As an executive coach and women’s ministry leader, I spend much of my time these days training leaders.
Many of the topics I teach don’t come as a surprise. After all, the principles of strong leadership are widely accepted.
But there is one area that often catches people off guard: goodness.
We don’t always think of goodness and integrity as being as essential, but they truly are.
Goodness defines what is right. Integrity is that goodness lived out consistently.
The word goodness is often used but easily misunderstood. When we call someone a good person, we often mean they are agreeable, pleasant, and nice. Outward actions seem to be the proof required as to whether someone exhibits goodness.
But is that the standard Scripture uses? What is goodness in the Bible, really?
What Does the Bible Say about Goodness?
Goodness in the Bible is a quality of moral integrity rooted in God’s own character, shaped in us by the Holy Spirit, and expressed through righteous choices and faithful living.
In Luke 18:19, Jesus says, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”
That simple statement reshapes how we understand goodness. If goodness is found only in God, then it is not something we produce on our own and not something essentially found within us. It originates with God and flows from His character.
Scripture Verses About Goodness
Throughout Scripture, we see that goodness is not just something God does. It is part of who He is, and it is something He allows us to experience and reflect.
Here are a few verses that highlight what the Bible says about goodness:
Psalm 69:16
Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
This verse reminds us that God’s goodness is closely tied to His love and mercy, showing that His goodness moves Him to respond with compassion toward His people.
Psalm 27:13
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!
Here, God’s goodness is something we can confidently expect to experience, even in difficult seasons, as part of His faithful presence in our lives.
Romans 15:14
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness…
This passage shows that biblical goodness is not only part of God’s character but something that, through the Holy Spirit, can be developed within believers as well.
Where Does Goodness Come From, According to the Bible?
Jesus tells us that goodness flows from a transformed heart. Luke 6:45 says, “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
But to find out where the good treasure of the heart comes from, we look to another verse found in Ezekiel 36:26–27, where God says, “I will give you a new heart … and I will put my Spirit within you.”
Thank goodness, goodness is not all up to us and our behavior. It is the overflow of a heart surrendered to God and what He is doing within us.
This is what makes biblical goodness different from our own efforts to be a good person out of our own strength. What a relief that it isn’t something we perform or we sustain!
It’s something that flows from a heart that has been shaped and transformed, a transformation that doesn’t happen on its own. As we walk closely with God, reading His Word, spending time in prayer, and being in community with other believers, the Holy Spirit can begin to do a deep work in us.
Over time, God’s goodness takes root in our hearts and starts showing up as fruit in our lives: in our words, our decisions, and the way we respond when we’re under pressure or faced with a tough choice.
This is why goodness cannot be sustained by human effort alone. We can try to do the right thing for a while, but without a changed heart, it won’t last.
But when goodness is formed within us by the Spirit, it becomes something steady and consistent—a quality that reflects the character of God.
And from that place, our actions begin to follow, showing up as integrity in the way we live.
Goodness is a Fruit of the Spirit
So how do we begin to grow in biblical goodness? When we zoom out and look at the bigger picture, we see that goodness is part of what takes root and grows in us through the Holy Spirit.
In Galatians 5:22–23, we see that goodness is a fruit of the Spirit:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
How incredible that not only goodness, but all of these characteristics, come to life in us as we walk closely with the Holy Spirit. Which means the Spirit’s work in producing goodness begins inwardly before it is ever expressed outwardly.
What Does Goodness in the Bible Look Like in Real Life?
Because we have the freedom to choose how we act, goodness often looks less like a feeling and more like a decision. Like the decision to:
- make things right when it would be easier to cut corners.
- tell the truth when it would be way more convenient to stay quiet.
- choose honesty over image, faithfulness over ease, and obedience over comfort.
How do you respond when you’re frustrated or tired? How do you speak about someone when they’re not in the room? How do you handle opportunities when no one would know if you took advantage of the situation?
Integrity is not always loud, but it is always intentional.
When you’re unsure what goodness looks like in a moment, a simple question can help guide you: Am I choosing what is right or what is easiest?
Over time, your small, intentional choices begin to shape something much greater. They build trust with others. They strengthen our character. They align our lives more closely with the heart of God. We look more like Christ.
And they allow others to see something that sets us apart. Not perfection, but consistency. Not performance, but integrity.
This is how goodness becomes visible. Not in a single moment, but in a life marked by steady, faithful decisions that reflect who God is.
And my prayer for all of us is that the Holy Spirit would have more and more of our lives and our choices, and that each day we would better reflect His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self-control.
Keep Growing in Biblical Goodness
Biblical goodness isn’t something you produce on your own. The Holy Spirit produces goodness in us as we walk closely with God and seek to obey His direction for our lives. If you’re ready for more of the Spirit’s presence and power in your life, these related resources are a great next step.
- The Fruit of the Spirit: Paul’s Framework for Christian Living
- What Is Love in the Bible? How to Love God and Others Well
- What is Pneumatology? The Study of the Holy Spirit
The Promised Presence
With a knack for combining story and Bible study, Jenny Randle helps us discover and understand the transformative, supernatural power of Holy Spirit even in life’s brokenness so we can find restoration and purpose in a world that feels out of control.
It’s Never Wrong to Do the Right Thing
Rich with Nicole C. Mullen’s deeply personal lessons from her own journey of overcoming abuse and betrayal, It’s Never Wrong to Do the Right Thing provides biblical insights and practical encouragement designed to inspire and equip women to overcome fear, wait on the Lord’s timing, walk in wisdom, and move forward into a new season of choosing the best for their lives.
