Just one look at what is reported to go on in the world today, as well as the record of human history, it is an honest and fair assessment to say that the world is broken. Sure, there have been periods of peace and prosperity, but that has never been the case in all places at a specific timeframe as far back as we can read (with exception to the first two chapters of Genesis). If you spend just ten minutes watching the news, odds are you will be informed of several horrific, criminal, scandalous events; seldom do we hear positive reporting—evil equals ratings. The fact that each of us can perceive and determine that something is not “right” implies two things: 1) there is a way that the world should be (and often it is not), and 2) this disparity between right and wrong appeals to morality.
This begs the questions what is morality and where does morality come from? I believe the moral argument is the strongest argument for the existence of God. This is likely why it is one of the most attacked and undermined arguments by atheists and skeptics. Essentially, if there is no such thing as objective morality, reality is an “anything goes” existence. If there’s no moral standard or law which we appeal to in order to judge behaviors as right or wrong, moral or immoral, then we are free to do as we desire, and no one has any authority to say we are wrong.
There have been several formulations of the moral argument since its conception; among the more modern is CS Lewis’ version which states:
1. There must be a universal moral law, or else: (a) Moral disagreements would make no sense, as we all assume they do. (b) All moral criticisms would be meaningless (e.g., “The Nazis were wrong.”). (c) It is unnecessary to keep promises or treaties, as we all assume that it is. (d) We would not make excuses for breaking the moral law, as we all do.
2. But a universal moral law requires a universal Moral Law Giver, since the Source of it: (a) Gives moral commands (as lawgivers do). (b) Is interested in our behavior (as moral persons are).
3. Further, this universal Moral Law Giver must be absolutely good: (a) Otherwise all moral effort would be futile in the long run, since we could be sacrificing our lives for what is not ultimately right. (b) The source of all good must be absolutely good, since the standard of all good must be completely good.
4. Therefore, there must be an absolutely good Moral Law Giver.[1]
An even simpler form of the argument goes this way:
1. Every law has a law giver.
2. There is a Moral Law.
3. Therefore, there is a Moral Law Giver.[2]
Both arguments are straightforward and airtight in their claims. The issue for those who deny the existence of objective morality is the 2nd premise for both, the premise that points to the necessary existence of a Moral Law Giver, i.e. God. The problem for them is that if there is a God, there is Someone to Whom they are accountable.
Dr. Frank Turek illustrates it this way. When he’s engaging an atheist / skeptic, his initial pushback is in the form of a question: If Christianoty is true, would you become a Christian? If the answer is “yes,” the individual is on a quest for truth. If the answer is “no,” it is an issue of lordship (he / she wants to live their own life, follow their own desires, and not have to be accountable to someone else). It is an issue of volition or will. The “no” responders do not want to submit to another.
But what is the alternative? If there is no objective morality, then morality would be subjective in nature, meaning it changes from individual to individual, from culture to culture. Ultimately, though, no person or culture could make a moral judgement against another person or culture. To declare something as “right” or “wrong” one must appeal to a standard of morality which the judged behavior is either in accord with (right) or in violation of (wrong).
For Christians, we find the grounding of morality within the very nature of God. God is intrinsically good. This is demonstrated in the New Testament when the rich young ruler addresses Jesus by calling Him “Good master / teacher” and Jesus responds, “Why callest thou Me good? There is none good but God.” (Matt 19:16-29, Mark 10:17-22, Luke 18:18-23). In this passage, Jesus is not denying His deity, rather He is asking this rich young ruler if he understands the declaration he makes by calling Jesus “good.” In essence, he is identifying Jesus as God by describing Jesus with a characteristic of God’s nature. God is the source of goodness because it flows from Him.
Another strong element from the moral argument is the simple fact concerning the existence of laws. As you’re driving down the road, do you ever think the speed limit signs appeared for any reason other than an authority deemed that particular speed for that stretch of roadway? It is painstakingly obvious that laws doe not arbitrarily come into existence; there is a mind behind them and a process through which they are employed. The same applies to morality. Murder, stealing, lying, etc. are wrong because a Moral Law Giver established it as such. Those who want to argue that morality is subjective, if you pay attention as the conversation goes on, will begin to use moral judgements; they subconsciously know that morality is objective. As an experiment try this: if someone argues that morals are subjective, ask to see their wallet. When they hand it over, open it, take out the money, put the money in your pocket, and start to walk away. When they offer protest, ask them if there’s anything wrong? Their protesting reaction betrays their true understanding that objective morality exists. Things are “right” and things are “wrong” from a moral perspective. Try as they might to deny this fact of reality, we exist in a world of moral absolutes; governance and the rule of law would be impossible otherwise.
~In Christ
[1] Geisler, N. L. (1999). Moral Argument for God. In Baker encyclopedia of Christian apologetics (p. 500). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
[2] Geisler, N. L., & Turek, F. (2004). I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist (p. 171). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
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