In many respects, goodness is a communicable attribute because the Scriptures often refer to creation as good. In Genesis 1:31, God looked at his creation and said it was “very good.” And Paul reaffirmed this divine declaration in 1 Timothy 4:4. So, many facets of creation can be rightly described as “good.” Of course, the goodness of creation is limited, temporal and changeable. But, by contrast, the goodness of God is infinite, eternal and unchangeable.

God’s goodness is closely associated with a number of familiar biblical teachings. But it helps to think in terms of two main categories: the direct goodness of God and the indirect goodness of God.

On the one hand, when we speak of the direct goodness of God we have in mind God’s goodness shown in things like his benevolence, mercy, love and patience toward his creatures. For instance, Psalm 34:8 speaks of God’s benevolence as the proof of his goodness when it says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” God’s goodness is associated with his mercy and compassion in Exodus 33:19 where God said to Moses, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you… I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Psalm 25:7 speaks of God’s love flowing from his goodness when it says, “According to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.” But the most direct display of the infinite, eternal and unchangeable goodness of God is his eternal love for Christ and for all those who are in Christ.

On the other hand, Scripture also draws attention to God’s indirect goodness. Here we have in mind the assurance that God will bring about good even through troubles and trials that temporarily plague his creation.

One of the greatest challenges to belief in God’s goodness is the presence of evil in his creation. But biblical authors insisted that the perfection of God’s goodness will cause good to result from evil. And as Paul assured the Roman Christians in Romans 8:28, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.”