Is Morality on the Decline or Not?
The headline certainly caught my attention.
Morality is declining, right? Scientists say that idea is an illusion.
Wait, what? Morality is NOT declining?? The same newsfeed that gave me this article includes stories tied to scandals, lawsuits over distorted sexual identity, gun violence, and religious leaders charged with pedophilia. The list goes on and on of events that scream immorality. How can these scientists assert that morality is not declining?
You can read the article yourself, but what they’re addressing is our perception of morality. Most of us have said something like this; “It certainly wasn’t like this in the 50s/60s/70s/80s (pick your preferred decade).” We look back fondly to “the good ol’ days.” A conclusion of this article is that, when we look to our past, we tend to remember the good more than the bad, and therefore, we have a perception that morality is getting worse.
A key issue this article does not address is that culture allows us to change and redefine morality. Some people dismiss the mores of an earlier generation, insisting “we know better now.” For example, it wasn’t that long ago that people were arrested for homosexual behavior, but now culture endorses and celebrates such behavior. In fact, people today might even argue that it was immoral to arrest the homosexual, and therefore, we are more moral today!
Do you see the problem? Culture is just redefining morality! It’s easy for culture to dismiss any moral standard that doesn’t align with what they want to do. This mindset rejects any opposition to their self-defined morality by saying, “That’s just what you were led to believe, but what makes it right? What I’m doing is not wrong.”
Sorry, folks, but there has to be a standard. You can’t have different people on a construction site using their own standards of measurement. If your measurement across a span comes to eight feet, four inches, and mine only comes to eight feet, we’re going to have a problem. The structure will not be built soundly nor will it be safe. And we cannot build a strong and stable community with varying standards of behavior.
But who gets to set that standard? I have found that standard in the Bible. Of all the religions, philosophies, and belief systems, nothing is more consistent with truth and reality than the Bible. I content that the reason that is so is because the Bible is God’s special revelation to us. So, the bottom line is this: Who sets the standard? God does.
If God’s standard of morality does not line up with my standard, God is not the one in error. I am. He created us. We are designed based on His omniscience, perfect plan, and holy character. When we live by His standard, we are living life to the fullest as He designed.
Most Christians would say that morality—or our lack of morality—is getting worse, but I struggle with that. I don’t think the depth of our immorality is any worse; we’ve just become bolder and more public about it. But underneath it all—no matter how blatantly we flaunt our sin or how much we put on a good front—we are deeply sinful, immoral people.
“There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one” (Rom. 3:10-12).
Ouch. But we can be good and moral people. It doesn’t come from trying harder or turning over a new leaf. It comes from recognizing just how immoral and wicked we are and looking to Jesus Christ, the One who is perfectly good and righteous. When we turn to Him in repentance and trust, everything changes!
“But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us—a not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy—through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:4-5).
Jesus does more than just remove the sin and wickedness that defines us and fills our hearts. He gives us a new heart.
“He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).
Let’s not reorient morality to our standards. Let’s reorient our lives to Christ.
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