The Heart of Morality

The heart of how people think, act, and behave is in that person's set of beliefs about the world and their life.  For instance, if I believe that I was created by a being that made, not only me, but everything which exists, then my belief about how to act in this world and think about this world will be guided by my belief in that being.  If that being says to do certain things or refrain from certain things, I do so, because my belief in that being guides my thinking and behavior.

This gets to the heart of the difference between Christian morality and the morality of those who do not believe in God, or in Christ Jesus and His action of forgiving sins and rescuing us from a sinful existence.  Christian morality is guided by what God reveals in the Bible as His Word.  For those who do not believe this, having a morality enforced upon them which does not reflect their beliefs not only is wrong, but simply cannot be done in an effective manner.

So as Christians interact with the world around us, we may find that there are things about the morality of our surrounding culture that we believe to be wrong.  However, the answer isn't to attempt to legislate some form of morality, or to impose our beliefs upon others to change their behavior.  So, if that is the case, then what?

This gets back to how God changes people in the first place.  First of all, it is the Holy Spirit's work to change the heart and soul (i.e., beliefs) of a person.  We cannot believe unless God works that change in our mind and our heart.  This, then, brings us into God's realm of existence, and draws us into what He says is good, right, and moral.

So when Christians encounter those who believe differently, we are not to work to change their behavior.  Instead, we are to speak God's good news, His hope, His Word, to them, and let the Spirit do His work.  Should the Spirit's work be evidenced in their lives by a change in their beliefs, then we have the opportunity and joy and struggle to show them what life is like as God's people live together.

In other words, the spread of Christian morality is based, first and foremost, upon the sharing of God's good news in the Gospel.  Only when the Spirit changes another person's heart and soul can we then show them life as it is lived in God's kingdom and under His reign.  And that is why sharing Christian morality is, above all, the sharing of hope, of the forgiveness of sins, and of the cross of Jesus. 

Morality and the Masses

Christians share a common morality with one another, based upon God's Word.  However, as we move outside of the circle of those who share a common faith, we began to encounter some difficulty.  How much of what we believe constitutes good  morality can we expect or demand of someone who doesn't share a common faith?

Sadly, it seems that there are many Christians who would prefer to impose morality upon those who are not part of the Christian faith.  For example, Christians tend to believe that a man and woman should not engage in sexual activity prior to marriage.  When we see a fellow Christian considering this, we have a common basis upon which to engage their behavior: God's Word in the Bible.  But if this same person is not a fellow Christian, what basis do we have to impose such a belief and morality?

The heart of morality is determined by a person's beliefs.  For the Christian, these beliefs are informed by God's Word in the Bible.  To impose these same morals upon someone who does not share the same foundation is, quite frankly, wrong.  It assumes a common basis that is not present.  And even further, God's Word does not say that His people are to impose behavior and morality upon those who do not share a common faith.

So how does a Christian interact with those who do not share their faith, especially when it comes to moral issues?  This is where the Spirit's work of conversion enters the picture.  More on this tomorrow.

Again, thoughts, comments, and ramblings welcome!