Biblical Morality

Best-selling author, speaker and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarland, best-selling author and apologist Dylan Burroughs together bringing you the truth for a new generation. This is TMG radio July 19, 1941 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill held up two fingers the V for victory and he gave a speech the day before he talked about the battle of Britain and he was talking about fighting at off Hitler and he said quote upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization, and Churchill went on to invoke the justness of their cause, that Hitler and his regime and try to wipe out a whole segment of the human population was violating an objective moral standard that people really did no moral absolutes as the basis for the Allied forces of World War II without we welcome you to today's edition of truth for a new generation radio my name is Alex McFarland with me, colleague, brother and friend Dylan Burroughs. Dylan give you dear brother hey, great to be on the radio again today. As always, you know, as we record this so much of the news media is covering the presidents meeting with Kim Jong Lewin of North Korea very very significant on a number of levels and frankly I hope everybody's praying about this because this is the first time that US president has met with this world leader as I'm sure everybody knows North and South Korea are two different universes really South Korea being much more free much more westernized. North Korea, like so many dictatorships for the few rare photos that ever appear they try to project the image of success and prosperity, but those that have been kind of behind the wall have have reported on how the people live in abject poverty and squalor and the people have no rights and it's there there broke their bankrupt so they need to interact with the West and specifically the United States and really to establish some diplomatic dialogue is very historic and I Idaho people praying for a president, but one of the things that is being talked about is that they would D nuclear eyes themselves and that the Korean Peninsula to hopefully make the world a more safe place. A lot is at stake, human rights of the treatment of human beings making the world safer by getting them to destroy their factories that produce nuclear weapons. So Dylan, what, let's talk about all this going from bad to good moving from good to better human rights, justice for the world.

All of these conversations presuppose a moral standard that we are reaching for doesn't let's a good way to put it because even though we might have different views regarding North Korea. Everyone looks at the situation and says North Korea's bad they need to change their something better for their future and for the future of our world and when we look at this we say how do we evaluate what is right and what is wrong and it takes us this topic.

The Bible talks about regarding moral truth and how we understand what is right and wrong.

It's been said that everyone has some sense of right and wrong in this world, whether they know anything about the God of the Bible or not. Where does that come from, how do we understand this and what is that mean for us as we seek to live for God and to communicate his truth in our culture today, exactly, exactly, sit down truth for new generation radio we want to talk about morality. This is a time Dylan everybody knows the Western world has moved towards secularism there. There are a lot of reasons we talked about the reasons for this, not the least of which is the rise of evolution in the middle of the 19th century the publication of Darwin's work on evolution and then by the 20th century. This presupposed naturalism that there is no God, there is no God in our past. As Creator, though be no God in our future in terms of judge this secular mindset has long infected our academic institutions, but really were to the point were in pop culture and media.

It's just assumed that the world is secular America specifically is secular and I want to talk about the fact that we can't live without morality. In fact, knowledge of morality and behavior.

Assuming that there is a moral code is just universal. But Dylan, one of the things that has been reported on of the last 10 years has been the rise of nines and ONES who win are there polled in their ask you what is your belief. What is your religion will cite non-Endo NES. It's estimated that right now rejection of God or agnosticism severe questioning whether or not got even exist worldwide. It may be an average of 13% of the population rejects belief in God.

So let's talk for a minute Dylan about the reasonableness the logic of even invoking morality when there is no God or no ultimate standard of good right and it really gets us to this passage in Romans chapter 1 verse 20 the talks about this that reads for since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from what is been made, so the people are without excuse. Now that simply to say that everyone has the sense of right and wrong.

We all have this in our hearts, and were wired that way from birth so we can have that excuse. Oh I didn't know any better. Well, we do know that there is a sense of right and wrong, and the God has put that in our hearts. The question is what to do with that in our time together today we have five key topics that we want to go through along these lines and will mention just the first one here before he got our break Alex until just a bit about what this first principle is for us today. Well the first point we want to make is that the Bible teaches that humans really do know God's moral truth, I'm a blessing that we always do what's right. But deep in the heart. We know what's right. Romans two talks about the fact that the law of God is written on the heart says that the Gentiles that didn't have the oracles of God, like the Jewish people did by nature do the things prescribed by the law. Romans 215 says that the Gentiles show the work of the law is written on their hearts and their conscience also bears witness in their conflicting thoughts either accuse or excuse them Hebrews 10 verse 16 Hebrews 1016 this is the covenant I will make after those days, says the Lord. I will put my law on their hearts and write my law on their minds to note Dylan while we may be beat around the bush. We try to not be condemning. We want to tolerate everything deep in the human psyche.

