In 1841, the passenger ship William Brown struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. As the ship sank, two lifeboats were put in to the sea and a few of the passengers were able to escape the sinking ship on these lifeboats. One of the small lifeboats carried the first mate, seven seamen and 32 passengers, a total of 40 people. The trouble was that this was about twice its capacity.
It wasn’t long before there was trouble on board. Because of the rough seas, the overloaded lifeboat threatened to sink at any moment. There were too many people in the boat.
The first mate, who was the highest ranking officer, ordered most of the men in the boat, over the sides and into the sea. The men refused to go. They knew it meant certain death in the frigid North Atlantic Ocean. One of the seamen, a man named Holmes, then threw the men into the water and they drowned.
Later, those in the lifeboat were rescued, and seaman Holmes, the man who threw the others into the ocean, was charged with murder. Holmes was tried and convicted.
It’s an interesting situation. By throwing some into the water, causing their deaths, Holmes saved the lives of the rest. The question is: did Holmes do right? Or did he do wrong? What would you have done in that situation? Would you have thrown the people overboard to certain death, in order that others might live? Do you think Holmes was really guilty of murder? It’s hard to know how we’d react in that kind of situation.
All through life we have to make tough decisions, deciding what’s right and what’s wrong. Sometimes those choices are easy. We know what’s right and it’s just a matter of doing it. Sometimes, the decision is more difficult and we wonder, “What is the right thing to do?”
This is one of the critical questions we face: How do we decide between right and wrong? What yardstick do we use to judge our behavior?
1. REJECT RELATIVISM AS DANGEROUS
Relativism is the currently reigning approach to ethics. We live in a day when everything is relative. People no longer believe in absolutes. A person who believes in absolutes, says there are fixed moral laws that apply in all situations. Today, most people reject that idea.
For example, “Never steal” is an absolute. It’s wrong to steal, it’s always wrong to steal and it’s wrong for anyone to steal. On the other hand, a person who believes everything is relative, says there may be times when it’s OK to steal. For example, if you are poor, it’s OK to steal from someone who is rich. A person, who says everything is relative, says the rightness and wrongness of stealing depends on who is doing the stealing and the person from whom he is stealing.
The person who believes everything is relative says there are no fixed absolutes and there are no preset rules. He says you have to decide each situation separately; what’s right and what’s wrong can only be decided in each individual circumstance. He says, there may be times when it’s OK to steal and there may be times when it’s wrong.
According to one Gallup poll, fewer than 30% of people believe there are absolutely clear guidelines about good and evil and that these guidelines apply to all people in all situations. In other words, two thirds say there are no absolute rules of right and wrong. Whether something is good or evil just depends on the circumstances. People no longer ask, “What’s the right thing to do?” Instead they ask, “What’s the right thing for me to do in this situation?”
The idea of relativism gained popularity through a man named Fletcher who coined the phrase “situation ethics.” He said it was time to throw out the idea that there are absolute moral laws that apply to every situation. He claimed no action was good or bad in itself. He even went so far as to say that lying could be more Christian than telling the truth. He said the only thing that matters is that we love people and that we don’t hurt people by our actions. He taught that the end always justifies the means.
People like situation ethics. If there are no absolutes, they can excuse their questionable behavior. If there is no absolute standard, you don’t have to feel guilty about not keeping it! The Old Testament provides many examples of situation ethics. At times, people disregarded God’s laws and the Bible says, Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 17:6, Proverbs 21:2).
Relativism has no standard except man’s own ideas. Situation ethics sound so logical. It sounds so nice to say that we’ll not be governed by any list of rules but rather the “law of love” will determine how we act. It sounds so nice to say, “I’ll just decide on each situation as it comes up.” It sounds so mature to say, “I’ll do the loving thing in each situation.”
