Truth and Morality as Culturally Relativity

I stumbled across something most interesting. While scanning my Facebook page this morning I noticed an ad by House Stuff Works. The ad was actually a test one could take to see how moral you were. What caught my eye was the following statement they made:

“While morality is different depending on what culture you live in, there are still things that most of agree are “good” and “bad.”

What? Morality as a cultural phenomenon? How can morality be cultural? It’s like saying truth is cultural. If morality and truth are cultural, then that would mean that both were relative. Cultural relativity to morality and truth can only be true IF there is no one, true God.

God established morality. In its most simple and purest, God’s morality came in the form of the Ten Commandments. These commandments were actually effects. It was Jesus Christ who clearly defined the cause that made manifest these effect; love.

“And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:28-31).

Jesus made the distinction between doing and being. One can do, and not be. Just ask the devils (James 2:19). But it is impossible for one to be, and not do.

Sin by definition is self-centered, self-seeking and self-serving. Sin takes and consumes what it wants, when it wants it.

Righteousness is an attribute of God, just like love is. Sin is not. Righteousness deals with what is ethically right, truthful and just. It is a condition acceptable to God. Sin is not.

Love is to express and convey the essential will of God, or His righteousness. Love can only be truly identified by the actions it inspires. The Ten Commandments are a perfect example of God’s love.

"Christian love, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men generally, is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered. Love seeks the welfare of all, (Romans 15:2), and works no ill to any, (Romans 13:8-10); love seeks opportunity to do good to 'all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith. (Galations 6:10, 1 Corinthians 13 and Colossians 3:12-14). Source: The Epistles to the Thessalonians With Notes Exegetical and Expository 1959 by C.F. Hogg and W.E. Vine.

Morality comes from God. It is His expression of love. Love is righteousness on display. Morality can only come from the one, true God. If truth and morality comes from a false God or multiple Gods, then truth and morality becomes relative, and therefore cannot be true or moral.

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Ephesians 4: 1-7).

There is one God, (“He is God; there is no other besides Him.” Deuteronomy 4:35).

One love (“God is love.” 1 John 4:7).

One truth (“I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6).

One morality (“We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29).

Anything that is not of faith in God is sin (Romans 14:23) and is immoral. Anything not of God is a lie. So it is impossible for morality to be cultural or relative.

Bill Hitchcock