Morality is dead. It’s as dead as old Jacob Marley.
Maybe that is an overstatement, but morality is surely on life support, and her heart rate is dropping quickly. Previously, we have written of moral failures by politicians. But more concerning is the excusing gymnastics done by church leaders in defense of their chosen party. It has continued this week in the form of “evangelical leaders” who are excusing reports of marital infidelity. I support most of the political positions of this person. But I do not have to agree or excuse every aspect of his conduct. Indeed, I cannot. These so-called leaders should be ashamed.
God Judges Morality
God is the righteous judge (Psalm 7:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:5; 2 Timothy 4:8). He will judge all at the appointed time (Acts 10:42; Hebrews 9:27). God will judge based on his word (Revelation 20:12). No man has the right or responsibility to send another man to hell or to grant him eternal life. Such is solely the province of God. However, we do have a responsibility to identify and rebuke sin wherever it arises (2 Timothy 4:2). Such is impossible without wise observations.
If a person denies immoral conduct, we are almost certainly left with incomplete knowledge and should proceed cautiously and with extreme humility. But we must never squander the opportunity to call sin what it is: an unholy, God-opposing act of pride.
Unchanging Morality
Morality doesn’t change and is not modified by current thought. Society is must never be the source of morality. Morality is not a democratic principle to be debated and decided based on majority opinions or votes. Morality is fixed. The Lord is the source of morality, and he doesn’t change (Hebrews 13:8). God is not a man, and he is wholly external to our world. Since he is not subject to our world, he is the perfect lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22; James 4:12). His word has been given “once for all.” (Jude 3).
To argue that morality changes with time are a human power grab. If a man can control morality, he can then live any way he chooses. Consider the immorality of human slavery. I doubt any thinking person would call the 19th-century American slavery laws moral. They were not. Yet, those laws were legal! The Nuremberg Laws of 1935 were passed by the German Reichstag and were the basis for the immoral treatment of Jewish persons. These laws and their subsequent enforcement were undeniably immoral, but they were legal! It should be clear that man has no business tampering with morality.
Calling Sin What It Is: Sin
In an effort to appease some people we have become non-confrontational. We do not wish to offend. In truth, we do no good to a sinner when we ignore his separation from God. He has developed “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3) and we are only scratching that itch! No man is perfect. All sin (Romans 3:23). We must all work together to overcome sin. I may support many things bout a man. I may respect his successes and his thoughts. But I must never be seen as supportive of his sin.
— Bryant Evans
