Think about these instances:
- President Obama struggled to call radical Islamic terrorism by that name.
- Over the past weekend, President Trump failed to use the words “white supremacism” and “terror attack” when referring to the awful events in Virginia.
- I saw on Twitter that someone had written a widely recognized church leader asking if they should discipline a member of their congregation who attended and refused to disavow the message of blatant white supremacism. (For those wondering, the answer would be yes.)
- Some are re-thinking pedophilia as a mental disorder.
These instances may or may not surprise us, but they do fit what I think shows a larger tendency to gloss moral issues.
What we see in these examples points to a blurry, gray approach to morality where everyone can determine their own and demonize those who desire more clarity.
A question, from the halls of Dr. Phil thinking: how’s that working for you? (Note: I don’t visit the halls of Dr. Phil thinking on a regular basis!)
When relational, sexual, and general ethical issues reduce to the sum total of human input or reasoning, we have a problem. Morality, if you believe in an absolute morality, must come from a greater source. I believe that source is God, who exists eternal (always has and will) and possesses full authority over the earth as its Creator. I believe the Bible’s endless references to the truth of God’s Word establish clear moral lines for our thinking and behavior.
And if you don’t believe in an absolute morality, you believe it’s okay for everyone to make up their own standards. This will guarantee relentless shifting in moral standards like we see in today’s culture.
So no, I am not free to make up what I want to think about gender, sex, marriage, race, and criminal offense. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I submit my will to what the Bible says and seek God’s grace as I strive to draw closer to His will always.
And no, people who espouse views of one race as superior to others aren’t right, can’t be right, and never will be right. This is clear. God has clear boundaries for human behavior.
Think. Do you think the kind of racism we saw this weekend is the only kind present in our country? It exists on much smaller levels, perhaps including our own hearts and minds. If you struggle at all with racism, repent and ask God to forgive you. If you mean it, He will. Jesus died so you can experience forgiveness for racism or any other sin. Trust fully in Jesus’ sacrifice, one we could never make. Be clear with your morality and don’t draw back in fear regarding moral issues. God loves us enough to give moral boundaries to us!
Act. Meditate and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to live more fully the commands to love God and neighbor (see Matthew 22:37-40). Seek practical ways to live for justice, unity, and harmony. As with any form of obedience, it will come with challenges to our thinking, time, and perhaps other resource as well.