PENTECOST 14 – September 6, 2020 – Ezek. 33:7-9
“NO MORAL RELATIVISM”
Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the OT Lesson just read, from Ezekiel 33. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- It seems a simple question to most people, at least most of the time. It is the issue of whether or not there is evil, and likewise good, or whether the differences are only that, just neutral differences.
- For several decades now, in the Western world of civilized nations, there has been a great push for personal freedom. This includes the freedom to engage in, without fear of punishment or even disapproval, many behaviors that in the past were viewed as “evil.” The argument is that these people who desire to engage in these behaviors are not “evil,” only “different.”
- The term for this way of looking at human behavior is called “moral relativism.” Anything that is relative is not absolute. The point they attempt to make is that there are no absolutes when it comes to human behavior, no real distinction between good and evil.
- Now fortunately this argument has not won out altogether, and it has not been pressed to its logical limits. People still know when someone has “wronged” them, and still consider such behavior to be evil. However, we come up with much greater confusion and more powerful denials when we are wronging others.
- This is nothing new – our consciences defending our own evil behavior, while condemning the evil that is committed against us. The prophetic office, and the duty of mutual admonition that we are all responsible for, has been set up by God virtually from the beginning of this world. It is certainly laid out for us in our text.
- So as we struggle with a rising tide and onrush of “moral relativism,” we need to hear God’s Word clearly and truly consider the grave importance of adhering to that Word! First we must acknowledge and affirm that:
I. The Distinction Between Good Versus Evil Is Real
A. There Are Wicked People
Text: “If I say to the wicked, O wicked one.”
B. There Are Wicked Ways, Evil Behaviors
Text: “If you warn the wicked to turn from his way.”
C. These Wicked Ways End In Death And Damnation For Those Who Remain Incorrigibly Wicked
Text: “But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity.”
Ezek. 18:20 “The soul that sins, it shall die.”
Rom. 6:23 “The wages of sin is death.”
1 Cor. 6:9,10 “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Statement: Humanism, the principle philosophical understanding of the nature of mankind within the Renaissance and public education in America, asserts the basic and essential goodness of mankind. To maintain such a position, however, means accepting as “different” but still “moral” a great many evils. For example, they do not consider sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, abortion, greed, thievery, drunkenness, or verbal abuse to be sinful and wrong and evil. So, if you simply redefine the concept of “wickedness” to be empty, then those engaging in these behaviors cannot be identified as “wicked.”
Application: This, however, is completely contrary to the Word of God, which clearly identifies evil and wicked behavior, and designates those who are willingly and eagerly engaging in such behavior as “wicked.” Further, in God’s Word, this distinction is backed up with the warning that physical death and hell is the end of all who reject God and commit themselves to such wicked behavior.
Can this be changed, rearranged by human beings? Absolutely not, just as God’s natural laws cannot be changed, rearranged, or suspended by human beings. Who wouldn’t stop tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, drought, famine, war, and crime – if they were able to? But God allows such to remain to demonstrate the reality of mankind’s sin, and our inability to clean up and correct things. His judgments, His determinations, His Word, will never end, cease, or change. And so:
II. God Has Given Us His Word So That We Can Know Without Question The Differences Between Good And Evil
Text: “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, you shall give them warning from Me.”
A. By This Means We Are Enabled By God And His Word To Repent Of Our Sin
Text: “But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way.”
Rom. 3:19,20 “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.”
B. By This Means We Are Enabled By God To Believe The Good News Of His Forgiveness And Salvation
1 John 1:8,9 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
C. By This Means We Are Enabled To Know The Right Way To Live And Conduct Our Lives In This World
2 Tim. 3:16,17 “ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
Statement: Though our sinful nature reacts to this ministry of God’s Word very negatively, as though it were threatening death and destruction to us, this ministry of God’s Word is actually quite a blessing! For by this Word we are blessed to be delivered from bondage to sin, freed from the blindness of sin, enabled to truly see God as He is, and to receive His eternal life and salvation. In addition, by His Word we are reoriented to and trained for a live of goodness and love, serving God by serving our fellowman.
Application: This is the goal and thrust of our text – that the wicked turn from His way and live. Just two verses after our text we read: “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” [Ezek. 33:11] So let us also grasp and understand and receive this blessed life from God! Nothing is more pleasing to God and more blessed for us!
And we too have a part of bringing about this will of God for all people, for:
III. God Has Blessed Us Also With The Responsibility To Warn Others, Helping To Bring Them To Repentance
Ezek. 33:14-16 “Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ yet if he turns from his sin and does what is just and right, if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he shall surely live.”
Statement: This is God’s will for us – to live in repentance, in the assurance of His forgiveness and eternal life, and to walk in the “statutes of life,” that is, in “the way of love.” It is His will for all people.
Application: Pray that there are always fellow Christians to call us back to repentance when we have fallen into sin. Pray God also to give us courage and strength to speak the same Word of God’s love to others who have fallen into sin. In this way, we also participate in the very love of God, His great mission of mercy and rescue of human beings.
Conclusion: But remember – none of this can happen under “moral relativism.” Moral relativism is in fact hateful and utterly destructive of mankind’s good, and completely counter to the will of God. Moral relativism teaches there is no sin, no need for forgiveness, no need for God, no need for what is truly good, right, and salutary.
Moral relativism conforms to the thinking of our sinful nature, and in fact answers our sinful desire to have justification for continuing in our sin and wickedness. This is the “way” to death and eternal condemnation in hell. Not God’s will for anyone!!!!
Remember: This distinction is God’s, and it is real. God cares – for the eternal fate of every human being, and for goodness and love to prevail even here and now! May He grant that we receive and exercise these blessings forever. Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting. Amen.