Morality

The core idea of a common morality is that all humans, at least all morally serious humans, have an awareness of certain moral norms. Common morality refers to the shared moral beliefs of a society. The claim is that normal humans intuitively, or in some other way, know there is something wrong with lying, breaking promises, or killing people. Perhaps humans are biologically programmed with an innate moral sense of ethics and morality. When they are born into a cooperative world, with good care, they become cooperative.

The basic idea that there is something generally wrong with killing other humans will be articulated very differently in different cultures, some referring to the sacredness of life; others to a duty not to kill, a right to life, or a prohibition on killing the innocent. Some may extend the insight to a duty to prolong living, others limit it merely to a prohibition of direct, active killing. Some may endorse more exceptions, for killing of unjust aggressors, for killing in just war and for killing in self-defense; others, such as pacifists, will be much stingier in doling out exceptions. Certainly, people at different times and places will articulate the norms in different language and embed them in different theories. There is no such thing as a universal morality, and it is surprising to me that people are still asking this question in the 21st century.

Culture
Culture refers to the outlook, attitudes, values, goals, and practices shared by a group, organization, or society. Interpretation of what is moral is influenced by cultural norms, and different cultures can have different beliefs about what is right and wrong.

Culture is a powerful force and is multidimensional. The same person placed in different cultures will act differently, because a strong embedded culture creates social ideals that guide individual behavior. Shared assumptions are the heart of any culture. Social ethics is the collection of values and behaviors of a given culture or people group. Social ethics vary greatly from culture to culture, but most often the social ethics of civilized societies reflect the moral standards given in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17). For example, most civilized cultures recognize that murder, theft, and taking another man’s woman are morally reprehensible, while courage, generosity, and kindness are laudable. Some scholars point to this universality of inherent moral values as evidence that humanity was created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). His moral code is stamped on our DNA.

The religious beliefs of a specific culture plays a huge part in forming its social ethics. In societies where Judeo-Christian values have been influential, the social ethics are generally higher. For example, in countries where Christianity has had an impact, women are generally treated better and have more rights. Human life is given greater value, and the poor and handicapped are cared for instead of ostracized, as they are in some cultures. When comparing cultures with a Christian influence to those with no Christian presence, we see a vast difference in the value placed on education, charitable work, and individual freedom.

Atheists and Believers
Atheists and believers have moral awareness, but not in the same ways.

Moral awareness is alike between the two groups in that they both highly rate fairness and protecting the well-being of vulnerable people and both groups highly endorse liberty, but not oppression.

However, the groups diverge when it comes to matters of group cohesion, such as valuing loyalty and respecting authority.

Thus, there are differences between believers and disbelievers on three values: first is respecting authority figures, such as police, parents, and teachers; second is loyalty, meaning being loyal to one’s group, such as a country and not burning a country’s flag and third is sanctity, which is not doing anything perceived as degrading, usually in a sexual sense, such as being promiscuous.

In contrast, atheists don’t really think of these three values as relevant for morality.

If you don’t grow up surrounded by religious people and related activities, you’re less likely to endorse matters of group cohesion. Similarly, perceiving the world to be less dangerous and being an analytical thinker can also predict atheism.

Inclusivism verses Exclusivism
Is a personal faith in Jesus Christ the only way to heaven – exclusivism, or did Jesus’ death also provide salvation for those who do not believe – inclusivism? This question is often posed by non-Christians when first confronted with the claims of biblical Christianity. Many skeptics charge that it is unreasonable for God to demand allegiance to Jesus Christ to receive the forgiveness of one’s sins. In the last several decades, many Christians have begun to opt for a different answer than that which has traditionally been given by most Christian believers. The trend is toward “inclusivism.”

Inclusivism is the view that people appropriate God’s gift of salvation based on Jesus Christ’s atoning work, but that the sinner need not explicitly believe the gospel to receive this salvation. Inclusivism teaches that Christianity is the only true religion, including the belief that Christ is the only Savior of men, but that this salvation could be made available through means other than explicit faith in Christ. The inclusivist believes that adherents of other religions and even atheists can be saved by responding to God’s revelation in creation or through the elements of truth contained within their non-Christian religion.

Inclusivists will quickly point out that any person who is saved is ultimately saved by Jesus Christ, but the sinner need not believe that Christ is Savior to receive this salvation. Inclusivists will sometimes refer to such people as “anonymous Christians.” Inclusivists refer to several biblical texts to support their view; however, their primary argument is more philosophical than exegetical – derived directly from the Scriptures. The question of the ultimate destiny of the un-evangelized is often raised by inclusivists, along with issues related to the salvation of infants, the mentally handicapped, and others who are prevented from making a rational choice for or against Christ.

