Theology of Morality

[Ruiz]

Okay, I am curious to what some would say about these questions. Which viewpoint do you hold to?

Is something just and right therefore God does it?

Or

Does God do something therefore it is just and right?

This, of course, is a famous question. I tend to think many on this list have argued differently than I would based on how they have argued in some debates. I do no think they would outright say it in the above format, but they argue for a certain viewpoint. I think the Bible is clear on this answer.

 

[Grace&Truth]

Neither....God is just and right by His very nature....He is the standard....and therefore He cannot do anything that is not right or just.

 

[Luke2427]

Okay, I am curious to what some would say about these questions. Which viewpoint do you hold to?

Is something just and right therefore God does it?

Or

Does God do something therefore it is just and right?

This, of course, is a famous question. I tend to think many on this list have argued differently than I would based on how they have argued in some debates. I do no think they would outright say it in the above format, but they argue for a certain viewpoint. I think the Bible is clear on this answer.

There is no doubt that it is the latter. Nothing predates God. There was no standard which existed before God and when He came along he had to conform to. Nor is there some rule that the Almighty must abide by.

What he does is good because he does it.

 

[LaymansTermsPlease]

Numerous ways this has been parsed over the centuries.


The Euthyphro Dilemma

From Wikipedia link: "Is what is morally good commanded by God because it is morally good, or is it morally good because it is commanded by God?"

Divine Command Theory

From Wikipedia link: "roughly, it is the view that there are no moral standards other than God's will: without God's commands, nothing would be right or wrong."

Your OP relates to right and wrong, but you can go this route with logic too. You can look to folks like Ronald Nash, Cornelius Van Til, Alvin Plantinga, etc. to see issues like are there eternal truths, see propositions like "not even God can make 2 plus 2 equal 5" debated.

Just another take on the question of: is there anything eternal and universal above and beyond God? I have to say no, of course. I cannot abide that either right and wrong, or logic, truth/error exist eternally before God.

We only know about the concepts because God has instilled them in us/revealed them to us...not because they are universal concepts that we happen to recognize as true and generally agree with God on.

 

[freeatlast]

Debate does not make truth. God is truth and all truth is of God. :wavey:

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Neither....God is just and right by His very nature....He is the standard....and therefore He cannot do anything that is not right or just.

splendid answer!:thumbs:

 

[J.D.]

Primary axiom: God is.

Secondary axiom: God is just.

Therefore, God's existence precedes his qualities. What God does is just because He created justice and declares its definition.

 

[Jon-Marc]

Neither....God is just and right by His very nature....He is the standard....and therefore He cannot do anything that is not right or just.

I definitely agree with this answer. God's holiness and purity sets the standard for what is right or wrong. Does cannot and will not violate His own truth.