We really do know moral truth in the Bible clearly states that is so true Alex and we appreciate you being with the say stick with this will be right back. If you're a Christian parent. You of course want to instill a biblical view of life in the hearts of your children, your pastor, you want to offer ministry that draws young families to your church.

This is Alex McFarland encouraging you to check out my new book and video curriculum. The 21 toughest questions your kids will ask about Christianity. I interviewed hundreds of children ages 5 to 12 and we address actual questions from actual children. The spiritual issues that are on the minds of your kids the book and video lessons are great for groups of any size and was produced with the goal of equipping kids to stand strong for Christ in any situation. The 21 toughest questions your kids will ask the book study guide and video series.

You'll find it@aastore.net that AFA store.net. For centuries the Bible has inspired humanity and shape the very world we live but how do we know this book is the word of God, not merely the words of man, what we believe about the Bible is based on what we believe about the source, the God who speaks explores the evidence of the Bible's inspiration and authority to some of the world's most respected biblical scholars have essentially a geolocation source. True to say that Paul wrote Romans is equally true to say that God's decision. We saw this and that sets the Bible apart from everything else in the ancient world and its religious pantheon of gods and goddesses. The God who speaks is a feature-length documentary from the American family Association available now with the God who speaks.all the early and morally objective absolute absolute morality does exist. Can we know it. Why does this matter.

Alex, before the Dylan Brewster on TNG radio with resume our conversation on this in just a moment, but I do want to encourage people on a couple of levels. Please go to our website which is truth for a new generation.com truth for its spell just like it sounds truth for a new generation.com got some very exciting things coming up for one Murfreesboro, Tennessee. That's right in the middle of Tennessee just 25 minutes from the Nashville airport September 13, 14, 15, we've got another one of our trees for new generation events. I'll be at middle Tennessee State University debating an atheist. Then Friday and Saturday. We've got Josh McDowell J. Warner Wallace, Dr. Michael Brown and so many others, amazing speakers, amazing music, it's Christian apologetics biblical worldview, defending the faith and it's our next TNG national conference coming up in September in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Then in October October 20 627 were going to be in Baton Rouge Louisiana we were there a year ago at Greenwell Springs Baptist phenomenal facility very easy to get to and I hope that those listening in the Baton Rouge area will join us the truth for new generation amazing speakers. A whole lineup of apologist will view speakers in the TNG events are appropriate for all ages really in a Dylan. We started 22 years ago trying to reach young people, but I believe people of all ages not only need to know how to defend the Christian faith, but they they really do respond so wonderfully to the speakers in this content because it's it's really very empowering, isn't it, to understand the gospel to know how to live it presented even defended it's it's very empowering and encouraging his it isn't for anyone he wants to better understand the Christian faith. This is a uniting time to hear from some of the best voices and our world. Josh McDowell reference is one of the great apologist of our generation and you get to hear me for this is your area, Murfreesboro or Baton Rouge.

You need to be there when Jay Warner Wallace of cold case Christianity. This is a guy who knows his information how to communicate and to prepare you to share your faith more effectively and in the testimonies from people like a mausoleum who is come out of extremist Islam or a people like Daniel Ritchie, who is to come from extreme difficulties in his background the present the gospel. These are voices you need to hear and bring your friends and your church family to be part of some excited about it as a transition back to our topic today I would been talking about this idea of the Bible teaches humans really do know God's moral truth, but this is just the first of five areas of information we want to share today as Alice gives start of the second point will the second point is that human history bears out the fact that we really are aware of objective morality. All throughout history we are implying or inferring that there are some things desirable. There are some things undesirable there's good there's bad there's right there's wrong in Dylan human history has been the story of civilizations and to exist. They make moral laws. Judgment calls. You shall not murder you. You should not lie you, you ought not bear false witness against somebody in a courtroom. If you lie on the stand. That's called perjury. You shouldn't steal your neighbor's goods. You shouldn't cheat on your spouse that there was a movie some years ago called the invention of lying.

