I heard a discussion recently that flies in the face of some modern philosophy, but that is thoroughly biblical, insightful, and encouraging. I wanted to share the essence of what I heard with you.
If we are going to consider right and wrong, we have to consider God. I am convinced that there is a God in heaven that He is alive and well. I am also convinced that he is the ultimate judge and arbiter of what is right and wrong.
God has communicated Himself to us in three primary ways:
First, in creation - We can learn some things about what God is like by observing creation. Psalm 19:1. When we observe creation we recognize that God must be powerful, wise, and that he must be glorious, splendiferous, and distinct.
The second way God has communicated himself with us is in the person of Christ - He has communicated to us through His Son - Hebrews 1:1–2; John 14:9
Jesus was God in the flesh - I Timothy 3:16. Jesus modeled for us how to approach and handle life.
The third way that God has communicated Himself to us is in the “canon” - This is a term referencing the Holy Scriptures. The Bible is the primary tool that we have to guide us, support us, strengthen us, correct us.
If you think about the Bible in relation to people and how it is designed to help, there are two broad themes…which speak directly to us….
First, “Do Right” - The Bible teaches that God wants us to do what is right. When we do right, we think the way God wants us to think and we act the way God wants us to act.
God has designed human beings in such a way that when we do what He wants us to do with the motive that He wants us to have, certain things happen: (Please look up and read the verses.)
When we do what is right, we tend to:
1. Feel Good
2. Become Happy - John 13:17 - “Happy are you if you DO these things, not KNOW these things.”
3. Have Peace - Romans 2:10 - ….peace, to every man that worketh good…
4. Be Blessed - James 1:25 - “A doer of the work”
5. Rest - A Lightened Load - Matthew 11:28-30 - take….learn….ye shall find rest.
Do you see the connection in these verses about doing right and the blessings that follow?
Second, We need to consider “Doing Wrong.”
I want to speak about doing wrong in terms of sin: There are:
i. Sins of Commission - things that we do that are wrong
ii. Sins of Omissions - Things that we ought to do (or should have done) that we don’t (or didn’t, do).
If we do wrong, certain things happen. We tend to:
1. Feel Bad
2. Become Sad - Psalms 32:10 - “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked…”
3. Experience Distress - Romans 2:9 - “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil….”
4. Encounter Guiltiness -
5. Realize increased difficulty and hardship - Proverbs 13:15 - “…the way of transgressors is hard.”
Do you see the connection in these verses about doing wrong and the pain that follows?
When we live with feelings like these, we need to evaluate our lives. If we will be open and honest, then by God’s Grace and the help of the Holy Spirit, we should be able to find answers in the Scriptures for our lives.
We must identify what we are doing that we shouldn’t be. We must identify where we aren’t doing things that we should. When you identify what is wrong, then you have a better chance of fixing it…..right?
But we must also spend time finding out what is right.....so that we may DO it! Two things are necessary in this regard.
We must know what is right, and we must know how to do what is right….
There is more to it than just saying “do better.”
For example - If your marriage is in turmoil, just saying to someone, “be a better husband” - or "be a better wife” isn’t going to help.
There must be a concrete understanding of what is wrong and what is right, and there must be a specific plan for moving from that which is wrong to that which is right.
There is a way forward for you, no matter what difficulty or trouble you find yourself in.
May the Lord help you to find peace and rest.
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