Right, But Still Wrong by David McClister
The Palmetto Reminder (http://home1.gte.net/david1mc/index.htm)
Morality is one of the most misunderstood topics of our day. It
would be a gross understatement to say that there is much confusion
on this subject in our present society. This is for a number of
reasons, among the foremost being our culture's abandonment of
the idea of absolute truth. Throw absolute truth out the window
and there is no reason to call anything right or wrong.
Another way in which morality has been commonly misunderstood
is by an oversimplification of the issues of right and wrong.
There are some things that are inherently wrong and nothing can
ever change that (lying, murder, stealing, etc.). Doing right
is a little more complicated, however, because there is more to
consider about doing right than the action itself. We must weigh
a number of factors, all of which must be right before we can
say we have done well. In short, it is sometimes possible to do
something that is otherwise good and right, but still come out
in the wrong. Let me suggest three examples:
Doing the Right Thing, But for the Wrong Reason
In Matthew 6 Jesus criticized the Pharisees over something that
surely must have sounded shocking to them. Jesus objected to their
prayers, their fasting, and their helping the poor. It was not
the fact that they did these things that drew Jesus' fire. In
fact, these were, in themselves, perfectly good things to do.
What Jesus disliked was the reason the Pharisees did these things.
They did their righteousness "to be seen of men," to
receive the praise of men. They took things that were designed
to be expressions of selflessness and humility and used them for
their own pride and selfishness. In fact, the Pharisees had become
masters of this kind of perversion of God's will. For example,
they would piously devote all their money to God so they would
have an excuse for not taking care of their parents (Matt 15:3ff).
They would make oaths but word them in such ways that they did
not consider them binding (Matt 23:16ff). They did good things
with evil intentions. Isaiah complained similarly about the Jews
of his day who thought that God was appeased simply by the ritual
of sacrifice and that their personal morality was not a consideration
in pleasing God. How wrong they were! They sacrificed, which was
normally a good thing, but God refused to accept their sacrifices
because of the intentions with which they were offered.
If we do what God has commanded for reasons other than those God
Himself had in giving us the commands, then we are not right for
doing them. For example, you may know about some fault in someone.
It would be wrong to lie about it. But it is not always necessary
or beneficial to speak about it either, and if you speak the truth
with the purpose of hurting or embarrassing someone, then you
have not done well at all even though you told the truth. Sometimes
telling the truth can hurt someone needlessly and silence would
be better. Or if someone is baptized in order to be like their
friends, he has done something God commanded but for entirely
the wrong reason. The value of good deeds can be negated by wrong
motives.
Doing the Right Thing, But in the Wrong Way
Sometimes it is not our motives that ruin our good deeds, but
our methods. It is important to do the right thing in such a way
that does not defeat the goodness of the deed itself. This has
several applications. Consider, for example, the preaching of
the gospel. The gospel is good news and joyous to hear. We should
not make it bad news that no one can stand to hear by the way
that we present it. We are to speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15),
not out of malice or ill will. Some in Paul's day were preaching
the gospel for the purpose of making Paul's imprisonment more
difficult (Phil 1:15). Some today seem to enjoy preaching in such
a way that intentionally offends their audience. This only ruins
any chance the gospel may have with some people and perverts God's
holy message. Similarly, sometimes we need to rebuke a brother
or sister when they do wrong. But how we do it can make all the
difference in the world for the outcome. We can rebuke in a demeaning,
haughty way (which will do no good), or we can restore the erring
in a spirit of gentleness and humility (Gal 6:1), which is the
right way to do it and which encourages the sinner to repent.
We may also consider an example involving the work of the church.
The Bible plainly teaches that it is God's will that the local
church provide financial support to those who dedicate themselves
to preach the gospel (1 Cor 9; Phil 1, 4). In modern times, however,
some people have set up human organizations (missionary societies
and sponsoring churches) to "assist" the church in this
work. Under such arrangements the pay for a preacher is sent not
directly to the preacher but to another church or a human organization
that acts as a middleman in the transaction. There is no Scriptural
authority for this at all. Sure, it is right to pay the preacher,
but it must be done according to the pattern of conduct of the
early church as recorded in the New Testament. The sin of the
missionary society or the sponsoring church lies in how it functions
to do what God has otherwise commanded. It does the right thing,
but in the wrong way.
Reaching the Right Conclusion, But for the Wrong Reason(s)
Why is it wrong to lie? Ask just about any unbeliever and they
may say, "because it hurts other people." That is a
typical response and is known as pragmatism - the idea that some
things should not be done not because they are morally wrong,
but because they have harmful or unpleasant effects (in effect,
it is wrong because it just does not work well in society). I
suppose, according to this way of thinking, that if someone could
figure out how to making lying beneficial then it would be acceptable
to lie. Now it is wrong to lie, but the fact that it is harmful
to others is not the reason it is wrong. It is wrong because God
said so; it is wrong because the lying tongue speaks from a deceptive,
malicious heart that is motivated by evil. Lying is wickedness,
and that is what is wrong about it. The fact that it is harmful
to others only adds to, or is a further product of, its evil.
Similar things are being said about the common practice of couples
living together (including the sexual relationship) before marriage.
All kinds of studies have concluded that such arrangements do
not work; they only discourage commitment, they result in unwanted
children and single parent homes, etc. But as bad as those things
are, they are not the reason "living together" is wrong.
It is wrong because it is fornication, and God condemns fornication
as living by the lust of the flesh. The fact that it produces
all kinds of ill effects is again simply a function of the real
problem.
We must be sure we are right in every aspect of our behavior,
not just in deed.
Short Exhort - Written and/or Compiled by David J. Riggs
(http://www.public.usit.net/driggs/)
"For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything." (1 Thess. 1:8)
Some have a bad attitude concerning personal work. They are too quick to say, "It won't do any good," or "No one is interested." There is a story told of two salesmen who in the late 1800's were sent from this country on separate missions to Africa to view the possibilities of selling shoes. One salesman wrote back to the company and said that the prospects for selling shoes in that country were absolutely no good because everyone went barefooted. The other salesman wrote back and said that the prospects for selling shoes there were fantastic because everyone needed shoes!
Let us sound forth the word of the Lord, preaching it in season and out of season.
PSALM 119 - Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
TETH. (Ps 119:65-72).
[65-67. The reliance on promises (Ps 119:49) is strengthened by
experience of past dealings according with promises, and a prayer
for guidance, encouraged by sanctified affliction.]
65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto
thy word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: [namely, in Thy word
(so as to fathom its deep spirituality); for the corresponding
expression (Ps 119:12, 64, 68), is, "Teach me Thy statutes."]
for I have believed thy commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy
word. [Referred by HENGSTENBERG to the chastening effect produced
on the Jews' minds by the captivity (Jer 31:18, 19). The truth
is a general one (Job 5:6; Joh 15:2; Heb 12:11).]
68 Thou art good, and doest good: teach me thy statutes. [Compare
as to the Lord Jesus (Ac 10:38).]
[69, 70. The crafty malice of the wicked, in slandering him, so
far from turning him away, but binds him closer to God's Word,
which they are too stupid in sin to appreciate. HENGSTENBERG refers
the "lie" to such slanders against the Jews during the
captivity, as that in Ezr 4:1-6, of sedition.]
69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy
precepts with my whole heart.
70 Their heart is as fat as grease; [spiritually insensible (Ps
17:10; 73:7; Isa 6:10).] but I delight in thy law.
[71, 72. So also affliction of any kind acts as a wholesome discipline
in leading the pious more highly to value the truth and promises
of God.]
71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might
learn thy statutes.
72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold
and silver.