The guy, Ricky Gervais's who was the founder of the show, the office wrote and starred in this movie and it didn't very well at the box office at but it was actually a really good movie is. Here's the thing in this movie. Nobody had sinned yet and the main character discovers that he doesn't have to tell the truth, he could lie to people he could begin to get his way. So he begins to lie and hence the title invention of line will people begin to do other bad things and they do things that they know aren't right and it becomes anarchy. Ultimately, the world becomes just a place of chaos brutality so he feels really bad that he introduced lying and really injustice to the world so he cloisters away and how can we fix this and he comes up with a list of of 10 things that we ought to do or not do is very similar to the 10 Commandments and the movie concludes, and he basically after causing all untold sadness and violence. He says look we have all got to police ourselves by things that deepen our heart we really know are right and we shouldn't lie in steel and be violent.

Let's try to restore order by behaving morally and what's very odd is while the movie is is good and it's not the gospel it's not salvation.

Morality and salvation are two different things. But we have to have a moral foundation to have a civilized society and culture start history recognize that the interesting thing about that movie. The invention of lying is Ricky Gervais's who basically says we can't live without morality.

He's an atheist.

He claims to be an atheist. I got a book right here by philosopher, he's an atheist who basically says while he is an atheist. We have to have moral truth in which to have a safe, civilized, prosperous society, so human history bears out the fact that we are not only aware of morality. Dylan we are aware of our need for morality. SOL said and that brings us to our third point today that this idea that humans intuitively desire and work toward conditions that are more closely aligned with God's moral order.

In other words, we naturally tend to work toward a sense of morality that is closely in line with what God says is right and to speak against things that God would say is run and this is an exact we have different standards from culture to culture, but that we all have this common basis for morality is interesting in the recent solo film the a spinoff from Star Wars that came out you have a Hansel character who takes ethics into his own hands.

At times he steals if it's to his own benefit, but when he sees that there is a greater need in society. Toward the end of the movie he chooses to do the right thing morally and to become the good guy and even today we have these ethics where you see people choose what is personally beneficial to them. At times, but they still have the sense of right and wrong, deep down inside of them. That is something God is wired so we come back when you talk more about this guy concept that we've been discussing with moral truths to stick with us will be right back. First Peter 315 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have were instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarlane for the life he answers teams students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The life answers. Teams are made up of students who will inspire and equip your congregation. These apologetics teams. We train speaking in churches to youth group and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times. From a biblical perspective like is there a God is the Bible true. What about gender and moral issues.

Call me at 864977 2008 and we will arrange for the life answers team to come your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come. 864-977-2000 eight and always be ready. Our country is falling apart, political unrest, social upheaval, the breakdown of the family. The rise of atheism. The rise of Islam are religious freedoms are under attack. There's gender fluidity gender identity is making a mess of freedom of expression. So we need to put some skin in the game and love this nation. As Christians we are to stand strong. There has to be some personal investment in the living out in the preservation of their stance on American is that you face help you become a champion champion for Christ in stance on America Jason Jimenez and I lay out the facts about our nation.

The current condition and how you yes you, your family, your church, community can be involved in keeping this great Republic stance on America as a guide for encouraging every Christian. Welcome back to TV, radio, morality that humans intuitively desire we know about. Frankly, we invest ourselves in conditions that are more closely aligned with God's moral order under doing your Europe parent of three great kids and it's better to clean your room, then to racket. Isn't it it's better to obey. Mom and dad than to disobey him and even as a parent is got to be order and structure i.e. morality in the home doesn't are of course it when you have children you have to have consequences. You must have boundaries.

If you don't it ensues into chaos and the same thing is true in society.

If you don't have some form of morality that is clear and force chaos ensues that we see that cultures in our world today, we see that families who say that individualizing all goes back to the sense of morality, and where it comes from, which is has its origin in God himself.

We lament disorder. We condemn injustice.

