Where can I find scriptures on goodness in the Bible?
Answer
The easiest way to find what the Bible says about goodness is to go to a site like BlueletterBible.org and put the word in their search area. When I did this I came up with 51 times the word is used in the King James Version.
Most of the references are from the Old Testament, and come from a word that is also translated “good” or “good things.” Generally it talks about the goodness of God. The idea is that God freely gives mankind good things.
In the New Testament, the word is also translated “kindness.” In Romans 2:4, Romans 11:22, and 2 Thessalonians 1:11 Paul talks about the goodness of God. It is God’s goodness or kindness that causes us to repent, and then gives us good things (like forgiveness) as we walk in his goodness.
Three New Testament passages talk about the goodness of man: Romans 15:14, Galatians 5:22, and Ephesians 5:9. The latter two say that goodness is a fruit of the Spirit. That is, when we have the Spirit of God, the word of God, in us then goodness is one of the things that will automatically grow in us.