Choosing God’s Standards of Morality Over Self-Determined Morality
The good news of the arrival of God’s rule in the person of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed across the globe. Some individuals have embraced this message, while others have vehemently rejected it. Essentially, they refuse to acknowledge Christ as the supreme authority in their lives, rejecting His leadership and His absolute sovereignty.
A significant number of people completely deny the existence of God and the historical reality of Jesus, despite substantial evidence that suggests otherwise. Even among those who believe in God and acknowledge Jesus’ existence, there are those who deny the resurrection, despite overwhelming historical accounts from firsthand witnesses. However, amidst these skeptics, there are notable instances of individuals who willingly approached the evidence with an open mind and discovered the truth for themselves. They found themselves unable to refute the facts; instead, the evidence convinced them of its authenticity.
If the resurrection is indeed true, then that means that Jesus is alive to this day, and the opportunity to encounter Him remains open. By placing your trust in Him and pledging allegiance to Him, He ensures the forgiveness of your sins and a chance for a new beginning. I wholeheartedly urge you to take this step with genuine determination and witness the remarkable transformation it brings to your life. This personal experience would serve as the most compelling evidence of Jesus’ existence and reality.
Since the inception of the Jesus movement, down to this day, countless lives, including mine, have undergone profound inner transformation through encounters with the resurrected Jesus wherever His message is proclaimed. These individuals bear witness to the undeniable reality of Jesus and His extraordinary ability to bring about life-altering transformations.
In light of the overwhelming testimony from numerous witnesses, one may wonder why not everyone is persuaded? The answer is apparent: they are unwilling to consider the evidence. Why do they refuse to do so? Because they are not willing to confront the possibility of altering their way of life that comes with the discovery of the truth. If only they would consider the evidence with an open mindset, they would come to the realization that everything Jesus said is true. However, such a realization would demand a change in their way of life, and hence, they are reluctant to embrace it. They find comfort in the darkness and are reluctant to approach the light, fearing their dark ways will be exposed (John 3:19–20).
I once watched a video where the popular Israeli historian Yuval Noah Harari was asked the question, “Do you believe in God?” In response, he went on and on to describe two kinds of God: One is a mysterious God that we know nothing about. According to Harari, “the chief characteristic of the mysterious God is that we know nothing about him or her or it and I’m perfectly happy with this God.” The other is a lawgiver God that tells us how to live our lives. And this according to Harari is the God he doesn’t believe in. As a matter of fact, he dislikes that kind of God.
Well, this should not surprise anyone. People don’t want God telling them how to live their lives. They don’t want the creator God to be the moral authority over their lives and tell them what is good and what is not good. They want to experience it first hand and decide for themselves whether it is good or bad for them. This is inherent in human nature. It is the original sin. This is what choosing to eat from the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil represents as recorded in the following text:
The snake (Satatn) asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?” “We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden,” the woman answered, “except the tree in the middle of it (the tree of the knowledge of good and evil). God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die.” The snake replied, “That’s not true; you will not die. God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad” (Genesis 3: 1–5 GNT, emphasis added).
By choosing to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Adam and Eve usurped God’s prerogative to define good and evil. They no longer accepted God to determine what was right or wrong for them; they were going to decide for themselves, what to do with their lives apart from God.
The concept of the “knowledge of good and evil” goes beyond mere understanding of right and wrong; it involves the act of determining what is right and wrong for yourself. Humankind transgression lies not only in breaking God’s moral code but also in creating their own moral code as it suits them. In essence, they are basically saying, “From this point forward, God, we want to dictate the rules that govern our lives.” It was an attempt to be like God, but without any noble intentions. They were seizing His power and asserting their autonomy. This has remained the nature of sin throughout history.
Now you see why Harari and many others like him prefer the so-called “mysterious” God that doesn’t care about how they live their lives instead of the “lawgiver God” that wants to be the moral authority over their lives. They want to be the moral authority over their own lives. They want to taste good and evil and decide for themselves whether it is good or not. They do not want a God to submit to, rather they want a God that submits to them. Welcome to the world of moral relativism and subjective morality.
Moral relativism and subjective morality suggest that moral judgments are relative to individual or cultural perspectives and dependent on personal preferences or emotions. These perspectives can contribute to social fragmentation, as a common moral foundation is lacking. Without shared norms and principles, polarization increases, and trust breaks down. There is also a risk of justifying harmful actions, as morality based solely on personal or cultural preferences can rationalize behaviors that infringe upon the well-being of others.
When individuals or societies define good and evil solely based on their own terms and exclude God as the universal moral authority, it can lead to loss of moral accountability and a state of moral decay and chaos. The absence of a higher moral authority can erode the foundations of ethical decision-making and undermine the pursuit of justice, compassion, and the common good. This can ultimately lead to a metaphorical “hell on earth” where moral principles become subjective and the consequences are detrimental to individuals and society as a whole.
The rejection of God as the moral authority can inadvertently lead to the acceptance of morally dubious actions under the guise of personal freedom. God Himself clearly warned Adam and Eve that taking this path ultimately leads to death because it disconnects them from the very source of life — God. Unfortunately, this is our shared reality because we are all guilty of this sin.
But Jesus paid the ultimate price “so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Apostle Paul reflecting on the failure of Adam versus the triumph of Christ noted thus: “So then, as the one sin condemned all people, in the same way the one righteous act sets all people free and gives them life. And just as all people were made sinners as the result of the disobedience of one man, in the same way they will all be put right with God as the result of the obedience of the one man” (Romans 5:18–19). So all you need to do is to “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your family.” What an amazing gift!
However, believing in Jesus demands a decision. A decision to change our way of life, and hence, many are reluctant to embrace it because they’re unwilling to turn over a new leaf. Instead they hide behind an intellectual guise, using the argument of “insufficient evidence for the existence of God or Christ” as a smokescreen to avoid embracing the truth. We must be aware that God will hold each and every one of us accountable for our actions. It is a sobering reality that demands our attention. Rejecting Jesus’ offer means you’re willingly signing up to be hurt by the second death because you will be forever disconnected from the very source of life.
Therefore, I urge you, dear friends, to carefully consider the weight of this truth. Embracing God as the moral authority over our lives is not merely a religious choice, but a decision that has eternal consequences. Let us not be swayed by the allure of comfortable intellectual arguments or the temptation to remain stagnant. Instead, I invite you to make a conscious choice, a deliberate decision to turn towards God, to embrace His love, grace, and the redemption offered through Jesus. It is in this surrender that we find true life and forgiveness for our moral failures by the ultimate moral authority. The time for decision-making is now; may we choose wisely and embrace the truth that leads to eternal fulfillment.
This article was originally published on amakiriwells.org
