Every human recognizes some standard by which they call things good. Despite differing worldviews, most people view virtues like kindness and selflessness as good things. Along with virtues, beautiful things like sunsets or waterfalls are often considered good. But what makes something good? Is there anything that can be objectively good? Before we answer these questions let’s take note of what we already know. It definitely feels like some things are objectively good. It feels like some things are truly better than other things. For example, it feels like fairness is universally good, and it feels like being fair is almost always better than being unfair. It also feels like beauty in nature is universally good. Think back to how you feel when you are treated unfairly. You want to advocate for fair treatment in those moments, don’t you?
However, if it seems there is this standard of what is good, we should know where the standard comes from. Can humans have an objective standard of goodness without God?
First, we need to understand what objective goodness is. If something is objective, it is a true fact despite human opinion. Therefore, something objectively good is something that is good despite human opinion. This is where we run into our first problem. If the standard for goodness isn’t set by some mind beyond humanity, it must be set by humanity itself. Whenever standards are set by humans in this way, they’re just opinions.
Let’s consider other implications of a world where God doesn’t exist. One of them is that without God, life has no meaning. A godless world would be purely physical, with humans being accidents in evolution. All human actions would be determined by naturally selected brain states reacting to the environment. If all actions were determined, there would be no free will, so there could be no true purpose in life.
So, without God life has no meaning, but what about goodness?
The meaning of life changes the definition of what is good. For example, if the meaning of life is to be kind, the best thing humans can do is be kind. If the meaning is to be intelligent, the best thing humans can do is learn. If life is meaningless, there is no reason why working hard is more good being lazy, why loving people is more good being selfish, or why living is more good dying. There is no definition of goodness at all! If there is no meaning in life, nothing can be objectively good.
Without God there’s also no goodness, so what?
It’s true we don’t need objective goodness or even objective purpose to survive, but in a godless world, it’s no better to survive than it is to die. There is also no standard to hold others to—there are no obligations. If you think people are obligated to do things (be kind, fair, etc.), you believe in objective goodness! However, if you believe in objective goodness but don’t believe in God, your beliefs are in conflict. To live consistently, you must either stop recognizing anything as objectively good or accept that there is a mind beyond humans that grounds that goodness.
Thankfully, Christianity offers a way to embrace a world filled with goodness, meaning, and purpose. You don’t have to believe your life is devoid of these things. GOD is the standard of all that is good, and his unchanging nature defines true goodness in the world. We see this embodied in Jesus, AKA God in human form. The God of the Bible not only gives our lives goodness but also provides purpose and truth. Humans possess infinite value because we are made in the image of God. Our purpose is to love God and others, and these obligations are felt deeply in our hearts.
Written by Abbey Harvey