Bible Verses About The Goodness Of God
We live in a fallen world where there are countries at war and terrible things go on daily. In the face of evil and suffering, do you believe that there is still good in this world? What is good? Where does the concept of good or evil come from? How can God be good if there is suffering and pain?
The Bible says that God is good. Let us take a dive into these bible verses about the goodness of God in the midst of pain and evil. If you have any comments about this topic and if you would like to discuss more about it, please leave a comment down below.
To start, Joseph has a short video on The God Who Is There by Francis Schaeffer. God's goodness does not cease while evil is still present in the world.
What Is Good?
Over here, the bible verses tell us that God is good. For no human is perfect. But God is perfect. To God, what is good for man is to act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with God.
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable deeds. There is no one who does good. (Psalm 14:1)
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity. There is no one who does good. (Psalm 53:1)
He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does The LORD require of you, but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
He said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:17)
Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one—God. (Mark 10:18)
Jesus asked him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one: God. (Luke 18:19)
How Can A Good God Allow Evil?
This question deserves a longer answer than what I am able to write here. I am only sharing some bible verses that came up in my search on God's goodness and also with those that are my personal answers to this question in my journey.
In the bible passages below from Habakkuk, the prophet Habakkuk questioned God on why He can tolerate evil going on even though God is good. God answered him by telling him that he is aware of all the evil going on, what sorrow awaits those who did evil, and that He is still above all the earth. I have only taken a few verses from Habakkuk here, I encourage you to read the entire Habakkuk passage to see the transition from Habakkuk's questioning of God to praising God. Even though his situation may still be not what he desired it to be, he could still see the goodness of God and he is able to rejoice in God.
God also loves humans so much that he gives humans freedom to make their own decisions, after telling us what is right and what is wrong, he left it to us to make our own decision. If we can be controlled like robots to do whatever God wants us to do, or if we can be stopped by God whenever we are doing something bad, then we do not truly have freedom of choice or autonomy. We would be just like puppets on a string, with no real meaning in what we do because it would not be what we wanted but what God wanted. We would not know what is real love as everything would be "controlled" and not from our own selves. Because we are given this power to make our own decisions, it further amplifies how much God respects and loves us enough to give us that.
God also does not just start punishing all the bad people for all the bad things they do immediately, because he loves every single human being. He desires for the wicked to forsake their evil ways and to turn to Him for forgiveness and true life. Ultimately, he laid all the sins of the world on his beloved Son, Jesus. Jesus suffered the punishment of all the humanity's sin when he was tortured on the way to the cross and on the cross, as he is God and blameless. He became our scapegoat. God has paved a way for us to come back to Him in the midst of evil and sin.
I believe that all the evil in the world originate from sin and Satan. In the book of Job, Satan asked God to allow Satan to test Job with suffering to see if Job will still worship God in the end, as Satan postulated that Job was worshipping God because he had blessings and an easy life. However, Job still continued to worship God in spite of all the suffering from the tests that Satan brought on and God allowed. In the end God blessed Job and Satan was put to shame. A human - Job, triumphed over Satan's schemes. He did not let the suffering and pain take his worship of God away as what Satan wanted.
2 O LORD, how long will I cry, and you will not hear? I cry out to you “Violence!” and will you not save? 3 Why do you show me iniquity, and look at perversity? For destruction and violence are before me. There is strife, and contention rises up. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails; for the wicked surround the righteous; therefore justice comes out perverted. (Habakkuk 1:2–4)
12 Aren’t you from everlasting, The LORD my God, my Holy One? We will not die. The LORD, you have appointed them for judgment. You, Rock, have established him to punish. 13 You who have purer eyes than to see evil, and who cannot look on perversity, why do you tolerate those who deal treacherously and keep silent when the wicked swallows up the man who is more righteous than he, 14 and make men like the fish of the sea, like the creeping things that have no ruler over them? 15 He takes up all of them with the hook. He catches them in his net and gathers them in his dragnet. Therefore he rejoices and is glad. 16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, because by them his life is luxurious and his food is good. 17 Will he therefore continually empty his net, and kill the nations without mercy? (Habakkuk 1:12–17)
2 The LORD answered me, “Write the vision, and make it plain on tablets, that he who runs may read it. 3 For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won’t prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it, because it will surely come. It won’t delay. (Habakkuk 2:2–3)
17For even though the fig tree doesn’t flourish, nor fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive fails, the fields yield no food, the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, 18yet I will rejoice in the LORD. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 19 O God, the Lord, is my strength. He makes my feet like deer’s feet, and enables me to go in high places. For the music director, on my stringed instruments. (Habakkuk 3:17–19)
6Seek The LORD while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. 7Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says The LORD. 9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:6–9)
You have wearied The LORD with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in The LORD’s sight, and he delights in them;’ or ‘Where is the God of justice?’ (Malachi 2:17)
But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips. (Job 2:10)
God Makes Good Out Of Evil
God is all powerful. He is able to make the bad things work out for good. Just a recent example- during the COVID 19 pandemic- a lot of churches had to shut down as decreed by the government to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. However, that has led to a great increase in the use of online church services for people to attend it remotely at home during that time. That has sparked a higher accessibility for anybody to watch an online church service from an even greater number of churches now more than ever, increasing the ease for people in far off places to watch a church service that they wish they could attend. It is even easier for people in countries where the gospel of Jesus is forbidden to now have even greater access to these church services from other countries. Praise be to God.
