Some of you upon reading this blog title are probably tempted to answer in a very sarcastic way. (Makes note to find more places to hide the bodies.) However, that is not the point of the blog tonight. It isn’t so much about me as it is about morality. The claim has been made to me recently that if Christianity was not true, would I go and do such things as rape, murder, etc.
My honest answer is, why not? Why? Because I believe that Christ is my God and thus the basis for morality. If there is no God, there is no morality. Now you may speak of another God out there, but if he’s out there, he doesn’t really care about us as he has never revealed himself to us. It can’t be the God of Judaism for the prophecies had to be fulfilled by now.
Please keep in mind as I say this that I am not saying there is no morality in systems outside of Christianity. An atheist can be a moral person even. Why? Because the Christian claim is that the natural law of morality has always been around. Paul says in Romans 2 that the law is written on our hearts. We all know that murder is wrong and if someone claims to know otherwise, they don’t need an argument. They need a psychiatrist.
However, to say that I would live the same life as I do now is to deny the power of Christ. It is because of Christ that I don’t treat that female the way I would like to. It’s because of Christ that I don’t punch out that jerk that I meet like I would like to. It’s because of Christ that I don’t cut corners to make an extra buck like I would like to.
Now let us suppose that I saw this morality was an illusion. If it was, then why should I even follow it any more? Once I see that the emperor has no clothes, there is no reason to pay attention any more. If there is nothing objectively moral, then the idea of being a good or bad person is gone. There is no good or bad. There is only indifference. I can treat the lady like a lady or I can rape her. The difference is only in the action and effect. There is no difference in morality.
Was I a bad person before Christ? Well, I wouldn’t deny I was a fallen sinner, but I grew up in a Christian home and I was never a trouble-making kid. All in all, I was a good child. However, now that I know the truth about what I believe and about morality that I didn’t know earlier, if I saw that morality to be false, then I see no reason to follow it.
Because of Christ, at my heart, I see who I really am. I see then also my need for him. I see more of my sinfulness every day and in turn, I should see more grace. Sometimes though, the grace is harder for me to realize and that is a point I am pondering and will write on another day when I get my thoughts clearer.
For now though, I will stick with this truth. At heart, I need Christ to live the life I ought to live. As I submit to the transforming power he gives, I will recognize my fallenness more and his glory and love all the more.
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