belief of the doctrine of Christ.