“Exclusivism” or “Restrictivism” is the traditional evangelical Christian view dealing with the salvation of non-Christians. This is the view that a sinner can only be saved by a conscious, explicit faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Exclusivists argue that a positive response to general revelation is simply insufficient to ensure salvation from a biblical perspective. Exclusivists appeal to multiple scriptures to support their view, including John 14:6; John 3:16–18; and Romans 10:13–15.

It appears to me that a straightforward reading of these texts reveals the inspired Scripture is clearly teaching Christian exclusivism meaning that one must place faith in Christ to be saved. It is important to point out that there may be exceptions to this principle, such as the death of infants or children of a very young age who have not yet developed sufficiently to comprehend their sin and to make a rational choice of trusting in Christ. Second Samuel 12:23 states that King David’s infant child went to heaven after death.

Exceptions would in no way undermine the position of Christian exclusivism. Rather, they show the infinite mercy of God in providing salvation for those who might otherwise not attain it. My position is that explicit faith in Christ is necessary for all sinners who can trust in Christ and believe the gospel. Christian exclusivists believe that the biblical texts used to support inclusivism are far from compelling and that the texts used by exclusivists are clear. It is difficult for me to see how the inspired writers could have been clearer that explicit faith in Christ is necessary for salvation – for those who are capable of it.

It is also important for me to point out that the Christian exclusivist does not necessarily believe that the un-evangelized person will be condemned for failing to believe in a Jesus of whom they have never heard. Rather, such a person would be judged for his or her failure to respond to the message of general revelation and for sinning against God’s moral law that has been written on their heart.

In the end, I believe we can all be confident that God will not judge anyone unfairly. The un-evangelized will only be judged based on the sins that they have willfully committed. Christian exclusivism certainly should provide the church with more than sufficient motivation to evangelize every person on Earth, for literally, people’s eternal destiny hangs in the balance!

God has simply not informed us of any back-up plan He may have for those who do not hear the gospel in this life. I must assume that there is none.

General Revelation
General revelation can be defined as “the revelation of God to all people, at all times, and in all places that reveals God exists and that He is intelligent, powerful, and transcendent.” Scriptures such as Psalm 19:1–4 and Romans 1:20 clearly state that certain things about God can be understood from His creation around us. Creation reveals God’s power and majesty, but it does not reveal the plan of salvation through Christ. There is only salvation in Jesus’ name (Acts 4:12); therefore, a person cannot be saved simply through general revelation. Usually, the question, “Can a person be saved through general revelation?” is asked in relation to another question, “What happens to those who have never heard the gospel?”

Sadly, there are still parts of the world with absolutely no access to the Bible, to the gospel of Jesus Christ, or to any means of learning Christian truth. The question then arises, what happens to these people when they die? Is it fair for God to condemn a person who has never heard the gospel or of Jesus Christ? Some propose the idea that God judges those who have never heard based on how they responded to general revelation. The presumption is that, if a person truly believes what can be known about God through general revelation, God will judge the person based on that faith and allow the person entrance into heaven.

The problem is that Scripture declares that, unless a person is in Christ, he, or she “stands condemned already” (John 3:18). Romans 3:10–12, quoting Psalm 14:3, pronounces the unregenerate nature to be universally sinful: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” According to Scripture, the knowledge of God is available through general revelation, but mankind perverts it to his own liking. Romans 1:21–23 states, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.” The status of those without God is one of rebellion, darkness, and idolatry.

People rebel despite general revelation. Sinful man willfully rejects what can be known of God through nature and seeks ways to avoid the truth (see John 3:19). Since man does not naturally seek God, God must seek him—and that is exactly what He did, in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

A good example of our need for the gospel is found in Acts 10. Cornelius knew about God and was “devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly” (Acts 10:2). Did God save Cornelius because of his devotion to Him based on the limited knowledge he had? No. Cornelius needed to hear about Jesus. God instructed Cornelius to contact the apostle Peter and invite him to come to Cornelius’ home. Cornelius obeyed, and Peter came and presented the gospel to Cornelius and his family. Cornelius and his household believed in Jesus and were therefore saved (Acts 10:44–48). No one, not even a “good” man like Cornelius, is saved simply by believing that God exists or by honoring God in certain ways. The only way of salvation is the gospel of Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

General revelation can be seen as a universal call for people to acknowledge God’s existence. But general revelation, by itself, is not enough to lead a person to salvation in Christ. That is why it is so important to proclaim the gospel throughout the whole world (Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8). Romans 10:14 declares, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” Faith in the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation (John 3:16).

