I love being a dad. Hardly anything in life gives me more joy than spending time with my kids, whether it be wrestling with them, playing games, cracking jokes, playing catch, or talking about life and God. Every parent has been given a divinely ordained responsibility to train up a child in the way he or she should go (Proverbs 22:6). That’s not always an easy assignment in a culture that is steeped in messages that contradict God’s good wisdom for life.
Perhaps nowhere is this need for godly wisdom more profoundly felt than in the realm of sexuality. Here’s the simple truth: as a parent, it is my responsibility to train my children to think about sex through the lens of biblical wisdom. Our children need to learn from us, at an age-appropriate level, that sex is a beautiful gift from God, purposefully designed for the marriage covenant alone. We shouldn’t imply that sex is gross or that all sexual desire is sinful. God created them as sexual creatures, and they are fearfully and wonderfully formed according to His design. Let’s remember that if our children don’t learn about it from us, they will still learn about it–only they will likely end up with a distorted picture of sexuality from the world.
Here’s the awesome thing about the Bible: God gave it to us, knowing exactly what we need to hear. So, even if we would rather avoid the subject of sex, God often brings it up. God knows we need wisdom; that’s why He gave us the book of Proverbs. I have come to appreciate this book on a whole new level since becoming a dad, because Proverbs is packed with practical wisdom on parenting.
Solomon even wrote much of Proverbs as a father speaking to his son.
“My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen closely to my understanding.” (Proverbs 5:1, CSB)
This is a model for every Christian parent. You cannot leave training your children in godliness to someone else. And dads, God especially calls you to be spiritual leaders in your home (Ephesians 6:4). Your kids need to hear the gospel from you. You need to teach them the wisdom found in Scripture. Many dread the idea of having “the talk” with their kids because it sounds so awkward. Perhaps that’s because all the pressure is put on having a single talk. But as you pursue a relationship with your children as they enter puberty, you should initiate ongoing talks about sex, love, and relationships.
It bears repeating: if they don’t learn sexual wisdom from you, they will get their ideas from a spiritually unmoored culture. Passages like Proverbs 5 are in the Bible because God does not want us to avoid the subject. He has something to say to us about sex.
“Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honeyand her words are smoother than oil,in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood and as sharp as a double-edged sword.Her feet go down to death;her steps head straight for Sheol.” (Proverbs 5:3-5, CSB)
Solomon uses a vivid metaphor for sexual sin (sex outside the marriage covenant). He says, “It’s like honey on the lips of a forbidden woman.” Honey tastes sweet in the moment. But “in the end she’s as bitter as wormwood.” In other words, what looks like and tastes like honey is actually poison. In the end, it will cut you like a sharp sword and take you straight to Sheol, the place of the dead!
The context here is a warning about a forbidden woman, because it’s Solomon speaking to his son. But it could just as easily be turned around. For every daughter of the King, the warning is about the forbidden man. Ungodly men can be seductive, too, by telling a girl what she wants to hear.
“Keep your way far from her.Don’t go near the door of her house.” (Proverbs 5:8, CSB)
The Bible is consistent about how to avoid sexual sin. Run. When you encounter sexual temptation, don’t stay put. Don’t loiter. Don’t keep staring at the screen. Don’t stay in that bedroom. Get on your horse and ride. Stay as far away as possible because your life depends on it. Paul tells young Timothy, “Feel youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22). Don’t play games with sexual sin. The moment you smell sexual temptation, run away.
Practically speaking, it would be good for dads to have frank conversations with their sons and moms to talk candidly with their daughters about the corrupting effect of sexual sin. It would be helpful to even read Proverbs 5-7 together, asking questions like, “Why do you think Solomon warns his son about sexual sin?” or “Why did he use that metaphor?”
Just as Solomon warns his son, God our Father lovingly warns each of us–no matter what our age–to flee from sexual sin, not play with fire. God’s rules on sex are for our good, and our children need to understand that.
