When people defend the wrong, it sounds so wacky

Be it politics or the truth of God, when people try to defend a position that is clearly wrong, their justifications sound so weird. Their logic is twisted, their language turns definitions on their head, their positions so unsustainable as to make them a laughingstock. But they still manage to persuade the unwary. Somehow they gain a following. Their promises sound so good. This is not new. It has a long history. Examples abound. King Saul explaining to Samuel why he didn’t fully obey the Lord, in 1 Sam 15, comes quickly to mind.

You might want to cite other such moments from Scripture.

#disobedience, #sin, #wrong


(#44) The Proverbs of Solomon 11:20-21-Is Anything “Right or Wrong?”


Proverbs 11:20-21: “Those who are of a perverse heart are an abomination to the LORD, But the blameless in their ways are His delight. 21 Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; But the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.”

The God-drawn line between right and wrong, good and bad, righteous and unrighteous, perverse and blameless remains clear to God, despite human efforts to cloud the issue. Other proverbs that teach this include: Proverbs 15:9: “The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But He loves him who follows righteousness;” Proverbs 15:26: “The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD, But the words of the pure are pleasant.” There are many who, in their arrogant wickedness, seem to be asking: “Who is the LORD, that He can tell me what’s ‘right’ and ‘wrong?’” When the most powerful king of his day, “Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go’” (Exodus 5:2), then 10 plagues later, and after the destruction of his kingdom, Pharaoh had found out! No matter who challenges God’s “right” to rule, no one has been left standing who did!

God has been, and still is, always delighted with “the blameless.” “Blameless” simply describes the condition of not being condemned by the rules. Under Moses’ Law, priests in the temple were (Matthew 12:5); Zacharias and Elizabeth were (Luke 1:5-6); Saul of Tarsus was (Philippians 3:4-7). Jesus’ Cross and Gospel are to let sinners who obey become “blameless” (Philippians 2:14-16; Colossians 1:21-23; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13; 5:23). Note that “The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7), this last phrase is quoted by Paul in 2 Timothy 2:19 as still being true!

A union of sinners, expressed as to “join forces” (literally, hand to hand), cannot overpower God’s line of “righteousness.” This is repeated in Proverbs 16:5: “Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.” God’s line between “right and wrong” has never, and will never be, outvoted, overpowered, outlasted, or outdone! There is no strength of numbers great enough to change, alter, shrink, or erase God’s dividing line of morals!

God finds abominable everyone who teaches otherwise! Proverbs 17:15:”He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.” The prophet, Isaiah, was inspired to decry: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). Jesus Christ reflected this teaching in Luke 16:15: “And He said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.’”

The only hope for anyone is to recognize that there is a difference between “good and evil,” admit it if you are found on the wrong side, repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).


#bad, #bible-study, #blameless, #good, #perverse, #proverbs, #right, #righteousness, #unrighteousness, #wisdom, #wrong

God’s Standard

A few years ago when we lived in Tennessee, the state’s legislature was busy trying to develop an ethics policy offering guidelines to help lawmakers.

The difficulty the legislature had, aside from special interests and other insidious things, was when the line between right and wrong was removed, just about anything is allowed.

When the only objective standard ― the word of God ― is ignored, then people do what is right to them (Judges 17:6). Solomon wrote, “There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12).

Philosophers have gravitated toward utilitarianism and humanism, purely subjective ways of attempting to understand ethics. Such attempts are unreliable and doomed to failure.

What are Bible ways of insuring proper conduct? Let’s rely on the right kinds of tests.

  1. The Scripture test: what does the Bible say? (Galatians 4:30)
  2. The Influence test: how will my conduct influence others? We are always obliged to consider others (1 Corinthians 8:9-13).
  3. The Conscience test: a conscience trained in the word of God will provide an alarm alerting us to right and wrong (1 Peter 3:16).
  4. The Evangelism test: Will my conduct impair my ability to teach the lost?
  5. The Association test: Christians are to shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15). Will my conduct keep my light from shining?
  6. The Stewardship test: Will my conduct prevent me from serving God wholly and faithfully?

If every choice was easy, there would be no need for a standard. God’s standards are absolute and discernible. Why not live up to Jesus’ standard of godly living?

[With thanks to Wendell Winkler]

#right, #standard, #wrong

What If…

What if everyone in the world was equipped with a wrong way sign that would appear the second they were about to make an error?

Of course, that would never happen because it would rob us of free will. God gives us the freedom to choose wrong.

And, even if some people could see a red “wrong way” sign, they’d likely argue that it is truly the wrong way, but they don’t care. They’ll go that direction anyway.

Those who believe there are “many different ways to God” would probably ignore such a sign. The Bible says, “I am the way, the truth and the life,” (John 14:6). Yet there are people who dispute what the Lord himself says.

How many people continue to drive the wrong way on the interstate even after seeing a “wrong way” sign? “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death,” (Proverbs 16:25). That may be an important statement. There may be a very good reason why the Lord God gave it twice (Proverbs 14:12).

We continue to preach and teach the truth because there are those who will see the “wrong way” sign in the Bible, repent and turn from their wrong ways. There is a right way that, if a man goes that way, he may be saved.

#what-if, #wrong


In a very real sense, right and wrong are NOT up for discussion.

#bible, #right, #truth, #wrong

If you can’t explain what you’re doing…

If you can’t explain what you’re doing in simple English, you’re probably doing something wrong.

Alfred Kazin, American critic and author (1915-1998)

#explain, #probably, #simple, #wrong

It often requires more courage to dare t…


Abraham Lincoln

#courage, #fear, #right, #wrong