Relativism is dangerous because we do not always know what the loving action is. Relativism is dangerous because our motives aren’t always right. Sometimes we do not love. Relativism is dangerous because it leads to confusion and uncertainty. Not having any standard means you are never sure whether what you’ve done is right or wrong.
Situation ethics is dangerous because wrong choices affect us both in this life and the life to come. Relativism is dangerous because if we make wrong choices, it affects our eternal destiny. Some of our choices have temporary consequences; others have eternal consequences. If we do what’s wrong in God’s eyes, we’ll incur his wrath and his punishment. Situation ethics just don’t work. However, God has an alternative.
2. RECOGNIZE GOD’S ABSOLUTES
Absolutes are standards established by God for our good. Absolutes apply to every one and every situation. God, the wise and loving Creator, has the right to determine what’s right and what’s wrong and he has. Just as the government has the right to set the civil laws of our country, so God has the right to set the moral laws of our world. God’s absolutes include commands like: do not lie, do not steal, be faithful to your spouse and do not murder.
God doesn’t leave us in confusion. He has drawn the line between right and wrong. That line is the list of absolutes known as the Ten Commandments that were given by God, not just for Jewish people, but for all mankind. They are God’s universal moral laws. Those commandments have never been rescinded; they are still in force. They deal with every situation that you will face.
The Ten Commandments are God’s moral constitution for the entire world. They are the ultimate absolutes of the Creator and they apply to everyone and to every situation. The Ten Commandments are found in Exodus 20. The first four deal with our relationship with God and the last six deal with our relationships with other people. God has established these absolutes. They are rules for determining what’s right and what’s wrong.
The majority of Americans who have heard about the Ten Commandments, say they believe them. But when questioned, they believe them only in a general way. They don’t believe in them specifically and they certainly don’t believe they’re absolutes. They think of them more as suggestions. One person told me, “I just try and do what I think is right. The Bible is not that important to me personally. I’m not going to be a religious fanatic. I’m not into that, but I do feel doing what’s right is important and if I don’t hurt anyone then I’m doing a good job!” But how do you know whether or not you will hurt someone?
Let’s be clear. Not everything is relative; there are absolute standards for our behavior that have been set by God. They are the ultimate criteria for deciding right and wrong.
3. REMEMBER TO APPLY GOD’S PRINCIPLES TO UNCERTAIN SITUATIONS
Of course, there are situations that are not specifically covered in Scripture. We often face choices that are new to our society. For example, what absolute applied to the seaman who threw the men into the ocean?
The Bible gives us guidelines to apply to these situations. Here are three biblical principles to use in questionable situations.
i. Do what is beneficial and constructive. Paul said he was free to do whatever he wanted, but he recognized there were some things that would not benefit him. There was no long-term benefit to proceeding that way. What would not benefit him was wrong for him. If something didn’t build him up and make him stronger, he wouldn’t do it because it would be wrong for him. Everything is permissible – but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible – but not everything is constructive. (1 Corinthians 10:23).
ii. Don’t do what is habit-forming or physically hurtful. Paul realized he was free to do everything, but if by doing it, he would become enslaved in a habit, it would be wrong for him to do it. There is nothing morally wrong in smoking a cigar or using drugs, but if in smoking a cigar or using drugs I become enslaved, it does become wrong for me. Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12). The Living Bible puts it this way: “Even if I am allowed to do them, I’ll refuse to if I think they might get such a grip on me that I can’t easily stop when I want to.”
iii. Do what is good for others, not just yourself. To say we should always do the loving thing is a big statement. To love involves self-denial. When we do the loving thing, we put others before ourselves. To do the loving thing is to put the welfare, happiness and fulfillment of others ahead of our own. So when I must decide what is right or wrong, I must always consider the welfare of others.
Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:24).
The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does not harm its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:9-10).
In a world where the majority rejects God’s absolutes, it is important for us to rethink our convictions and behavior and how we decide between what is right and wrong. We need to remember that God has set the line between right and wrong, not to harm us, but to help us.
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