Blog

by Logan Ames

Several years back, I worked for a Christian organization and the job was truly a blessing considering how it has shaped me as a person. But I say that knowing that even the frustrating parts of the job were opportunities for me to learn and grow. One such part of the job was working for a very controlling boss. This man had a wonderful testimony and truly loved the work of the ministry, but when it came to managing the people under him it was a train wreck. He would find the smallest reasons to criticize us and rarely liked us making any decisions without first consulting him. To make matters worse, his opinions and policies constantly changed. A lot of what he did was reactive rather than proactive, so the workers rarely knew what the true right decision was in a given scenario.

That man is a good man who loves the Lord and I don’t believe that he really understood just how difficult he was making the job for those who served under him. The problem was that just about everything that should be based on truth was subjective for our boss - and HE was always the subject! As the executive director of the organization, he had the right to govern it in that way. But unlike God, this man was constantly changing his mind and contradicting himself. By the time we figured we knew what he wanted us to do, he’d change his mind and decide we were wrong for going that direction without asking him.

This week, we are addressing the question of whether there is such a thing as subjective moral truth. I think we all know that a large number of people live this way. They live as though moral truth is up to them. Here’s the thing: The only way we should view truth as subjective is when GOD is the subject. Unlike the boss I described above, God does not change, according to Scripture. In Malachi 3:6, he speaks it himself through the prophet: “I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed”. Could you imagine if God was the type of subjective ruler whose character and promises change on a whim? Based on this passage, we can gather what would have happened to Israel if that were the case. The promises the Lord made to Israel long ago would be irrelevant. They would be destroyed because of their lack of obedience. Then, God’s unchanging nature is declared again in the New Testament. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17). So, we don’t have to walk on eggshells wondering if God is going to change his mind on us once we have learned his truth, for he doesn’t change and the only thing we need to decide is if we are willing to believe and obey him.

But how do we do that? When there seem to be so many options regarding moral truth, how do we stay focused on God as the authority in this matter? I suggest that we view Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh, as not only the subject who decides moral truth but also the object of our faith. After all, that’s exactly what he is. Webster’s second definition of the word “object” is “a focus of somebody’s attention or emotion”. Think about it. When it comes to moral truth, you certainly put your trust and faith in something. If it’s yourself, I’d say you are both the subject and the object. Maybe it’s the law of the land. Maybe it’s whatever popular belief society appears to be adopting at the time. If you’re a Christian like me, you have put your faith in Christ. He is the focus of our faith and is therefore the object of our faith. When we need answers, we turn our attention to him.

Christ is not only the object of our faith, but also the “author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). If you read the rest of that passage, you see encouragement to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, which helps you avoid distractions. One such distraction would be subjective moral truth, which is created by others in an effort to make the Christian life easier or more comfortable. The passage goes on to talk about resisting sin and growing through discipline. Much of the world is tempted to listen to only those who “say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Timothy 4:3). They don’t know that this ultimately results in destruction. I urge you to think about the moral truths you believe. Are they subjective and based on someone’s views or opinions other than Christ’s? If so, I encourage you to abandon them and fix your eyes on Jesus, who is the only completely holy and good subject of truth and object of your faith.