Disabled and Handicapped
The Lord is God of the physically healthy and the mentally strong, but He is also the God of the physically disabled and the mentally handicapped. He is sovereign over the fragile and feeble as well as over the adroit and mighty. The Bible teaches that every person conceived in this world is a unique creation of God (see Psalm 139:16), and that includes the disabled and the handicapped.

A natural question is why God allows some people to be born disabled or handicapped or why He allows accidents that bring about a disability or handicap later in life. This issue falls under the umbrella of a theological/philosophical debate known as “the problem of evil” or “the problem of pain.” If God is both good and omnipotent, why does He allow bad things to happen? What is the point of someone losing his sight or being forced to walk with a prosthesis? How can we reconcile God’s goodness and perfection with the fact that so much of His creation is broken and wounded?

Before I proceed, I should acknowledge that I believe we are all disabled or handicapped in some way. The need for eyeglasses indicates impaired or “handicapped” vision. Dental braces are a sign of imperfect teeth. Diabetes, arthritis, rosacea, a “trick” knee – these can all be considered disabilities to some extent. The whole human race lives with the reality of imperfection. Everyone experiences less than ideal conditions. We are all broken in some way.

The handicaps we live with are a matter of degree.

When a person is disabled or handicapped, to whatever degree, it is a symptom of original sin, when evil came into the world. Sin entered the world because of man’s disobedience to God, and that sin brought with it sickness, imperfection, and disease (see Romans 5:12). The world is blemished. One reason God allows people to be disabled or handicapped is that such conditions are the natural result of mankind’s rebellion against God. We live in a world of cause and effect, and it is a fallen world. Jesus said that “in this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). This is not to say that every disability is the direct result of personal sin. Jesus countered that idea in John 9:1–3 but, the existence of handicaps and disabilities can be traced back to the existence of sin.

I understand this is a difficult concept for many of you to accept.

Another basic reason that God allows some people to be disabled or handicapped is that God will glorify Himself through it. When the disciples wondered about the man born blind, Jesus told them, “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3). When the same disciples later wondered about Lazarus’ sickness, Jesus told them, “It is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). In both instances, God was glorified through the disability – in the case of the man born blind, the temple rulers had incontrovertible proof of Jesus’ power to heal; in the case of Lazarus, “many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him” (John 11:45).

God allows disabilities or handicaps so that we learn to trust in Him rather than in ourselves. When the Lord God called Moses in the wilderness, Moses was reluctant at first to heed the call. In fact, he tried to use his disability to excuse himself from service: “Moses said to the Lord, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent… I am slow of speech and tongue’” (Exodus 4:10). But God knew all about Moses’ problem: “The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say’” (Exodus 4:11–12). In this amazing passage of Holy Scripture, we see that all human ability and disability is part of God’s plan, and that God will help His obedient servants. He doesn’t call the equipped so much as He equips the called.

Finally, God allows some to be disabled or handicapped because in His overarching plan, He has chosen the weak things of this world for a special purpose: “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him” (1 Corinthians 1:27–29). God doesn’t need human might or skill or fitness to accomplish His work. He can use disabilities and handicaps just as well. He can also use children: “Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger” (Psalm 8:2). He can use anyone! Remembering this truth can help handicapped believers to maintain focus on who God is. It’s easy to “curl up in a ball” and have pity on yourself when life makes no sense, but Christ’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

In a sense, when Jesus came into this world, He became voluntarily disabled. He handicapped Himself as He left the perfection of heaven to live among the sinners on this earth. He laid aside His glory to wrap Himself in inglorious humanity. At the Incarnation, Jesus took on human flesh in all its frailty and vulnerability. “He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:7). The Son of God took part in our human condition and suffered on our behalf. And that is why “we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15); rather, we have an Intercessor who understands our weakness, relates to our disability, and identifies with our pain.

God promises that disabilities and handicaps are temporary. Those conditions are part of this fallen world, not the world to come. God’s children – those who by faith in Christ are made children of God (John 1:12) have a bright and glorious future. When Jesus came the first time, He gave us a taste of good things yet to come: “People brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them” (Matthew 4:24). When Jesus comes the second time, “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy” (Isaiah 35:5–6).

I pray that the Lord our God bless you as you seek to learn more and to share your knowledge.

Jack Bell