Anarchy Reigns if There is No Absolute Standard!
The word "moral," according to Webster’s dictionary means, "of or relating to principles of right and wrong behavior. . .conforming to a standard of right behavior." We live in a world that uses standards for everything: weight scales, food, drugs, building codes, ethical codes of conduct for physicians, attorneys, governmental officials, the rights of others, drinking and driving, speeding, etc. Without these standards of conduct, we would live in a world of chaos. Judges 17:6b would describe man without laws to abide by: "every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
This brings up the questions: Who determines the standards of moral conduct? Is there an absolute standard of right and wrong? If so, who legislated it? If there is no absolute standard of right and wrong who can say who is right and who is wrong? In his debate with Dr. A.G.N. Flew, an atheistic professor from Reading, England, Dr. Thomas B. Warren asked the world renowned atheist to state whether the following proposition was true or false: "Value did not exist before the first human being." Dr. Flew answered "True." In thus answering, Dr. Flew made clear that he viewed ethics as nothing but a function of a human mind. He thus made clear that, carried to its logical conclusion, his position on ethics meant that it is no more evil to kill six million Jewish men, women, and children than it is to kill six million mosquitoes!
To further drive home the consequences of advocating there is no absolute standard of morality. Did Timothy McVey violate any law when he murdered 168 helpless men, women, boys and girls in the Oklahoma City bombing? During the Nuremberg trial, the defense which the Nazis gave for their murdering six million Jews was they had obeyed the only law which they were under. Justice Robert Jackson, chief prosecutor for the allies stated that there was a "higher law which transcends the provincial and transient" which the Nazis had violated. That "higher law" was the law of God! Again, if there is no universal, absolute standard of morality then Adolf Hitler and Timothy McVey did nothing wrong. If not, why not?
Yes, the truth of the matter is God has set forth in His holy and divine word standards of right and wrong conduct which man must obey. Man is incapable of directing his own steps (Jer.10:23). The Bible is a book given to man so that he will know why he suffers pain, sorrow and death (Rom.5:12). It is also a book that supplies man’s every need (2 Pet.1:3). Thus one can learn how to become a Christian and live the Christian life. Without this divine standard to guide the human race anarchy reigns!
- - -Ivie Powell