What did godly Joseph do when Potiphar’s wife kept urging him to go to bed with her? Did he wait around and say, “Well, let’s see how much sexual temptation I can withstand”? No, he bolted in such a rush that when Mrs. Potiphar yanked on his robe, he didn’t go back for it. Joseph’s story in Genesis 39 is another great passage to read together with your adolescent children, especially since it frames the discussion around an engaging story.
Regularly talk to your children about how, as followers of the risen Jesus, we have a distinct perspective on sex: Sex is God’s good gift intended only for one man and one woman in the marriage covenant. The three main purposes for sex are procreation, unity, and pleasure in the marriage relationship.
I have talked with many young men who never had conversations with their dad about sex, including those who grew up in a Christian home. And quite often, they have trouble seeing why things like premarital sex and cohabitation are harmful. But time and again, I have seen the devastating consequences of not taking sexual sin seriously.
I am so thankful for all the older, godlier men in my life, including my dad, who urged me when I was a teenager to fight for sexual purity at all costs. They warned me about the grave dangers Solomon is talking about.
Solomon says sexual sin will claim your health. This could be talking about STDs. It will claim your time. How much time has been wasted on sexual sin that should have been used for the kingdom of God? It will drain your resources (Proverbs 5:10). In other words, it will drain you dry and waste your hard-earned wages. It could lead to pregnancy, and abortion rates are much higher among unmarried mothers than those married. Sexual sin leaves a wake of heartache, infidelity, and divorce. Failing to take sexual sin seriously will fill you with regret at the end of your life.
At the end of your life, you will lamentwhen your physical body has been consumed,and you will say, “How I hated discipline,and how my heart despised correction. I didn’t obey my teachersor listen closely to my instructors. I am on the verge of complete ruin before the entire community.” (Proverbs 5:11-14, CSB)
It’s hard to imagine a more disturbing image. Coming to the end of your life drowning with regret. Once again, we need to see that Solomon is warning his son in love: “Don’t be the sexual fool!”
For those who have engaged in sexual sin, you need to know there is grace, cleansing, and forgiveness found at the Cross of Jesus Christ. Praise God! But often, the consequences of our sin still remain in this life. This is why our children need to hear the truth about sex from their parents first.
Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!
A cartoon depicts Moses standing on top of God’s mountain, holding the two tablets of the Ten Commandments. With a big grin spread across his face, he says, “Hey, these are great! From now on, nobody will have trouble distinguishing right from wrong.”
What makes the cartoon funny is that we obviously do still struggle distinguishing right from wrong. In many ways, this is the problem of our age. It isn’t just a problem today; it’s the perennial problem of the human race. We were created to be good, but we’re not.
Despite having the actual tablets the Ten Commandments written by the finger of God, the nation of Israel still struggled with moral degeneracy and idolatry.
The Ten Commandments tell us in very plain and straightforward language moral truths that should be painfully obvious already. Don’t we already know it’s wrong to lie? Isn’t it obvious that it’s wrong to commit adultery?
But because of sin, we all have a tendency toward self-deception. Yes, we know certain things are right and wrong, but sin has a way of muddling what should be crystal clear. The simple fact is that, as fallen people, we don’t like the idea of a God telling us what to do.
“The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” (Romans 8:7, NIV)
We’d much rather have our own ideas about right and wrong. That’s what sin is—rebellion against the kingly authority of God. So, we desperately need a word from God. We need God to put His moral law in bold, clear writing because so often we try to avoid what should be obvious.
The Law Expresses God’s Righteous Character
Modern people might scoff at the Ten Commandments, but God knows better. Paul wrote:
“So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” (Romans 7:12, ESV)
The philosopher Plato once posed the problem called Euthyphro’s Dilemma. The question he asked was “Is something good simply because God commands it, or does God command it because it’s already good?” But what Plato missed is Option C. When God commands something, He is not just giving us some standard outside of Himself. No, He is expressing His own goodness. God is perfectly good in every way. His moral character is matchless. So, His Law simply expresses what He is like.
That the law of God is a reflection of God’s character has tremendous implications. For example, as you study the Ten Commandments, you are glimpsing the glory and holiness of God. Telling lies is wrong, but it’s ultimately wrong because God is the God of truth. God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:18). Adultery is wrong first and foremost because God is the faithful one who keeps covenant with His own (Deuteronomy 7:9).
