If “good” is good only because God says so, then goodness has no meaning. If He chose, God could take what is “evil” today and pronounce it “good” tomorrow. On the other hand, if God is powerless to determine what is “good” or “evil” in and of Himself, but is instead subject to some standard outside His control, can He really be considered an almighty and sovereign God?
From a study of God’s Word, we understand that good and evil are objective qualities not based on a constantly-changing Divine mind (Malachi 3:5-6; cf. Romans 11:29; Hebrews 6:13-18; James 1:17). The distinction between good and evil exists because it is God-defined — that definition being based on the very nature of God (Isaiah 6:3; Habakkuk 1:13) — Himself being the ultimate standard (John 17:17; John 12:48-49; John 14:10; 1 Peter 1:15-16; cf. Leviticus 11:44).
Deep down in his heart, even the atheist understands this unchanging concept. His disbelief in God is solely rooted in rebellious self-will — not in an insufficiency of plain, coherent evidence (cf. Romans 1:18-20; Hebrews 11:3). We have to be taught “which” things are right and “which” things are wrong, and that is exactly why God has provided us His inerrant Word as the standard of right or righteousness (Psalm 119:142; Psalm 119:151; Psalm 19:9; cf. Romans 1:16-17; Romans 10:3; Hebrews 5:14; Romans 7:7-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3).
—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets
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