The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Good and God

This falls under the general question of “why should we do good?”
The utilitarianists think that we should do good because it makes the most amount of people happy. A Pragmatist will do good only because it achieves a desired result.

To contemplate the option, “should we do good because it is good” – we must ask “what makes a thing good”? As Plato asks in Euthyphro concerning the definition of “pious”: “Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods?” So we ask is something good because it pleases God, or is God pleased with it because it is good? Are the works of god good only through the formal reason that he made them, or did he make them because they were good? It is in reflecting upon the works that we are able to discover the one who wrought. They must therefore bear in themselves his character. If the works of god were good only through the formal reason that he made them, then he would not have to regard them afterwards and pronounce them good. (God saw that it was good.) Leibniz noted (a philosopher who I think was kind of a mystic but did believe in God even though he got a lot of things very wrong) “Why praise him for what he has done, if he would be equally praiseworthy in doing the contrary”?

However, back to the original question: Should we do good because it is good? Or Should we do good because it pleases God?

I would answer with Option 2. Because 1) God command us to do good. Depart from evil, and do good; Trust in the LORD, and do good;
2) As Christians we CAN have a reason to do good, other than that it is good. In other words, the first option is just plain not very satisfying. Why should we do good because it is good? I cannot tell. Why should we do good because it pleases God? Because the alternative of not doing good would bring the wrath of God upon us. It just seems more compelling.


Or you could combine them and say that we should do good because it is good to please God.
The utilitarian view will never seem to find absolutes in moral values no matter how hard they try; the relativists will try to destroy even the meaning right and wrong. On and on. But WE have an unchanging God, and therefore our moral values are unchanging- the definition of “good” does not “evolve” along with human development. (i.e. we once thought it was “good” not to accept the homosexual lifestyle as a “good” lifestyle – but our values have “evolved” so that the world calls evil good and good evil. The world says woe to them that are not tolerant, - not knowing that their putting darkness for light, and light for darkness; will call god’s judgment upon them.)

But we rejoice in that God hath showed us what is good.
Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Then again, I submit option three as to why we do good:
Premise One is that doing good is to fear God, and to keep God’s commandments.
Premise Two Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Therefore, we do good because we Love God.