So, when we talk about keeping the Ten Commandments, we’re really talking about living like Jesus. He kept them perfectly.
Knowledge of right and wrong is inescapable. The Bible even says that the moral law is written on our heart, even before we read the Ten Commandments.
“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.” (Romans 2:14-15, ESV)
The Ten Commandments make explicit the moral truths God has wired into our hearts. And this self-evident knowledge that some things are really and truly right (showing kindness to a loved one) and some things are really and truly wrong (torturing children for fun) is powerful evidence for a Creator.
Why? Because if there is a moral law that I, an American, am obligated to keep and Pharaoh, an ancient Egyptian, is obligated to keep and everyone from all times is obligated to keep, then it must come from a transcendent Source above all of us.
Unlawful Use of the Law
“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully…” (1 Timothy 1:8, ESV)
When Paul says that the law is a good thing so long as “one uses it lawfully,” the clear implication is that there is an unlawful use of the law. What is a wrong way to use the law? In context, Paul was addressing false teachers who misused the law by misapplying it to Christians. Very likely, he was describing legalistic Judaizers, a sect with whom Paul frequently clashed. These Judaizers taught that Christians were still under the law in the sense of being legally bound to the Old Covenant.[1]
Elsewhere, Paul tells the Romans, “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14, BSB). When we live as if we are still under the condemnation and covenantal obligations of the law, sin will inevitably master us. It’s only when we experience the free grace of God and the removal of condemnation through the cross of Christ that we can present our bodies to God “as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:13).
The Judaizers told new believers that they couldn’t eat any of the foods that were off limits in the laws given to Israel (1 Timothy 4:3). The laws of the Old Testament are wrapped up in God’s covenant He made with Israel, “the Old Covenant.” So, the laws that you find in Exodus and Leviticus, for instance, are all part of the Old Covenant that God established with the nation of Israel. It’s essential to understand that the Old Covenant was never intended to last forever. God planned on replacing it with a new covenant from the beginning.
“In speaking of a new covenant, he [God] makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” (Hebrews 8:13, ESV)
This is an important issue, because a lot of Christians today still treat the Old Covenant laws as if the Old Covenant was still in force today. But the Book of Hebrews teaches that the whole system of laws was fulfilled by Christ. What does that mean? It means we—as followers of Jesus—are no longer bound to the Old Covenant, but to the New Covenant. In this sense, we are not under law, but under the grace and blood of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. Christ fulfilled the law for us, and our identity is in Him.
“But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6, ESV)
We can’t afford to be wrong on this. You as a Christian are no longer bound to the Old Covenant. The laws of sacrificing animals each year in Leviticus are now “obsolete.” You can put the knives away! You are no longer bound to that. The food laws—like not eating pig—are no longer a covenantal obligation for God’s people, whether you are Jew or Gentile. That’s why Paul can say to Timothy (a half-Jew) that those who forbid the eating of certain foods are following the “doctrine of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). Paul says such people “require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:3-5, ESV).
Thus, Christians are permitted to eat bacon! Of course, the issue is much bigger than that.
The system of animal sacrifices of the Old Covenant given to Israel never truly took away sin. Such sacrifices were always meant to be temporary, reminding the people that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Ever since Jesus fulfilled the law perfectly and died the death that the law required in our place, the Old Covenant has been replaced by the New Covenant. The cross was the great turning point. Jesus said in the upper room, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). His death established the New Covenant as a new way for God to relate to His people.
We, as the Church, are the New Covenant people.
The New Covenant and the Law
It’s important to note that even though the Old Covenant has been superseded by the New Covenant, the moral principles found in the Old Covenant carry forward to the New. In other words, we should not “unhitch” from the Old Testament, as one popular pastor recommended. How do we know that? Because there are numerous examples where New Testament authors reach back to the moral principles of the law to ground their argument. Here are two examples:
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” (Ephesians 6:1-3, ESV)
Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? (1 Corinthians 9:8-9, ESV)
Paul even tells us that the moral prohibitions still represent sound doctrine:
“We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine.” (1 Timothy 1:9-10, NIV)
Because the law was always an expression of God’s righteous character, the principles of the law have abiding relevance for New Covenant Christians, but this is not the primary purpose of the law.
