Is it good because God commands it, or God commands it because it is good?

The Euthyphro Dilemma, posed by Plato, questions whether something is good because God commands it, or if God commands it because it is good. Modern thinkers argue this is a false dilemma, suggesting a third option: God’s nature is the standard of goodness. William Lane Craig asserts that morality is grounded in God’s unchanging nature, inherently good. C.S. Lewis, in Mere Christianity, suggests that our moral sense points to a moral lawgiver. Alvin Plantinga argues that moral truths are part of reality’s structure, grounded in God’s nature. Robert Adams posits that God’s commands are rooted in His perfectly good nature, making them necessarily good. Matthew Flannagan contends that the dilemma is resolved by recognizing God as the source and standard of all moral values.

Early Church Fathers also addressed this issue. Augustine of Hippo argued that God’s nature is the very definition of goodness, emphasizing that God is immutable and His will is always aligned with His perfect nature. Thomas Aquinas built on this, asserting that God’s nature and goodness are identical, and that moral laws are a reflection of God’s eternal law (Summa Theologica, I-II, Q. 94, Art. 2). Athanasius of Alexandria emphasized that God’s commands are inherently good because they reflect His divine character. Jewish sources, such as the Mishnah, highlight the protective nature of divine law in safeguarding the community from corruption, underscoring God’s concern for holiness and justice.

Scripture supports this perspective: James 1:17 states that every good gift is from above, suggesting that goodness flows from God. Psalm 19:7-9 describes God’s laws as perfect, reflecting His nature. 1 John 4:8 declares that God is love, emphasizing love as inherent to His being. Micah 6:8 highlights that God requires justice, kindness, and humility, reflecting His character. A syllogism can further clarify:

1. If God is the ultimate standard of goodness, then His nature defines what is good.

2. God’s nature is unchanging and perfectly good.

3. Therefore, what God commands is good because it aligns with His nature.

Atheists often question the goodness of God in light of difficult biblical passages, such as those involving genocide. These accounts raise the question: how can these actions be reconciled with a good God? To address this, it’s critical to examine the historical and cultural context. God’s commands were not about annihilating people based on race or ethnicity but were directed at eliminating cultures steeped in rebellion and sin. For example, the Canaanite cultures practiced child sacrifice, offering their children to the arms of Molech (Leviticus 18:21), and temple prostitution, which desecrated the sanctity of human life and morality. God’s intention was to protect His people from being corrupted by these practices, as seen in Deuteronomy 9:4-5, which clarifies that the Israelites were not chosen for their own righteousness but to carry out God’s justice against these abominable practices.

Critics often equate biblical slavery with the chattel slavery of the modern era, characterized by dehumanization and ownership of individuals. However, the Hebrew Bible presents a different picture. Slavery often resembled indentured servitude, providing a solution for those facing starvation or prisoners of war. In many cases, it was a temporary arrangement with built-in protections, such as the Sabbath year and Jubilee (Exodus 21:2; Leviticus 25:10). Slaves had rights and protections under the Law, and abuse was explicitly condemned (Exodus 21:20-21). This humane approach stands in stark contrast to the harsh, dehumanizing systems of more recent history. The Mishnah even includes discussions of releasing slaves who are abused or mistreated, reinforcing the ethical framework within which servitude operated.

Philosophers like David Hume and Friedrich Nietzsche argue that morality is a human construct, arising from societal or evolutionary pressures rather than an objective standard. However, this raises significant problems: if morality is subjective or pragmatic, it loses its binding authority. As C.S. Lewis famously observed, “A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line.” Without a transcendent source, the very concept of good and evil becomes meaningless. Nietzsche himself acknowledged that the death of God would leave humanity without a grounding for objective morality (The Gay Science, §125).

Emotionally, it is understandable that these topics provoke deep discomfort. The accounts of divine judgment in the Bible, especially concerning entire nations, challenge modern sensibilities. Yet they must be viewed through the lens of God’s justice, patience, and grace. Scripture reveals that God waited centuries before judging the Canaanites, giving them ample time for repentance (Genesis 15:16). Similarly, the laws surrounding servitude provided a humane solution to economic desperation in a world without modern welfare systems. Far from endorsing oppression, these laws reflected God’s concern for the vulnerable and oppressed (Exodus 22:21-23).

Those who use the Euthyphro Dilemma or biblical controversies to discredit God might consider: If moral values exist, what is their grounding without God? How can an objective moral standard exist in a purely material universe? Are we willing to examine the historical and cultural context of biblical accounts with fairness? Does the recognition of evil itself not point to a moral lawgiver, as C.S. Lewis argues? Finally, could human limitations in understanding divine justice imply the need for humility rather than presumption?

References

Aquinas, Thomas. Summa Theologica. Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province. New York: Benziger Bros., 1947.

Augustine of Hippo. On Christian Doctrine. Edited by Philip Schaff. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1956.

Craig, William Lane. Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008.

C.S. Lewis. Mere Christianity. New York: HarperOne, 2001.

Flannagan, Matthew, and Paul Copan. Did God Really Command Genocide? Coming to Terms with the Justice of God. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014.

Hume, David. An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals. Edited by Tom L. Beauchamp. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Lewis, C.S. The Problem of Pain. New York: HarperOne, 2001.

Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Gay Science. Translated by Walter Kaufmann. New York: Vintage Books, 1974.

Plantinga, Alvin. God, Freedom, and Evil. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1977.

The Mishnah. Translated by Herbert Danby. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1933.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001.