In this article, we will continue our study and look at the fruit of the Spirit: Goodness. We will look at this attribute and see how it applies to our lives and walk as Christians. So, grab your Bible, and let’s dig in…

As Christians, the Fruit Of The Spirit is a trait we can only receive through the Holy Spirit that lives within us as we walk and abide in Christ. It is a reminder to have a closer relationship with God to become more Christlike in our character, thoughts, and deeds.

We read in Galatians 5:22-24 about the attributes or characteristics of the Fruit of The Spirit, and the 6^th attribute is goodness. The term goodness isn’t really used a lot in our modern culture. So, what does this goodness actually mean?

The Meaning Of Goodness: An Attribute Of The Fruit Of The Spirit

When we accept Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit lives within us, and it is this Spirit that directs, drives, and allows us to do good deeds. The Bible speaks about showing goodness to others, doing good deeds for others, or directing others along the right path.

Goodness is never asking for something in return but giving freely our time, material, support, and guidance.

The word goodness in Greek is ‘agathosune,‘ which translates to doing good to benefit others.

STRONGS CONCORDANCE – GREEK
ἀγαθωσύνηagathōsýnē, ag-ath-o-soo’-nay; from G18; goodness, i.e. virtue or beneficence:—goodness.

Only God is good (Mark 10:18), but because we have faith, His Spirit lives within us so that we may produce good deeds and become more like Jesus!

The goodness we portray should come from the depths of our souls and be a blessing to others.

Goodness is not boasting about what we do nor asking for praise, admiration, or thanks. This is exactly what the Pharisees and Sadducees wanted. They want their good deeds to be noticed.

If someone is on the wrong path, we need to guide them with compassion and kindness so that they may see in us the goodness of God. It is simply doing something good for someone as God the Father does for us every day of our lives.

When we show goodness to others, we live the way that is pleasing to Him (Matthew 5:16).

What Is The Goodness of God

To know God is to know that He is always good and that His love for us endures forever (Psalm 107:1). God also gives us good blessings and gifts, and His goodness never changes. (James 1:17). Throughout the Bible, we can see that goodness is a character trait associated with God and how He shows His goodness to us. Here are some of these examples are:

• We see it in God’s creation when He created the Earth and all its living beings (Genesis 1:31). We can see it every day in the sun’s rising and setting, the moon and stars at night, the seasons of the year, and in every living plant and creature that He has created.
  

• The gift of a new day that we live on Earth is another way God shows His goodness to us. He knows everything about us and cares deeply for us. We only have to have faith that He will provide for us. Even in hard times when things look bleak, God is faithful and is always with us. We read about this in Romans 8:28.
  
  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. -Romans 8:28
  

• When we put our lives in God’s Hands and trust Him, He will answer our prayers and show us His goodness in the wonderful blessings He gives us. (Lamentation 3:25)
  

• God shows his goodness to us through His mercy and forgiveness of our sins. We need to come to Him daily for forgiveness because we are all sinners and all fall short of the glory of God. We can ask God for forgiveness through Christ dying on the cross for our sins, so we must also forgive others.

The greatest act of love and goodness toward us was at the crucifixion when God sent His Son to die for our sins. Jesus was innocent and without sin but died so that we, as sinners, can have eternal life. This sacrifice is a daily reminder of the wonderful goodness of God. (John 3:16)

Biblical Characters Who Showed Goodness

The most remarkable example in the Bible of goodness is when Jesus hung on the cross and was thinking of us and not Himself, obedient to God’s Will.

In John 12:27, Jesus said that although His soul is in turmoil, He will fulfill His purpose and offer Himself to God.

Other people in the Bible who showed the attribute of goodness were:

The Good Samaritan

³⁵ On the next day,when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ ³⁶ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” – Luke 10:35-37

Jesus tells us of the good Samaritan in Luke 10:35-37. A Jewish traveler was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was severely attacked by robbers and was left for dead. First, a priest passed by, and then a Levite, but none offered the man any help.

A man from Samaria stopped to help the man. Although he risked his life to offer help because the Samaritans were hated by the Jews, he still came to the man’s rescue. He bound his wounds and took him to the Inn, where he paid the innkeeper to look after the man.

The good Samaritan is a perfect example of showing goodness to another without asking for anything in return.

Esther Saves The Jewish People Of Persia

Esther was a young Jewish orphan living in Persia with her cousin Mordecai. The king during this time was King Xerxes, and on seeing Esther, he fell in love with her, and she became the queen of Persia. However, she did not tell the king that she was Jewish.

Mordecai heard of a plot to kill the king, and he warned the king, so he was allowed to work in the palace, but the king’s advisor Haman did not like Mordecai as he refused to bow to him. Haman tricked the king into sentencing Mordecai and every other Jew in Persia to death.

Esther was brave and only thought of her people that could be killed. She told the king about Haman and revealed her identity.

Esther portrayed the quality of goodness toward her people by not thinking of herself and only wanting to save them. She did the right thing, and God saved the people of Israel through her actions.

King Hezekiah Was A Good King

In 2 Chronicles 29:10, we read about Hezekiah, who became king and showed goodness through his actions. He re-opened the Lord’s temple, and after cleansing it, he commanded that the people return to their faith and worship God. This was amazing compared to so many other evil kings in the past.

The goodness he portrayed stemmed from a heart filled with love for God. (2 Chronicles 30:9)

How Can We Show Goodness In Our Lives Today

To show goodness in our lives today, we need to:

• Be in a close relationship with God so that through the Holy Spirit, the attribute of goodness may be seen in us.

• Keep reading God’s word, seek Him in prayer, and get into His presence so that our faith can be nourished and we can continue to grow and sow the seeds of faith.

• Do good deeds and help others by benefitting them and seeking no rewards or gains for ourselves. We can give our time to help at homes for older people or volunteer to help at homes or centers for people with disabilities.

• Do what is morally right and good by having integrity and being honest with ourselves and others.

• Learn from other Christians so that we may grow and live a life of purpose and be humble toward others, continually striving to live a good life.

By portraying the attribute of goodness through the Holy Spirit within us, we are pleasing God. We can be sure of his promise to us in Psalm 23:6, which says that God’s mercy and goodness will be with us all the days of our life, and we will dwell in God’s house forever.

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One of the qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit is Goodness. We, as Christians, must strive to portray this attribute in our lives through the Holy Spirit that lives within us. When we live a life of goodness, our actions, manner, and thoughts should be a testament to the goodness of God. To do this, we must maintain a close relationship with God, humble ourselves in prayer, and be steadfast in our faith.

When we freely give of ourselves and our time to help others and live our lives with integrity and honesty, it pleases God, and He will give us His blessing.

More On The Fruit Of The Spirit

If you have enjoyed this study on The Fruit Of The Spirit: Goodness, please let me know below in the comments! I would love to hear from you, and don’t forget to check out more on the fruit of the holy spirit in these other articles.