How do we know that God is “good”?

Exodus 34:5-7Then the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him; and he called out his own name, Yahweh. The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty.”

When Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, he heard and experienced God’s terrifying goodness first-hand.

Psalm 100:5For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Psalm 119:68You are good and do only good; teach me your decrees.

Nahum 1:7The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.

The Bible often affirms God’s goodness. God is perfect, so he is perfectly good. God’s goodness is a demonstration of his perfect love and power. He provides us with his protecting presence in all the difficulties we face.

Luke 18:18-19Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: “Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “Only God is truly good.”

Jesus told this religious leader that only God is truly good. In doing so, Jesus was quietly affirming his own divinity.

Psalm 34:8Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

David is telling us that we can know that God is good by how we experience him.

Romans 8:28We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

We see God’s goodness in how he weaves together all our life experiences, even the painful ones, for our good and his glory.