God's Goodness in the Face of Skepticism and Doubt

The goodness of God is a foundational attribute of His character, consistently affirmed throughout scripture and understood as a perfection He exercises toward His creation ^{[2, 10]}. This goodness is not merely an abstract concept but is demonstrated through His actions and His nature. As Psalm 18:30 declares, "As for God, his way is completely good; the word of the Lord is tested; he is a breastplate for all those who put their faith in him" ^[1]. Similarly, 2 Samuel 22:31 states, "As for God, his way is all good: the word of the Lord is tested; he is a safe cover for all those who put their faith in him" ^[3].

The goodness of God encompasses various aspects of His benevolent character. It is generally understood as His benevolence, but when exercised in response to the suffering of His creatures, it manifests as mercy, pity, and compassion ^[2]. Toward impenitent sinners, it is expressed as long-suffering patience, and when communicating favor to the unworthy, it is grace ^[2]. The name Mehetabel, meaning "how good is God," further reflects this understanding ^[5].

The Bible frequently highlights God's loving-kindness, describing it as great, excellent, good, marvelous, multitudinous, everlasting, and merciful ^[6]. This loving-kindness is understood to be better than life itself and is experienced through Christ ^[6]. The consideration of God's dealings provides knowledge of His loving-kindness, and it is through this attribute that saints are drawn, preserved, quickened, and comforted ^[6].

Even in the face of human doubt and skepticism, God's goodness remains steadfast. Calvin notes that God displays His goodness even to those who doubt His truth, pardoning their distrust and aiding them not only through His word but also through miracles ^[11]. This forbearance is a testament to His character, as human doubt can be seen as an insult to God's truth ^[11]. The prophet Moses, for instance, encouraged the Israelites with promises of deliverance despite their incredulity and desire to stone him, demonstrating a reliance on God's intervention even when circumstances seemed dire ^[9].

The goodness of God is often contrasted with His severity, particularly in theological discussions concerning His justice. The apostle Paul encourages believers to "Behold therefore the goodness, and severity of God" (Romans 11:22), suggesting that both aspects are crucial for understanding His character ^[13]. John Gill, in his commentary on this verse, explains that considering both God's grace and kindness to some and His strict justice towards others is essential for fostering humility and caution ^[13]. The destruction of the Jewish nation, city, and temple, and their scattering, is presented as an example of God's severity towards those who fell by unbelief ^[13].

Despite the challenges and uncertainties of life, the goodness of God provides a foundation for hope and assurance. Ecclesiastes 9:1 states that "the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them" ^[4]. This suggests that even when human understanding is limited, God's sovereign hand is at work. Hope in God is described as a work of the Holy Spirit, obtained through grace, the word, patience, and the comfort of the Scriptures ^[7]. This hope is characterized as good, lively, sure, steadfast, gladdening, and blessed ^[7].

The assurance of God's goodness is also linked to the resurrection of Jesus, which serves as a pledge that God's revelation is true and worthy of acceptance ^[8]. This "full assurance of faith" leaves no room for doubt and is an unwavering conviction in the truth of Scripture ^[8]. Matthew Henry, reflecting on Psalm 36:5, emphasizes that even when surrounded by the wickedness of the world, one can find comfort in the goodness of God, acknowledging His transcendent perfections ^[10]. Adam Clarke further notes that "The Lord is good" even "in the midst of judgment," remembering mercy and mingling promises of mercy with denunciations of wrath ^[12]. Those who trust in Him need not be alarmed by threats, as God knows those who trust in Him ^[12].