19 Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to save many people alive, as is happening today. 21 Now therefore don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” He comforted them, and spoke kindly to them. (Genesis 50:19–21)
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
Bad News Before The Good News
Here are some bible verses that talked about how God's anger (before Jesus) was there when his people disobeyed Him or when his people forsaken Him. If we claim to know God's goodness, we have to continue to obey God's teaching in our lives and seek to do good works. If we disobey and live in an evil way after knowing God's goodness, then we will be denying God and we would not be fit for any good work.
How you live your life can be related to whether you truly know God's goodness or not.
when you disobey the covenant of The LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow down yourselves to them. Then the LORD’s anger will be kindled against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which he has given to you. (Joshua 23:16)
If you forsake the LORD, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you evil, and consume you, after he has done you good. (Joshua 24:20)
See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off. (Romans 11:22)
They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work. (Titus 1:16)
Jesus Is Good News Of A Good God
Jesus shows us fully how good God is.
The bible verses below talk about how Jesus is our good news, that through Jesus, we can be made right with God again, enjoy his peace and have even much more abundance and eternal blessings than what this world can offer.
*note for 2 Corinthians 4:4- the god of this world- the god with a small letter "g", is not God, it refers to the evil one. We always use God our Lord with a capital letter "G".
To read more about how to put your trust in Jesus, click here.
The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1:1)
Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, (Mark 1:14)
and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.” (Mark 1:15)
The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news." (Luke 1:19)
“Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14)
But he said to them, “I must preach the good news of God’s Kingdom to the other cities also. For this reason I have been sent. (Luke 4:43)
Soon afterwards, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve, (Luke 8:1)
5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath day the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? 6 But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. 7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you wouldn’t have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” (Matthew 12:5–8)
The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the Good News of God’s Kingdom is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. (Luke 16:16)
25 He said to them, “Foolish people, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” 27 Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25–27)
The word which he sent to the children of Israel, preaching good news of peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all— (Acts 10:36)
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. (Acts 10:38)
When there had been much discussion, Peter rose up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you that by my mouth the nations should hear the word of the Good News and believe. (Acts 15:7)
For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, because it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16)
Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, (Romans 14:24)
For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:21)
in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them. (2 Corinthians 4:4) *
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony at the proper time, 7 to which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am telling the truth in Christ, not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (1 Timothy 2:3–7)
The Nature Of God's Goodness
In this section we will look at bible verses that explores different aspects of God's goodness in His nature.
God’s Nature Is Good
For people who do not know God, it could be easy to imagine a God who was shown by movies or cartoons as a silly one or as one who don't really care. However, the bible tells us that God is really good in his character, he does not lie and he has the following traits as well.
God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good? (Numbers 23:19)
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness. (Psalm 103:8)
The Goodness Of God's Love
God is love and love is good and it is a love that endures through hard times.
He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:8)
Why do you boast of mischief, mighty man? God’s loving kindness endures continually. (Psalm 52:1)
The Good Hand Of God
These bible verses below talk about the hand of God, which was described as good.
For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him. (Ezra 7:9)
For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the way, because we had spoken to the king, saying, “The hand of our God is on all those who seek him, for good; but his power and his wrath is against all those who forsake him.” (Ezra 8:22)
I told them about the hand of my God which was good on me, and also about the king’s words that he had spoken to me. They said, “Let’s rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. (Nehemiah 2:18)
God's Good Desire
God's desires are good and merciful.
For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)
God's Presence Is Good
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. (Psalm 84:10)
God's Good Will
Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2)
Goodness Of God's Commandments
God's commandments are for our good, to keep us well.
God is teaching us to live a good life because he is good and he knows what is truly good.
The LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear The LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are today. (Deuteronomy 6:24)
God Of Good Promises
Now, The LORD, you are God, and have promised this good thing to your servant. (1 Chronicles 17:26)
God Is A Good Giver Of Good Gifts
They took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us, and brought us word again, and said, “It is a good land which The LORD our God gives to us.” (Deuteronomy 1:25)
For The LORD your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of springs, and underground water flowing into valleys and hills; (Deuteronomy 8:7)
You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless The LORD your God for the good land which he has given you. (Deuteronomy 8:10)
You shall rejoice in all the good which The LORD your God has given to you, and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the foreigner who is among you. (Deuteronomy 26:11)
For The LORD God is a sun and a shield. The LORD will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk blamelessly. (Psalm 84:11)
Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion. (Ecclesiastes 5:18)
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow. (James 1:17)
God's Good Works
We further explore here the goodness of God as seen in His good works.
