Are Morals and Moralism in Conflict?
Just as virtues divorced from the gospel lead away from morality and into moralism, a virtue-less gospel leads to a cold-hearted, complacent, and ultimately dead faith. It’s a “gospel” that treats knowledge as the highest good. The Christian life becomes more about the pursuit of knowledge than about how we live in light of it.
I’ve always hated multiple choice questions. They always feel like a trick (because too many of them are). Three or four choices, all of which seem plausible, except for maybe one super-obvious non-answer thrown in to see if we’re paying attention, and the instruction to choose which we think is correct. But sometimes there’s an answer in these that can seem like a trick, but is actually really important:
All of the above.1
When we’re faced with multiple choices, we’re tempted to assume that there’s only one right answer. That the question or situation is an either/or, when in fact, it may be a both/and. Everything is “chicken or fish” when it might be “surf and turf.” We do this everywhere, in all areas of life. We even do it in how we view the Christian life.
Take, for example, the apparent choice between the gospel and virtues. There’s a tendency to present this as a clash between two entirely opposing forces. To treat them as a good vs evil struggle, where only one can prevail. And I get that. But the fact is, we shouldn’t treat these friends as foes, and when we do, it’s often because we misunderstand what each of these is.
Is There a Difference Between Morals and Moralism?
In pitting the gospel against virtues, we are often identifying a real issue, but we’re using the wrong language. Because the truth is, virtues are not a problem. To speak of virtues is to speak of character and morals. Character is incredibly important. In fact, it is so important that the Bible even says that, outside of a genuine love for God, it’s the most important trait to look for in anyone who aspires to be a leader (see 1 Timothy 3)! Our morals, our desire to live a virtuous and ethical life, stem from God’s desires for us as well. We should want to be honest and trustworthy. We are commanded and expected to be so, in fact (see Proverbs 11:1
; 12:17).
The same is true for any other virtue that we would point to, such as having a charitable spirit, acting courageously, and growing in humility.
These are good things. They are God-honoring things, and no Christian should speak ill of them when they are in their proper context. But it’s when they’re removed from that context that we have a problem.
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Believing is Seeing
John begins his first epistle by speaking of Him who was from the beginning, God the Son, who became manifest by taking to Himself true and full humanity. The invisible became visible. The Word that was with God and was God “became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes…and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—1 John 1:1, NKJV
God is spirit and has no body. John makes that point in the closing verse to his Gospel prologue: “No one has seen God at any time” (John 1:18). He reinforces that fact in his epistle: “No one has seen God at any time” (1 John 4:12). But that does not mean we cannot perceive God.
Scripture makes it clear that God has revealed Himself, both in creation and His word (e.g., Psa. 19). Paul will make the case that the essence of God is conspicuous in what He has made (Rom. 1:19-21). As the existence of an exquisite painting reflects the glory of talented painter, so the evidence of a vast, ordered, complex, majestic creation displays the glory its Creator.
John, however, points to another way in which the invisible God reveals Himself. After telling us that no one has ever seen God, he goes on: “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18). When Philip asked Jesus to show His disciples the Father, Jesus pointed to Himself: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
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Sanctification and the Holy Spirit: Theme #7 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism
Written by Andrew J. Miller |
Thursday, December 28, 2023
We rely on the Spirit to apply to us all the blessings of Jesus. Jesus accomplishes redemption and the Spirit applies it to us. Christ’s death purchased life, and that life is manifested in us by the power of the Spirit, who is a person, who will do what He wills, not just a power like “the force” from Star Wars. We can do nothing apart from the Holy Spirit, applying to us the blessings won by Christ.One astonishing yet unappreciated truth of Christianity is that salvation in Jesus Christ contains not just future heavenly life but also present transformation by the Spirit. God changes the believer to be more like Himself.
It’s a good thing, too, because day after day we bring misery on ourselves by our sin. Taking a page from our first parents, we shift the blame for the problems of our world. Like Adam blaming God and Eve in Genesis 3:12, we point the finger and try to exonerate ourselves. We blame our circumstances for our unhappiness. While certainly the problems posed by circumstances and others are significant and not to be downplayed, the Bible reminds us that our sin is the greatest contributor to our own misery. Poor politicians or policies, severe poverty, bad health, an unhealthy marriage—these are all true difficulties that should be addressed as appropriate. Yet, as 17th century persecuted Scottish minister Robert Fleming wrote, “In the worst of times, there is still more cause to complain of an evil heart than of an evil world.” Or as Martin Luther said, “I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals. I have within me the great pope, self.”
The Bible confirms this: we can’t blame others (James 4:1-4), or God himself—he tells his people of his generosity and desire to bless: “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would have none of Me” (Psalm 81:10-11).
This means that sanctification—God putting our sin to death and making us love what he loves—is of tremendous benefit to us! As our gracious Triune God sanctifies us little by little, we treasure him above all, and are less troubled by our circumstances. “A man that has God for his portion is [unequalled]…he is the rarest and the happiest man in the world…Nothing can make that man miserable that has God for his portion…” As we grow in sanctification, we grow in joy and peace. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 90 asks and answers: “What is the rising-to-life of the new self?
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The Battle Cry of America — Awake and Arise!
Before there is a battle cry there must be a heart cry. Before we fight, we must repent. Sadly, many Christians are angry but still arrogant, wound-up but not worshippers, haughty but not holy. What’s it going to take to finally break us? More perversion? More violence? More depravity? Wake up church!
A battle cry is used to summon armies to war. A loud, unified shout could intimidate the strongest of enemies. Confidence in battle often tilts the scale toward victory, whereas timidity, fear, and cowardliness will surely lead to defeat.
In these dreadful times, don’t be shamed into silence. Follow Isaiah’s lead and raise your voice like a trumpet — awake and arise! (58:1; 60:1).
Can We Handle the Truth?
America today is a lot like Israel in Isaiah’s time. He painted a very vivid picture of Israel’s depravity: “You sons of the sorceress, you offspring of the adulterer and the harlot!” (57:3).
The love of the occult, magic, and divination has never been greater, nor has sexual perversion. The stench has surely reached the nostrils of God.
Isaiah lamented that they inflamed themselves “with gods under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks” (57:5).
They slaughtered their children on the altar of pleasure. Sound familiar? Did you know that rape or the loss of life of the mother is not the driving force behind abortion? The main driving force is failure to take responsibility for sexual sin.
Blatant Sin Demands a Strong Rebuke
Many today would no doubt chide Isaiah for his apparent lack of grace and love. But God showed tremendous grace, mercy, and love while dealing with Israel. Even today, He is patient and long-suffering with us.
Although many of the prophetic books are not always in chronological order, we find in Isaiah 55 that everyone who thirsts could come to the waters and drink freely, and that those who seek the Lord will find Him. What an incredible promise!
In Isaiah 56, we are encouraged to seek righteousness. He then switches gears and talks about blind watchmen who cannot bark and warn the people. God loved His people so much that he would send prophetic voices to warn them. Are you listening today?
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