God’s Law and Legislation

It is no secret that the laws and legislation passed in America these days do not conform to the moral law of God. You and I live in a time where people are calling “good evil and evil good” and then enshrining such unbiblical thinking in the legislation that is passed. Seeing society as a whole and elected politicians abandon God’s standard of truth and morality is disheartening. Christians know that God’s law is good because it displays who God is and what He considers to be just and right. So the question is, how should Christians think about politics and God’s law? How should you and I act in a country that does not esteem what the Lord esteems?

Legislating popular pragmatic opinion

To answer these questions, I will start by asking “In the time in which we live, where do are our laws coming from?” My answer: “popular pragmatic opinion.” By “popular” I mean if a majority of people in society thinks something is right or wrong, that is what tends to become law. “Pragmatic” means that our society is obsessed with short term solutions to current problems rather than thinking long term about the impacts that a particular legislation will have on our nation. And by “opinion” I mean that there is no ultimate theological, philosophical, or natural law that people appeal to in order to make the case for legislation. Morality is generally defined personally based on one’s own experience and that personal experience ends up becoming the ultimate appeal for the rightness or wrongness of a thing.

A recent example of “popular pragmatic opinion” at work can be seen in American legislation redefining marriage in the eyes of the law in a way inconsistent with Scripture. If you look at recent polls, it seems even professing evangelicals are becoming more comfortable with redefining marriage to include same-sex marriage. Therefore, the legislation is “popular”. Redefining marriage in this way also doesn’t appear to have any “near term” consequences, therefore it is “pragmatic”. And finally, although you can find more thought-out arguments in favor of redefining marriage, most “off the street” arguments are based off of simple opinion. People seem to generally think marriage is “good” between a same sex couple and therefore, in there opinion, it should be accepted societally and codified in law.

There are dozens of other legislation in the past 10 years that I could use as an example. But suffice to say, popular pragmatic opinion is the main driver in what ends up becoming a “right” in America. In the eyes of American law, you can choose to partake in all sorts of behavior that God’s word condemns without consequence. As the end of Romans 1 says, the result of mankind’s rebellion is rejecting God’s righteous decrees and giving approval for people to sin. That is what America has chosen to do at societal level: give approval for it’s citizens to sin against God without any consequence.

Opinions cannot change the “oughts”

So how should a Christian think about the laws coming out of this popular pragmatic opinion? First, you must remember that something can be declared “legal” by the United States government that is still declared “immoral” by God. Although our society would beg to differ, making something a legal “right” does not make something “right” morally or in the sight of God.

The Christian basis for morality is not surveying what sinful, rebellious people consider to be “good” at a particular moment in time. Our basis is the unchanging revealed will of God.

In other words, societal opinion cannot fundamentally change what God says you and I “ought” to do and what we “ought not” to do. Moral obligations and laws are not “up for grabs” so to speak. As an example, if popular pragmatic opinion dictated that stealing is okay and America passed a law making it a “right” for individuals to steal under certain circumstances, Christians would still teach and preach and practice that stealing is a sin. Why? Because the shifting sands of popular opinion do not change the firm fixed foundation of the word of God.

Regardless of what America considers is “right” or “wrong”, Christians and the Church should help people see and abide by God’s fixed standards of “right” and “wrong”.

• Adultery is still wrong even when divorce is celebrated in America.
• Murder is still sin regardless of whether the life you are taking is 6 weeks old or 60 years old.
• Racism has been and continues to be an insult to the inherent dignity of every human being made in the image of God.
• Gender was established by God and human beings don’t have the power or autonomy to change it.
• Sexual immorality goes against God’s plan for marriage and family regardless of how accepted cohabitation becomes.

God’s law was originally written on stone, not with erasable marker. Society can rage against God’s law, hate those who abide by it, and legislate the very opposite of what it commands. But the truth stands firm.

How should Christians respond?

What then can a Christian do in a society such as ours? You and I know that votes cannot change what God has declared good or evil. And yet we see America consistently enshrine the opposite of Biblical morality into laws. So what should we do? Two brief responses come to mind.

1. Work in society to conform legislation to God’s law

As God gives you the opportunity, seek to uphold God’s moral law in society. This certainly includes political involvement at some level. Christians from the local up to the federal level should unashamedly seek to conform America’s public morality with the morality revealed in Scripture. I think part of being “salt and light” is to stop the decay of the society in which we find ourselves living in. Certainly that primarily means preaching the Gospel that blind eyes would be opened to see the glory of Christ and of God’s will. However, I don’t think it means waiting until every person in America is converted before seeking to conform American ethical and moral standards to God’s standards.

As a Christian, you are a citizen of a heavenly kingdom. But you are also an ambassador for Christ to the nations. Just as Paul used his “natural” rights as a Roman citizen on occasion, leverage any rights you have as a citizen for God’s glory. And since God is certainly not glorified when a nation legislates immorality, fight to uphold God’s moral standards in society. Vote for public officials who will affirm Biblical morality. Speak out against legislation that is evil in God’s sight. Show up to community meetings and be a voice for Truth. Don’t merely represent your own personal interests when you engage politically. Fight for Biblical morality in society, whether you personally think it is a losing battle or not.

2. Teach others God’s moral standards and their excellency

The flip side of the point above is not becoming too obsessed with changing the laws of America from the “top down.” As mentioned before, even if people are legally free to do something does not mean they ought to do it. You and I need to teach in our homes, in our Churches and our communities God’s moral standards. But we should go beyond merely stating the standards: actually show those around you the wisdom and goodness of God in the moral laws He gives.

For example, teach those around you God’s standards for marriage and why He hates divorce. Explain to others how a Biblical view of marriage is superior to the “easy divorce” culture in which we live. You might not change America’s view of divorce or marriage from a legal perspective. But by God’s grace, you can help those around you see the goodness of God’s moral standard. The goal ultimately is for individuals to obey God from the heart regardless of whether or not a behavior is allowed in society.

And of course, ultimately none of your efforts to help those around you see the glory of God’s standards will matter without also sharing with them the Gospel of Christ. I will say this again so that I am not misunderstood: fighting to uphold Biblical morality will be fruitless unless you also preach Christ. You and I don’t have the power or desire in and of ourselves to keep God’s law in its entirety. This is the great paradox of fighting for Biblical moral standards: you are fighting for a standard that you know sinful humanity cannot meet through their own abilities. So don’t just offer the standard to society: offer Christ. Offer the Gospel. For until the God’s law is written on your heart, your flesh will desire sin regardless of any external standard applied to you.

At the end of the day, you and I shouldn’t want mere external conformity to God’s moral law. Rather, we want to see lives transformed by the Gospel so that, in love of God, people are eager to “keep his commandments.”

For more of my assorted reflections on a myriad of topics, click here. If you found this post helpful, please share on social media below and subscribe. For a helpful teaching series by R.C. Sproul on Ethics and Morality that I found very helpful, click here.