I thought it is interesting that God's work is surely more than good, they are supremely excellent, but the word "good" is used. In Hebrew, "good" is טוב (tob), meaning: good, merry, pleasant, desirable; in order, usable, efficient; friendly; kind; morally good. Maybe the word excellent is really an exaggeration of what is truly good. If God says it is good, it is truly good, there's no lower standard of a little less good than that.
It is interesting that the bible verse said that God's tender mercies are over all his works. Just thinking about how animals can survive the cold winter, trees in cold climates are created to withstand and survive cold winters, and the human body is created to regulate to protect his or her own self, we can see how God thinks of all the possible challenges his creatures have to face in life and how he was merciful enough to design them in a way that they can be able to adapt and cope with those.
But it is good for me to come close to God. I have made the Lord my God refuge, that I may tell of all your works. (Psalm 73:28)
8 The LORD is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness. 9 The LORD is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works. (Psalm 145:8–9)
Goodness Of God In Creation
The most obvious of God's works is his creation, which are filled with good.
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.....4 God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness....10 God called the dry land “earth”, and the gathering together of the waters he called “seas”. God saw that it was good. ....12 The earth yielded grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with their seeds in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. .....17 God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light to the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good..... 21 God created the large sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good.....25 God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good. ..... 31 God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. (excerpts from Genesis 1)
“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men of the same nature as you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; (Acts 14:15)
For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. (1 Timothy 4:4)
The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him.” (Genesis 2:18)
Goodness Of God In Delivering People From Slavery
In the following bible verses, it is a reminder of how God brought his people out from slavery into freedom. Likewise, in Galatians 5:1 below, Jesus had brought us freedom from our slavery to sin, so we should not on our own go back into those bondage to sin again.
10 It shall be, when The LORD your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities which you didn’t build, 11 and houses full of all good things which you didn’t fill, and cisterns dug out which you didn’t dig, vineyards and olive trees which you didn’t plant, and you shall eat and be full; 12 then beware lest you forget The LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (Deuteronomy 6:10–12)
1Stand firm therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and don’t be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)
God Is Good To His People
God's good works are also seen in his doing good to his people.
Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. (Psalm 73:1)
God Is Good To The Poor
God is a God who cares for the poor, he prepared goodness for the poor.
Your congregation lived therein. You, God, prepared your goodness for the poor. (Psalm 68:10)
Our Response To God's Goodness
Now that we have examined God's goodness, where can it lead us to? What good will it do to us to know about God's goodness? Here are some bible verses of how we can respond to God's goodness.
Repent Of Our Sins
The bible verse below tell us that what leads us to repentance is the goodness of God. That is a powerful thing that man is not truly changed by force against their will but by their turning towards a higher purpose.
Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:4)
Rejoicing In Goodness Of God
First of all, we can rejoice in his goodness, despite what we are going through on a daily basis.
Now therefore arise, The LORD God, into your resting place, you, and the ark of your strength. Let your priests, The LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in goodness. (2 Chronicles 6:41)
The LORD, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)
Remembering That God Can Do You Good
By knowing that God is able to do us good, because that is his nature, we can seek His help in our daily lives. God is able to bless us with blessings for our lives, if it is according to His plan and will. However, if we are not yet seeing the blessings that we are hoping for yet, let's try to count and see what other good He is already doing in our lives.
The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you will possess it. He will do you good, and increase your numbers more than your fathers. (Deuteronomy 30:5)
The LORD your God will make you prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, for good; for The LORD will again rejoice over you for good, as he rejoiced over your fathers, (Deuteronomy 30:9)
Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God; and may The LORD do what seems good to him. (2 Samuel 10:12)
God's Goodness Prepares Us For Good Works
The bible verses below tell us that God also prepares us to do good things.
Understanding and experiencing God's goodness does not just end in knowledge, there is a greater meaning and purpose that God is able to use us and prepare us to do good works!
For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)
that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, (Colossians 1:10)
To this end we also pray always for you that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire of goodness and work of faith with power, (2 Thessalonians 1:11)
that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:17)
This saying is faithful, and concerning these things I desire that you insist confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men; (Titus 3:8)
But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. (Hebrews 13:16)
having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good works and glorify God in the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2:12)
Pursue God's Goodness In Our Lives
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. (Psalm 143:10)
For the sake of the house of The LORD our God, I will seek your good. (Psalm 122:9)
Imitate What Is Good
Beloved, don’t imitate that which is evil, but that which is good. He who does good is of God. He who does evil hasn’t seen God. (3 John 11)
Thank you for reading this blog post today.
If you would like to pray and thank God for his goodness, you are welcome to use this guided prayer here. You can also talk to God on your own and just talk it out with with, in Jesus's name.
Prayer Of Response
Dear God, I thank you and praise you for your goodness. Thank you for sending Jesus to show your ultimate goodness to everyone and me. I want to follow you better and pursue your goodness in my daily life. Please help me to stay away from evil and to follow you closely. Please help me to do good to others. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
Bible version: the public domain World English Bible (WEB) has been used throughout this post. The WEB translation of "Yahweh" has been changed to "the LORD" which is more familiar to most readers.