Category:Goodness of God

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Goodness of God - A perfection of His character which He exercises towards His creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Psalms 145:8, Psalms 145:9; Psalms 103:8; 1 John 4:8). Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of His creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favor on the unworthy it is grace. "Goodness and justice are the several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes merciful and sometimes just, but He is eternally infinitely just and merciful." God is infinitely and unchangeably good (Zephaniah 3:17), and his goodness is incomprehensible by the finite mind (Romans 11:35, Romans 11:36). "God's goodness appears in two things, giving and forgiving."