Euthyphro’s dilemma comes from one of Plato’s dialogues, where Socrates asks whether something is good because the gods command it or whether the gods command it because it is already good. The first option is arbitrary since it was not based on any standard, whereas the second implies appeal to a higher moral standard. Applied to the Christian God, the question is how to avoid goodness being arbitrary and the existence of a higher standard than God that defines what is good.
The orthodox answer is that the Bible grounds the definition of goodness in God’s nature. He is neither arbitrarily declaring things good nor appealing to an external standard. Instead, goodness aligns with who He is.
God’s declarations of what is good reflect His own nature, which is righteous (Habakkuk 1:13), just (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 145:17), and holy (Leviticus 11:44–45; 1 Peter 1:15–16). Since He is unchanging (Malachi 3:6), the standard of what is good never changes.
“Do you want broccoli or beets with dinner?” Our choices aren’t always good ones. But if we’re given only two, we figure we have to select one. This is how the Euthyphro Dilemma is presented—only two choices. But actually, the Euthyphro dilemma exemplifies the either/or fallacy, i.e., presenting just two choices as if they’re the only options, when in fact there are others. Euthyphro dilemma fails to consider the third option, which happens to be the right one: God’s perfect nature means His commands are expressions of what is truly good, not based on arbitrary rules or His personal preferences.
What this means for Christians is that we can trust in God because He is good. When He tells us to flee a particular sin or pursue a specific virtue, He is revealing what aligns with His holy nature and what brings real life. Those who ignore those commands reveal that their heart prefers evil to goodness. Sadly, Scripture explains that this is the condition of every person, which is why the Bible describes all people as born under His condemnation. But in His goodness, God sent His Son to die for sinners—that’s us! Tell someone today what the real “dilemma” is: Choosing Christ who brings eternal life or rejecting Him and choosing eternal damnation. The choice should be easy.
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