God Is Good All The Time

"God is good." "All the time." Many churches have used that call and response for years, but what does it actually mean? It makes two claims. God is good, which means He is the standard that defines what good is. And He is good all the time, because His goodness comes from His unchanging nature, not from your circumstances or your behavior. You respond to that goodness with trust and obedience.

What does it mean that God is good?

It means goodness is God's character, not just something He does. He is the measure for everything we call good, beautiful, kind, or just.

Look at a short exchange in Luke 18. A ruler asks Jesus how to inherit eternal life, and before answering, Jesus asks a question of His own.

A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good, except God alone."

Luke 18:18 to 19

If only God is good, then God defines good. Pastor Adrian Cruz preached that weekend's message on God's goodness. On Beyond Sunday, he put it this way: goodness isn't a byproduct of who God is; it's His character. We measure our world against Him, not the other way around.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

Who decides what is good?

God does, not you and not your side. That sounds obvious, but it cuts against how we usually think.

We frame much of life as good versus evil. Movies have good guys and bad guys. Political rhetoric often presents one side as "the good side," not just "our side." Good and evil really are in conflict. Where we go wrong is putting ourselves or our opinions at the center as the measure of good.

This goes all the way back to the garden. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is a picture of the human urge to decide for ourselves what is good. Then we judge God by that standard. We ask, "Is God being good when He does this?" That question has it backward.

Are good and evil equal forces?

No. Good and evil aren't two equal powers locked in a fair fight. God is good. Evil is the absence of good, whatever is not like God.

Calling anything good or evil already assumes there is a standard for morality. That standard is God Himself. Evil isn't a rival being on the same level. There is good, and there is everything that falls short of it.

Christians from different traditions agree on this. Theologians in both Reformed and Pentecostal traditions list goodness as an attribute of God. Some describe it as the source of His other qualities. When God is faithful, it's because He is good. When God shows mercy, it's because He is good.

What does "all the time" add?

"All the time" means God doesn't only define good. He also does good, consistently and to every generation. His goodness doesn't shift.

Pastor Adrian said it simply: God's goodness is rooted in His nature, not our behavior. You can't earn it with good performance, and you can't lose it with bad days, because God doesn't change. If goodness is His character, it stays His character no matter what is happening in your life.

Is God still good when life is hard?

Yes. God is still being good to you even in seasons that don't feel good. You won't always perceive His goodness in the moment, but it hasn't stopped.

Valley seasons do something in you. They create dependence and awareness. In the middle of them, God's presence, character, and comfort become the good you hold on to. As Pastor Adrian put it, you may never know the God of the valley until you're in it.

God doesn't only work in the valley. He turns it for good and for eternal purposes. Only God can take something the world calls broken or twisted, even something evil, and turn it for good. Redemption is God's work of rescuing and restoring what was lost, and it is itself an expression of His goodness. If He weren't good, there would be no impulse to redeem us at all.

Why does believing God is good matter for faith?

It matters because you can't truly come to God without trusting both that He exists and that He is good.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Hebrews 11:6

The host of the episode called these the two most important things to know about God: He is, and He is good. In the ancient world, many people pictured their gods as tricksters. Jesus described a very different Father.

Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:9 to 11

And because God is good, any good in you reflects Him. Every good thing you do points back to His glory.

How should you respond to God's goodness?

Respond with trust and obedience. Those were the two responses Pastor Adrian named.

Trust comes first. Knowing God's Word helps you trust His character, that He is good and good all the time. Many people fear obedience and submission because they've seen ungodly leaders. But if God exists and God is good, you can trust Him. Serving Him will only be for your good.

Obedience follows. It's easier to obey someone you trust.

If you love me, keep my commands.

John 14:15

Your obedience becomes a reflection to the world around you. It shows that God is good, and that He is good through you. So this week, let God be the measure of what is good. Don't let other people, or even your own sense of ethics, set the standard. Measure them against who God is and what He has said.

Common questions

What does it mean that God is good?

It means goodness is God's character, not just something He does. He is the standard for what is good, and every good gift comes from Him (James 1:17).

Why did Jesus say no one is good except God?

In Luke 18:19 Jesus points out that only God is truly good. Our goodness is measured against His and can only reflect Him.

Is God still good when bad things happen?

Yes. His goodness comes from His unchanging nature, not our circumstances. Even in valley seasons He draws near, and He can turn what is broken for good.

Is evil the opposite of God?

Not as an equal force. Evil is the absence of good, whatever is not like God. God alone is good, and He is not in an even contest with evil.

How should I respond to God's goodness?

Trust Him, because His Word shows His character, and obey Him. Obedience grows out of trust and lets others see God's goodness through your life.