The Law Is a Mirror
The law is like a mirror to show us our true moral condition. This is what theologians have often called the “first use of the law.” In other words, it is the primary purpose of the law.
Paul says the law is for the lawless (1 Timothy 1:9). It’s for sinners. It’s for those living in rebellion against God. Okay, but hang on a second. Aren’t we all sinners? Doesn’t Paul elsewhere say: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)? So, what does Paul mean here: “the law is for the sinful” (1 Timothy 1:9)? Is the law for us or not for us?
Well, right before saying we’ve all sinned in Romans, Paul says this about the law:
“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.” (Romans 3:19-20, ESV)
So what’s the primary purpose of the law? To show us our sin. To show that we are accountable to God. When we look at God’s moral law, where God says, “Honor your Mother and Father,” “You shall not lie,” and “You shall not steal,” we are looking both at who God is and who we are. The law shows us what God requires and prompts us to ask, “How do I measure up?”
Even a child can look at just those three commandments and recognize he’s broken God’s Law and is therefore a little lawbreaker. But although the law can show us that we’re in big trouble, what it cannot do is offer us the hope of forgiveness. That is where the gospel comes in.
The law rightfully condemns us. Most people tend to think, “I’m a pretty good person. If there is a Heaven, I’m sure I’m headed there.” But the law humbles us and shows us that we are actually not good. “There is none righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10).
I heard a chaplain talk about a time he was sharing the gospel with a group of college football players. They were hanging on his every word until he got to the “sin part.” Those listening were big, tough athletes. Some were popular, admired, and surrounded by girls. They had so many things going for them, and not all of them appreciated this talk about sin. One of the star players came up to the chaplain afterwards and said, “Hey, I don’t like you calling us sinners!” He stormed off without waiting for a reply.
The football player was right about one thing: the Bible’s message about our condition is not flattering. If you haven’t been offended by the Bible’s portrait of sin, then maybe you haven’t looked closely enough (see Ezekiel 16; Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 1:18-3:20). If you’ve spent your whole life falling more and more in love with yourself, this message of sin is going to burst your bubble.
In his second letter to Timothy, Paul warns:
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy.” (2 Timothy 3:1-2, NIV)
Baby Boomers have been called the “Me Generation,” but in reality, this could be said of every generation. An article in the Smithsonian said:
“Although selfies flood the current visual landscape, this social media phenomenon did not invent obsession with the self. In fact, a spotlight on the personality of the self is a defining element of American culture. Every generation is guilty of putting the “Me” in its ME-dia, and with each generation of media technology, the “Me” gets bigger.”[2]
We all have this innate tendency to be self-centered and self-involved. So, hearing that we are sinners is offensive because we are telling people that the self cannot be at the center; it must be crucified (Matthew 16:24). The question shouldn’t be, “Is this a flattering picture of me?” but “Is this an accurate picture of me?”
The Law Points Us to Christ
The law of God shows us our true condition because it reflects the righteousness of the God to whom we are accountable. And we can only see our desperate situation as we come into contact with the righteousness of God. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones made this profound point:
“You will never make yourself feel that you are a sinner, because there is a mechanism in you as a result of sin that will always be defending you against every accusation. We are all on very good terms with ourselves, and we can always put up a good case for ourselves. Even if we try to make ourselves feel that we are sinners, we will never do it. There is only one way to know that we are sinners, and that is to have some dim, glimmering conception of God.”[3]
The Book of James likewise says the law is like a mirror showing us what we are really like (1:23-25). But the law can never save. We can’t redeem ourselves through law-keeping. That is why Paul tells Timothy the law must be used lawfully. There is a right way and a wrong way to use the law. If the law is used to show you that you are accountable to God, that’s the right way. But if you try to keep the law to save yourself, it will only leave you worse off than before.
By showing us we are unrighteous, the law gives us a hunger for the righteousness that can only be found through faith in Jesus. As we are united to Christ by faith, we are clothed in His righteousness and justified based on Christ’s sinless life and death in our place.