Sources

Psalms “Psalms 18:30 (BBE) — As for God, his way is completely good; the word of the Lord is tested; he is a breastplate for all those who put their faith in him.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Goodness of God — A perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Ps. 145:8, 9; 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 favour 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 ”
II Samuel “II Samuel 22:31 (BBE) — As for God, his way is all good: the word of the Lord is tested; he is a safe cover for all those who put their faith in him.”
Ecclesiastes “For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them. -- Ecclesiastes 9:1”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Mehetabel — how good is God”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Loving-Kindness of God, The — Is through Christ -- Eph 2:7; Tit 3:4-6. Described as Great. -- Ne 9:17. Excellent. -- Ps 36:7. Good. -- Ps 69:16. Marvellous. -- Ps 17:7; 31:21. Multitudinous. -- Isa 63:7. Everlasting. -- Isa 54:8. Merciful. -- Ps 117:2. Better than life. -- Ps 63:3. Consideration of the dealings of God gives a knowledge of -- Ps 107:43. Saints Betrothed in. -- Ho 2:19. Drawn by. -- Jer 31:3. Preserved by. -- Ps 40:11. Quickened after. -- Ps 119:88. Comforted by. -- Ps 119:76. Look for mercy through. -- Ps 51:1. Receive mercy through. -- Isa 54:8. Are ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hope — In God -- Ps 39:7; 1Pe 1:21. In Christ -- 1Co 15:19; 1Ti 1:1. In God's promises -- Ac 26:6,7; Tit 1:2. In the mercy of God -- Ps 33:18. Is the work of the Holy Spirit -- Ro 15:13; Ga 5:5. Obtained through Grace. -- 2Th 2:16. The word. -- Ps 119:81. Patience and comfort of the Scriptures. -- Ro 15:4. The gospel. -- Col 1:5,23. Faith. -- Ro 5:1,2; Ga 5:5. The result of experience -- Ro 5:4. A better hope brought in by Christ -- Heb 7:19. Described as Good. -- 2Th 2:16. Lively. -- 1Pe 1:3. Sure and steadfast. -- Heb 6:19. Gladdening. -- Pr 10:28. Blessed. -- Tit ”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Assurance — The resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:31) is the "assurance" (Gr. pistis, generally rendered "faith") or pledge God has given that his revelation is true and worthy of acceptance. The "full assurance [Gr. plerophoria, full bearing'] of faith" (Heb. 10:22) is a fulness of faith in God which leaves no room for doubt. The "full assurance of understanding" (Col. 2:2) is an entire unwavering conviction of the truth of the declarations of Scripture, a joyful steadfastness on the part of any one of conviction that he has grasped the very truth. The "full assurance ”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 15, section 3: of their freedom; and this so far, that their incredulity prompted them to throw stones at the prophet, while he encouraged them and promised them deliverance; and they resolved that they would deliver themselves up to the Egyptians. So there was sorrow and lamentation among the women and children, who had nothing but destruction before their eyes, while they were encompassed with mountains, the sea, and their enemies, and discerned no way of flying from them. 5. But Moses, though the multitude looked fiercely at him, did not, h”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 36:5: David, having looked round with grief upon the wickedness of the wicked, here looks up with comfort upon the goodness of God, a subject as delightful as the former was distasteful and very proper to be set in the balance against it. Observe, I. His meditations upon the grace of God. He sees the world polluted, himself endangered, and God dishonoured, by the transgressions of the wicked; but, of a sudden, he turns his eye, and heart, and speech, to God "However it be, yet thou art good." He here acknowledges, 1. The transcendent perfections of the divine nature. Am”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Isaiah, Vol. 1, section 13.16: of the power of God in confirmation of what he had said. The same goodness of God is now also displayed towards men, to whom he exercises such forbearance, when he might justly have been offended at them; for how shockingly do they insult God, when they doubt his truth? What do you leave to God, if you take that from him? And whatever may be our doubts, not only does he pardon us, but even aids our distrust, and not only by his word, but by adding miracles; and he exhibits them not only to believers, but also to the ungodly, which we may beh”
Nahum (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Nahum 1:7: The Lord is good - In the midst of judgment he remembers mercy; and among the most dreadful denunciations of wrath he mingles promises of mercy. None that trust in him need be alarmed at these dreadful threatenings; they shall be discriminated in the day of wrath, for the Lord knoweth them that trust in him.”
Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 11:22: Behold therefore the goodness, and severity of God,.... The consideration of both the grace and kindness of God to some, and his severity or strict justice towards others, is recommended by the apostle as very proper to abate pride, vain glory, and haughtiness of spirit; and to engage to humility, fear, care, and caution; on them which fell, severity: the Jews who stumbled at Christ and his Gospel, and fell by unbelief, God in strict justice and righteous judgment not only destroyed, as afterwards their nation, city, and temple, and scattered them abroad in the wor”

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