_Stage One Orientation – Essay Four (a)

Who Defines What Is Truly Good?

If our worldview is shaped not only by truth but by what we desire, then we are not reliable judges of what is truly good. We do not begin from a neutral position. We begin from within a system already influenced by what we want to be true, what feels meaningful, and what allows us to live comfortably. That means the question of the good cannot be left in our hands without examination. So we must ask directly, who has the authority to define what is truly good?

The Problem with Self-Defined Good

If we define the good for ourselves, then the standard will shift with us. What feels right becomes what is right. What benefits us becomes what is justified. This may appear workable in the short term, but it cannot hold under pressure because it has no fixed reference point.

We have already seen that our desires are not naturally aligned with truth. If that is the case, then a self-defined good will reflect our disorder rather than correct it. We will not rise toward what is truly good. We will reshape the good to fit ourselves.

Scripture exposes this tendency clearly: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25, ESV). That is not presented as freedom. It is presented as a warning. When the standard comes from within us, confusion follows.

So we must ask, if we define the good ourselves, how can we know we are not simply justifying what we already prefer?

The Need for a Standard Outside Ourselves

If we cannot trust ourselves as the source of the good, then the standard must come from outside of us. It must be fixed, not shifting. It must define reality rather than adjust to it.

This is not a religious assumption. It is a logical necessity. A changing standard cannot correct what is wrong. It can only mirror it. If we are to be aligned with what is truly good, that good must exist independent of our opinions.

Scripture speaks directly to this: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17, ESV). The good is not something we invent. It is something we receive.

So we must ask, are we willing to accept that the good is defined outside of us, even when it challenges what we want?

Why This Feels Difficult

This shift is not easy, because it requires us to give up control. If the good is defined by God, then we are no longer free to redefine it. We are called to align with it.

That confronts something deeper than behavior. It confronts our sense of authority. We prefer to remain the ones who decide what is acceptable, what is necessary, and what is right. But if our desires are part of the problem, then our authority cannot be the solution.

Proverbs gives a clear warning: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12, ESV). The phrase seems right is the issue. Our perception is not a reliable guide.

So we must ask, are we willing to question what seems right to us, or do we treat our instincts as trustworthy by default?

The Difference Between Discovering and Defining

At this point, we must make a distinction. There is a difference between discovering the good and defining it. If we are discovering it, then we are submitting to something already real. If we are defining it, then we are creating something that reflects us.

This difference shapes everything that follows. A discovered good can correct us. A defined good cannot. It will always bend toward our preferences.

Jesus speaks as one who reveals rather than negotiates truth: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6, ESV). That is not an invitation to redefine the good. It is a declaration of what is.

So we must ask, are we trying to discover what is true, or are we trying to make truth fit our lives?

What This Means for Our Worldview

If the good is defined outside of us, then our worldview must be corrected, not simply expressed. We cannot assume that what we currently believe is accurate. It must be examined, adjusted, and in some cases replaced.

This is where the pressure increases. It is one thing to admit that truth exists. It is another to admit that we may be misaligned with it. But if we avoid that step, we will continue building on a distorted foundation.

Scripture calls for this kind of correction: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Romans 12:2, ESV). Transformation requires change. Change requires that something in us is wrong.

So we must ask, are we willing to let our worldview be corrected, or are we only willing to adjust it where it is convenient?

What We Have Seen

We have seen that we are not neutral in how we define the good. Our desires influence our thinking, and our thinking shapes our worldview. If we rely on ourselves as the standard, we will not arrive at what is truly good. We will create something that reflects us instead of reality.

This means the good must be defined outside of us. It must come from a source that is not affected by our preferences, our limitations, or our inconsistencies.

Where This Leads

This brings us to the next question, which now becomes unavoidable.

If the good is defined outside of us, and if we are not naturally aligned with it, then are we actually living in alignment with the good we claim to believe in?

That is where we turn next.

Personal Reflection Questions

Understanding
Why is a self-defined standard of good ultimately unstable?

Examination
Where in your life have you quietly redefined what is good to fit what is easier or more comfortable?
Do you treat your instincts as trustworthy, or are you willing to question them?

Action
What is one area of your life where you need to submit your definition of good to what God says is true?