Articles
Biblical Morality
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They pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor,
And pervert the way of the humble.
A man and his father go in to the same girl,
To defile My holy name.
(Amos 2:7)
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Ask average people on the street if they believe in “morality,” and you’ll likely get positive responses. But push for details and you’ll discover that definitions of morality vary widely.
Those of a progressive mindset are likely to put social justice at the top of the list. Caring for the poor, fighting racial injustice, providing affordable health care and housing for the marginalized, and so forth, are the primary expressions of goodness. At the same time, however, progressives tend to view sexual behavior as a private matter involving few moral implications. "Between consenting adults" is pretty much their only rule.
Those of a more conservative outlook, on the other hand, will highlight sexual behavior as the primary focus of moral virtue. Social justice issues are a “nice to have," but not as critical as protecting marriage and family. That's why conservatives tend to concentrate their efforts in pro-family and anti-abortion movements.
In this text, Amos condemned Israel for tolerating two things: the widespread mistreatment of the poor, and sexual licentiousness. Both behaviors were an affront to God's character, and the prophet warned the nation that they would pay a price for their disobedience in both areas.
The Bible, in other words, champions a view of morality that offends both conservatives and liberals. God insists on sexual purity, and a society that flouts His standards in this area threatens its own survival. At the same time--and with equal intensity--the plight of the poor is an outrage to Him, and a truly moral people will take that problem seriously. In fact, both of these issues are often linked.
As God's people today, we should be addressing both of these sins equally, using the tools the Bible provides us rather than trendy political talking points. God has placed us here to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We cannot perform that role without confronting all the wrongs that ravage our world.
We have work to do. Let's get busy, starting with our own personal lives.
--David