At the end of the day, you can either be under the law or under grace. Under condemnation or under Christ.
So, thank God for His law today. The law is there to show us our need and point us to Christ. Ultimately, that’s what God was always aiming for by giving Israel the law. They needed it to see their need for a coming Messiah (Galatians 3:24).
Just like a mirror only shows you your appearance but cannot improve your appearance, so it is with the law. It shows us our moral condition so that we will turn to the Savior. And there is no greater and lasting happiness than the joy of knowing you are totally forgiven.
“Happy are those whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned.” (Psalm 32:1, GNT)
Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below!
[1] Biblically, a covenant is an agreement that God established for how He promised to relate to His people.
[2] Amy Henderson, Smithsonian Magazine, smithsonianmag.com, October 15, 2014.
[3] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Seeking the Face of God: Nine Reflections on the Psalms (Wheaton: Crossway, 2005), 34.
We live in an age of “anything goes” when it comes to religion or spirituality. If it warms your heart or excites you or if it works for you, then go for it.
Into this cultural context comes the big question of truth. What is it? How do we know truth?
Historically, truth has been defined as that which corresponds to reality. To tell the truth is to say how things really are – objectively and independently of how I feel about it.
Truth and Authority Redefined
Today, people have redefined truth to mean “whatever I strongly feel to be true in my heart.” That’s why you hear people say things like “You’ve got to live your truth” and “Everyone has their own version of the truth.” The truth is no longer understood to be something “out there” that I must go and discover. Instead, it is something that rises up within my own heart. And there’s a reason for that. Truth is a binding word. That is why many will argue that if something is true for someone else, then we should never question it. Otherwise we’re asking others to not be true to themselves. To be inauthentic. To live a lie. Or so the argument goes.
J.P. Moreland explains this line of thinking:
“Today, people are more inclined to think that sincerity and fervency of one’s beliefs are more important than the content. As long as we believe something honestly and strongly, we are told, then that is all that really matters.”[1]
But no matter how much I may passionately believe that something is good for me, that fact alone does not make it true.
Intuitively, we recognize that truth is closely linked to authority. If I get to define what is true for me, then I am my highest authority, and I don’t have to answer to a truth that stands outside of me or to a God who determines what is true.
Despite how common this claim is in our culture, the reality is that you and I don’t get to decide what is true. Trying to elevate our feelings and opinions to the level of moral truth doesn’t change the fact that when God declares something to be so, it is true for everyone.
Truth and Love
This doesn’t mean that personal experiences don’t matter. One well-known political commentator has a famous line: “Facts don’t care about your feelings.”[2] It’s a witty slogan perfect for bumper stickers. But the problem I have with most bumper stickers is that they often leave something wanting, something left unexplained. While I agree that facts don’t care about your feelings, followers of Jesus should care. We belong to One who showed incredible compassion for the lost, the hurting, and the misled.
In the Gospel of Matthew, we read this of Jesus:
“When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36, BSB)
Elsewhere in the Bible, we read this of God:
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He is mindful that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:13-14, BSB)
While truth should never be sacrificed in the name of love, truth is best delivered in the context of a loving relationship. Try as we might, we cannot have one without the other. Truth and love act as preservatives for one another. When you try and separate them, they both spoil.
Why We Need a Transcendent Authority
Many in American culture fail to understand that in order to determine whether something is objectively right or wrong, we must have a transcendent authority. Only a God who has created us and therefore holds authority over us can decide whether something is right or wrong. Whenever a higher authority is rejected, people get to pick and choose whatever is right for themselves. The biblical book of Judges is centered on how dark things become when everyone lives by their own version of morality.[3] Which is why all this talk about “living your truth” is really just a declaration of autonomy and liberty from all moral restraints. As Fyodor Dostoevsky said, “Without God… everything is permissible.” Families suffer, societies are ruined, and even whole nations are destroyed by such a poisonous philosophy.