We reward the good we punish evildoers and wheat we seek the betterment of the human condition in all of this shows that you're all saying humans have a moral awareness of moral knowledge. Even if we don't always listen to it or follow the fourth when I want to make is this supposed that knowledge of moral truth is what makes value judgments, legitimate or possible was our undeniable ubiquitous knowledge of morality is what makes value judgments possible atheist. I dialogue with a lot of atheist and they will deny the existence of God and they'll say you know religion is false. There is no God in its wrong for you to say otherwise.

And in saying what. Wait a minute. If there is no God, there is no wrong.

Think about this folks appearance judge right and wrong municipalities and governments judge based on an assumed moral reality. You were speeding through a school zone that endangers children that's wrong were going to cite you. You embezzled money that's wrong to defraud your company were going to punish it. So the the fact that governments can pass laws and adjudicate court cases shows that there must be morality, and in fact, God himself will judge the world based on people's response to moral truth is going to be a day. The Bible says God will judge the world in righteousness. How much philosophizing is going to go on that day. Dylan, it's just like the kid he does something Ronnie gets caught by his parents are her parents and then tries to come up with some excuse to explain why they were doing that action and we stand before God that the problem there is that God is perfect. He is all-knowing, he knows all of her excuses. He knows what we've done, even what we thought so there is no way to make an excuse. That's why Scripture says that men are without excuse. This has huge ramifications for how we live because what we do now matters for eternity near the thing you only live once or Yolo at sometimes mentioned in our culture. And that's true. You only live once. We also live for eternity. So you better make it count. While you have a chance and that is the fundamental message that Solomon gave at the end of Ecclesiastes to remember your creator in your youth, and other words, don't wait until the end of your life to look back and say oh I wish I would live for God when I was younger. Now I have all these regrets live for God. Today, no matter what age you're at so that you can have that future to look forward to it with the Lord in eternity because you've come to faith in Jesus Christ and you need for its rewards and eternity because you been faithfully serving Christ you know very famously back in the 70s was a song by the rock group Kansas dust in the wind. All we are is dust in the wind and so for many people that don't believe in God or or some ultimate standard of right.

Maybe they don't believe in heaven they make their highest good there, so mom bone him pleasure very soundly and we don't trivialize this at all booked up Dylan under the fact is the human heart will have something that it's its ultimate North Star.

Now obviously we believe that that should be the Lord Jesus Christ the Savior, God's plan for your life and and really the insatiable hunger of the human heart can only be satisfied by an infinite reality, our thoughts, our fears, our hopes, our dreams are desires we would submit that the only thing that can tame the wild human heart and the only thing that can fill the vast space of longing that is in every human soul is an infinite reality which is the Lord Jesus Christ suicide. Now Dylan they say is the 10th leading cause of death in America and among millennial's and younger those 30 and younger it. It's usually in the top four very sad because without hope. Without hope for something better. The human soul just implodes on itself and sadly, far too many people take their own life.

By the way if you've ever thought that are contemplated. You know that maybe the world would be better if you weren't here.

Don't don't do that.

For one thing, there is hope that God does love you God does have a plan for your life. Mistakes we all make mistakes were sinners. But Jesus will forgive us, Jesus will give us a fresh start and friend, if you think there is no truth or there is no hope.

Then please get help and we will if you write to us the truth for new generation we've got a little book that was given to tens of thousands of people over the last 20 years. This is what does God say about my relationship with him. I will send you a copy of this little book, free of charge.

Just write to us will send you that, or you can find us on the web but Dylan what is in talking about moral truth and the meaning of life and hope for the future. What really is the hope not only of this world, but the hope of every individual person. Yes, says the followers of Jesus. We believe the only hope for this world for you and for me personally is to live for Jesus Christ and friend. If you're out there listing today know that if there is air in your lungs and your heart is still beating that God has created you on purpose and for a purpose. He is not done with you yet.

We hope we encourage you today and I encourage you to stick with this next time I truth for new generation radio. Thanks so much truth for a new generation in association with Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries exists to equip Christians with the biblical worldview through conferences and camps for information about upcoming events visit for a new generation.com or give us a call at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God, and the number one TMG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313 that's PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden Carolina 71 will give online@alexmcfarland.com generation.com. Thanks for listening and join us again next time. As we bring you more true for a new generation on TMG radio