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Moral Living: Part I
Bible study on morality.

I would like to introduce a series of articles concerned with living morally in an increasingly immoral world. In the first few articles, let us examine the logical relationships between morality, ethics, law, society, and God. Certainly, we must first understand the meaning of morality in order to discuss it in relation to God and his word. Furthermore, without an understanding of morality and its link to scriptures, we can not refute those who appeal to the adulterated conscience of mankind, apart from God, to substantiate liberal views of morality which seek to gratify the flesh in ungodliness.

As a freshman in college, I took a philosophy class. The professor of this class told us to never bring up a discussion concerning God and religion because he would unmercifully disprove our position. Since we were all straight out of high school, we were afraid to confront our older and apparently "wiser" professor. So, no one ever brought up God or religion in class. Instead, we studied the belief systems of Plato, Socrates, and others. Thankfully, we finally studied some philosophers who believed in God.

Notice, I said the "belief systems" of philosophers. Webster's new Collegiate Dictionary defines philosophy as: "1 a: pursuit of wisdom b: a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means c: an analysis of the grounds of and concepts expressing fundamental beliefs ... all learning exclusive of technical precepts and practical arts ... the sciences and liberal arts exclusive of medicine, law, and theology". Now, my point is that morality as espoused by mortal men who appeal to no higher form of thinking than mortality itself is simply a value system concocted in their own earthly mind. And, to put faith in the value systems of mortal men, based upon speculative reasoning, is to trust in humanism.

Humanism is defined by Webster as: "a doctrine, attitude, or way of life centered on human interests or values; esp: a philosophy that asserts the dignity and worth of man and his capacity for self-realization through reason and that often rejects supernaturalism." Notice that humanism is centered on human interest instead of godly interests. And, humanism is interested in self- realization instead of spiritual-realization in Christ. So, each one of us must decide if we are going to embrace humanism or God. We can not embrace both - one must be rejected. Jesus says that: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon" (Matt. 6:24).

Humanistic philosophies and interests contradict the Bible and therefore are contrary to godly living. Note these passages as Jesus and Paul teach to deny, crucify, lose self; they do not teach to seek human interests and values in obtaining self-realization as taught by humanists

  • "Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul.'" Matt. 16:24-26

  • "And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Gal. 5:24

  • "For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Rom. 8:13

  • "I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ our Lord, I die daily." I Cor. 15:31

So, we have the value systems (plural) of humanism opposed to the value system (singular) of God. We must individually determine if we are going to appeal to the ever changing standards of mankind, or the ever constant standard of God. The Bible warns in Hebrews 13:8-9: " Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. ..." Morality from God is not changing; it is constant from generation to generation. Right and wrong has not changed; the seared conscience of mankind has changed.

Watch for the next article in this series wherein we will explore the definitions of morality and ethics. We will also examine morality as it entered into the world with Adam and Eve, and we will investigate the relationship between morality and law.