Despite all those claiming the right to decide what is morally right for themselves, I still believe that everyone knows there is a transcendent moral standard that stands outside of them; it’s unavoidable. Our consciences bear witness to the fact that God’s law is written on our hearts (Romans 2:14-16). Deep down, none of us can deny that we are all beholden to this standard.
All you need to do is watch what happens when someone is mistreated by someone else. Sure, you can claim all day long that “everyone should just live their own truth.” But the moment your car stereo is stolen or a store overcharges you or you get penalized for something you didn’t do, suddenly your blood begins boiling and you feel the need to cry out, “You can’t do that! That’s not fair!” The moment we are harmed personally, our moral indignation betrays what we really believe: There is a transcendent moral standard to which we are all accountable, despite our frequent claims to the contrary.
After all, how could anyone ever say the Holocaust was evil or the Jim Crow laws were unjust or what the terrorists did on 9/11 was wicked unless there really is a transcendent moral standard embedded in the nature of God Himself? We all know it’s not enough to say, “I don’t personally like those things, but I’m not going to foist my version of truth on someone else.”
The Oldest Lie in the Book
In the book of Genesis, the serpent came to tempt Eve to eat from the one fruit that God had forbidden. We’re told that “the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made” (Genesis 3:1). In other words, he was an expert strategist. He had really thought this through. In order to entice Eve into rebellion against the One who had formed her and loved her, he had to point out something that she didn’t yet have. Despite all the delights of living in a beautiful garden with a husband who adored her and a God who met her every need, the serpent touched on the one thing she did not have: the ability to determine good and evil for herself.
After she initially objects to violating God’s single prohibition, the serpent assures her:
“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5, ESV)
That was the bait that convinced her to eat the fruit. Being like God. Standing in His place. Knowing good and evil as He does.
Well, how does God know good and evil? Not by experiencing both good and evil – the Bible everywhere denies God can sin – but by determining what is good and evil as only a moral authority can. So to be like God is to decide for oneself what is good, beautiful, and true. Eve believed the satanic lie that she could live her own truth and not face any consequences. “You will not surely die,” the serpent had said.
The Truth Will Set You Free
When Jesus of Nazareth walked this planet, He talked a lot about truth. Because we’ve inherited the sin nature from Adam, we are by nature truth suppressors.[4] Jesus explained that we fall for the same old lie that duped Eve. And just as she and Adam ran and hid from God, we all run from the truth. To be more precise, Jesus said we don’t want to know the truth about ourselves. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says:
“For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:20-21, ESV)
Jesus came into an already condemned world to bear our condemnation.[5] He said that apart from Him we are trapped in the darkness of deception. On the other hand, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a call to repentance and surrender. To repent is to admit we have gone wrong – that our version of the truth is not, in fact, the truth. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, our sins are forgiven (including the sin of distorting the truth) and our minds are renewed. From that point forward, we’re called to live in line with the truth of the gospel.
To sum up – yes, we should speak the truth in gentleness and love, not abrasively.[6] Yes, we need to be sensitive to the feelings, personal convictions, and experiences of others. Yes, we need to respect those who are different from us. After all, in the biblical worldview they are made in the image of God and thus imbued with unfathomable dignity as His precious creations.
But let’s stop claiming things that can only mislead: “People should be able to determine what is right and wrong for themselves” or “Everyone needs to live their own truth.” As followers of the One who claimed to be “the Way, the Truth, and the life,” we need to surrender to the truth as He defines it in His Word.
"I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right." (Isaiah 45:19, ESV)
Living my truth might be the worst thing I could ever do. Instead, I am called to live God’s truth.
[1] J.P. Moreland, Love Your God with All Your Mind (NavPress: Colorado Springs, 2012). Kindle edition.
[2] This is conservative commentator Ben Shapiro’s line. For the record, I agree with much of Shapiro’s moral reasoning. Of course, because Shapiro does not believe the gospel, he and I just don’t see eye to eye on the solution to moral problems.
[3] This was the repeated message in the very dark book of Judges: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:24)
[4] See Romans 1:18-20; 5:12. According to the Bible, the universal sin is that human beings have “exchanged the truth about God for a lie.” We worship things of this world, rather than the Creator of this world.
Lamp and Light 