10. Real solutions to our personal evil.
'Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.' Romans 14:22
1. Decay of Western Society
It's fashionable to ridicule the repressed Christian morals that our society used to take for granted. It is said that we've moved on to a more enlightened view of what is acceptable. Of course there were odd ways of doing things in the past which not not essential parts of Christianity and perhaps we're all relieved to let them go. Eg head-to-toe clothing at the beach. However, the picture is not all so simple. At the same time, many of us cringe at what is increasingly becoming acceptable TV viewing and public behaviour. It is not hard to see that we are losing something when overt greed, gross decadence and crass vulgarity are paraded as being acceptable. But who is to say these are actually wrong?
Last night I watched some pretty violent riots across England (August 2011). The home of quiet 'gentlemen' was being rocked by many youth burning buildings and looting shop fronts. It was a quite a shock to see. It raised questions in my mind about the decay of Western Society. As society has given up the Judaeo-Christian foundation for Western morality, is what we are seeing an inevitable consequence?
Why shouldn't youth do that? Because the police will arrest them? Well, doing what they did in large numbers meant the police were not arresting the vast majority. A well-off person pontificating about what is acceptable behaviour means little to struggling youth in a world without a basis for objective morals. If life is in essence just a struggle to survive, then there is no basis for one person's views being objectively better than another's. Either the police or the youth will win in the end but that is not about what is ultimately right. It's merely about which will prove stronger. Might is the only 'right' in a world without God. The severe punishments being issued to those few who were caught are displays that the authorities currently have still have some "might", despite the evidence to the contrary in the riots.
2. I really appreciate a personal objective standard.
If there is one thing we all hate it is a hypocrite yet we all find ourselves suffering from that problem at times. I don't want to be the sort of person who condemns a certain behaviour, but then finds himself doing it himself and so then changes his moral stance to call it acceptable. This is the danger of the personal slippery moral slope. I am thankful for an objective moral standard to anchor what I think is right and wrong. I can still be inconsistent and try to change but at least I am not constantly lowering the bar to avoid feeling guilty. I can deal with subjective guilt because Jesus already dealt with my objective guilt.
The direction that society is moving makes me think about my own life. Being loving, generous and kind is not always easy. I have positive motivations as a Christian that drive me to try. If I had none of these motivations then I'd be far less thoughtful of others. Sure, I might extend kindness sometimes, if it made me feel good or in order to prevent a guilty conscience. However, the core drive would not be there. If I could imagine my life over again with all the struggles a man goes through, I am glad I don't have to face them without an inner motivation: anger, lust and selfishness. Also upholding patience, honesty, truthfulness and thoughtfulness. To be honest, I am glad I have been saved from myself by someone outside myself who knows my inside self!
Who are we when no-one is looking? Are we fully honest on our tax return? Do we keep the standards we expect for others? Do behave as we'd like others to behave, especially in relation to us?
I remember discussing the problem of sin with one bloke, an atheist. He was adamant that he kept his own standards of morality. I was explaining that we don't even keep our own standards, let along a higher standard like God's standard. Then he professed his ability to keep his standards, so I thought a more objective opinion would be valuable. I then asked his wife. The awkward silence from her was enough to resolve the issue. She didn't want to betray her husband but she didn't want to lie either. He did not keep his own standards! We can fool ourselves into thinking that we are not too bad. We can just keep lowering our standards and keep fooling ourselves into thinking we are the moral masters of our own destiny.
As a Christian, not only do I have inner motivation, which I see as from outside me, but I am an integral member of a like-minded community of Christians, who can work together to keep each other on track. I can talk things through and pray with other men who want to fight vices like I do. I have a source book that holds up the moral life of sacrificial love before me and inspires me to act.
Facts about moral behaviour are one thing – inspiration to act is far more important. This is something, like it or not, that Christianity provides a great many people. Christians attribute the inner power to the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing about the life God desires.
On top of this Christianity, has the joy of looking forward to a time when not just my objective guilt is washed away but I am fully transformed so that I no longer choose to sin. I am looking forward to that day, very much.