INTERFACE – the clash of values and beliefs

TODAY: Morality and Faith

1 Peter 1:13-23 “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God”

We live in a morally mixed up world What is morality? A code of conduct that has to do with the distinction between right and wrong, or good and bad behaviour. Morality is an obligation that can/should govern people’s behaviour.

1. Morality and the world The secular view of morality The prevailing philosophy is moral relativism

Arguments against the secular view Absolutes are undeniable All objective moral judgments imply an absolute moral standard by which they can be measured. C.S.Lewis: “My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line”

Moral arguments are not possible without an absolute moral standard C S Lewis: “The moment you say that one set of moral ideas can be better than another, you are, in fact, measuring them both by a standard, saying that one of them conforms to that standard more nearly than the other. But the standard that measures two things is something different from either.”

Moral relativism is self defeating “I am absolutely sure there are no absolutes”! Joseph Fletcher writes that we should: Always avoid using “always.” Never use “never.” Absolutely avoid absolutes. BUT Fletcher goes on to write: “Only one thing is intrinsically good” “The ruling norm is love; nothing else” “Only the end justifies the means”

Universal moral guilt shows there is a universal law C S Lewis “It seems then we are forced to believe in a real Right and Wrong. First, human beings all over the earth have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way. Second, they do not in fact behave in that way. The truth is, we believe in decency so much that we cannot bear to face the fact that we are breaking it, and consequently we try to shift the responsibility.”

The same basic moral codes are found in all major cultures No one invented the laws of mathematics Newton did not invent gravity Like moral laws, they were discovered!

Our clash with the secular view Moral reasoning without reference to God, remains an argument between individuals, cultures and communities, with no reference point outside of that – no absolute line Christian’s beliefs clash with those who seek to legitimise abortion, euthanasia and homosexuality etc.

Is sexual orientation genetic? 1. Sinful orientation is taught in Scripture 2. If sexual orientation is genetic and reckoned as “God given”, why does God condemn it every time it is mentioned in Scripture 3. If sexual orientation is genetic and therefore reckoned to be morally acceptable, what about other sexual orientations like polyamory or paedophilia? 4. The genetic pre-disposition has not been proven

Is sexual orientation genetic? There is no scientific evidence for a gay gene Ruth Hubbard of Harvard University has denounced the trend of ‘genetic determinism’, pointing to heralded ‘genetic’ discoveries concerning schizophrenia, manic- depression, and alcoholism - discoveries which were later retracted.

Is sexual orientation genetic? Richard Dawkins also agreed with Hubbard saying that the ‘body of genetic determinism needs to be laid at rest’. His conclusion goes like this; ‘Whether you hate homosexuals or whether you love them, whether you want to lock them up or ‘cure’ them, your reasons had better have nothing to do with genes.’ Camille Paglia, a homosexual philosopher is quite blunt in her assessment of the ‘born gay’ theory: "No one is born gay. The idea is ridiculous ... homosexuality is an adaptation, not an inborn trait”

Behaviour, not desire, is the issue Sexual behaviour is always a choice

2. Morality and God Morality finds it’s source and reference point in God Without an absolute moral being there can be no absolute right or wrong, good or bad, and no basis for true justice. There is nowhere to go to legitimise our conduct. Objective moral values only exist if there is an objective, absolute God

The Moral Nature of God The 10 commandments The moral law reflects the Moral Law Giver God is Holy: He does not conform to a standard – He is that standard. Morality and holiness are defined in the Bible The 10 commandments Our worship is sacred, our time is sacred, human life is sacred, our word is sacred, marriage is sacred, property is sacred

3. Morality and you The whole purpose of God in redemption is to make us holy – to restore us to the image of God. “Lord, make me as Holy as a pardoned sinner can be” Robert Murray McCheyne

1 Peter 1:13-23 “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God”

Which way are you going?