Moral and Non-Moral Issues

Jesus calls us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37-38) so that we can obey Him (John 14:21). To know what God requires of us to obey (Moral issues) is essential to Christian life. We have to be careful to discern when an action is sinful from when it is not because all actions may be sin but only some actions are necessarily sin. We also have sinful religious actions such as quoting Scripture (Matthew 4:1-9), giving (Matthew 6:2; Acts 5:1-11) and praying (Matthew 6:5; Luke 18:9-14).

To go about this it is essential to distinguish between moral and non-moral issues as we are called to rebuke a brethren when necessary (Matthew 18:15-17; Galatians 6:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; 2 Timothy 4:2) to help one another. In order to do this we must know which actions are sinful and which are not as we find the scripture insisting on removing a sinful person from the fellowship (1 Corinthians 5) whereas Romans 14 calls the Christians not to pass judgement on non-sinful practices of others. In Roman 14 Paul described those who limited their freedom as being weak; they are just immature and their actions are not sinful. This distinction is necessary so that we do not unrighteously pass judgment on the freedoms of others and fall short of God’s will by approving sinful acts just like the Pharisees (Matthew 15:1-20; Matthew 23:13-36).

In order to distinguish between moral and non-moral issues, we have to distinguish between actual sin and potential sin. It is good for us to limit the possibility of us falling into sin (Proverbs 10:19), even though the possibility of sin is not sin itself. But it is wrong to judge anyone of sin when they have not sin, so should allow them exercise their freedom in non-moral issues (Romans 14:1-4). So a decision that may lead to sin is not morally wrong; examples being forbidding drinking wine in order to avoid the sin of drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18; cf. 1 Timothy 5:23), forbidding incurring debt in order to avoid defaulting on a loan (Romans 13:8) and forbidding a person to quit their job in order to avoid failing to support his family (1 Timothy 5:8). The same is seen with the Pharisees in order to obey the command to keep the Sabbath day holy (Exodus 20:8), they declared any activity including doing good unlawful (Matthew 12:1-14).

We have to also consider those things that are always wrong and those that are wrong only in certain circumstances. If we find ourselves in a certain culture certain things viewed moral may be immoral or offense by one party (1 Corinthians 10:32). Even within the same culture people still view issues differently. Example being how some people view lateness as being rude. Some actions which are not wrong may become wrong if a negative perception is given to it and an offense is taken; but when offense is taken at God’s work we are not guilty (Mark 6:3).

Associating with evil is not the same as practicing evil. The Pharisees accused Jesus of associating with sinners, but they failed to know that participating in a non-sinful thing such as eating does not make one sin (Mark 2:16). Associating or identifying with sinners does not mean practicing sin and it is not sinful (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). The New King James version and other popular modern translations quotes 1 Thessalonians 5:22, as “abstain from every form of evil” not to abstain from all appearance of evil. So we are to abstain from evil not from what other people think is evil. We have to relate with sinners for the sake of the gospel, the forgiveness of sin as Paul teaches (1 Corinthians 5:10; 9:19-23) and as Jesus practiced (Mark 2:15-16; Luke 15:2).

Jesus teaches that His actions are examples (John 13:15), and Peter confirms this (1 Peter 2:21), just as Paul teaches us to follow his examples as he follows Jesus’ examples (1 Corinthians 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 4:9). These are in regards to righteousness and not matters of choice which is determined by circumstances. Example being that the apostles did not choose the replacement for Juda (Acts 1) in the same way that Jesus did for them. So what is prescribed is not what is described. If we say we should only do what Jesus did, then we should not drive cars because Jesus did not drive a car. This is done in many areas such as how to send people for missionary work, how to confront church leaders, why alleged miraculous gifts are valid and how to know God’s will. We should therefore experience the teaching of the apostles, not teach the experience of the apostles.

The Old testament is inspired by God, useful for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16) but it was not given specifically to govern the church. It is useful today to teach on God’s relationship with His people Israel (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:6-11). We are not under the law of Moses (Romans 6:14; 7:1-6) for Christ is the end for those who believe (Romans 10:4); so we should not put a yoke on disciples which no one can bear (Acts 15:10). Examples today are cases where people hold on the 10% tithe of the Old Testament rather than the New Testament teaching of giving (2 Corinthians 9) or the demand to keep the Sabbath day (Saturday) or the Lord’s day (Sunday) be kept holy rather than teaching our freedom to hold every day alike (Romans 14:5; Colossians 2:16-17).

What is wrong for us and what is wrong for others are not the same. Most commands of the New Testament are subjective not objective and focuses on the heart not the behaviour resulting from the heart. The command of husbands to love their wives (Ephesians 5:25) will have many potential personal applications but it must have the application of not divorcing her (except in instances of adultery or desertion). The principle of honouring all men and specifically our leaders is imperative (2 Peter 2:13-17) but honour must be expressed by submission to our leaders (except in instances when they order us to sin). Most New Testament commands are also positive but not measurable. Examples are: Loving, serving, giving, praying, exhorting, teaching, etc. are all commanded. Everyone person commits sins of omission by failing to do each of these commands faithfully (James 4:17). It is therefore judge when sin of omission has occurred for other people. Paul’s teaching in 2Corinthians 9:7 on giving is therefore a good guide for us on subjective commands.

When there is leadership responsibility, we have the role of making decisions that affect others; decisions may be rightly made that limit the freedom of others. When we have a God-given leadership role with responsibility for others it is different when we do not have. This will guide us not to wrongly accuse people of sin when they are calling us to limit our freedom on the basis of their leadership.

Some issues not explicitly stated as sin are sin. If an action which is not morally wrong is perceived as wrong by a person, he should not sin against his conscience (cf. Romans 14). In another case a person’s conscience may lead him to think that a sinful action is not morally wrong, here he must submit his view to the word of God. The second case is when a certain action necessarily leads to sin in all ways. An example is abortion which is not specifically stated in scripture. Since it is the intentional taking away of an innocent life, it is morally equivalent to sin. This is an action that must result in sin, so it is sin itself.