Knowing Right from Wrong
If you thinking knowing right from wrong is easy, are are . . . well . . . wrong.
“Don’t lie” is one of the clearest commands of the Bible. Throughout Proverbs (14:5), the epistles (Colossians 3:9), the Old Testament law (Leviticus 19:11) and Jesus’ words calling the devil the “father of lies,” (John 8:44) God’s will is fairly clear about lying: it’s immoral.
And yet the Bible shows that even this clear moral law is not absolute: Jacob deceives his father to receive his brother’s birthright (and God blesses him, Genesis 35); the midwives lie to save the lives of Hebrew babies (Exodus 1); and Mordechai instructs his niece to lie about her identity as a follower of God (Esther 2:10).
The Bible regularly contradicts itself in this manner because life is messy and morality must be considered contextually. What is moral in one context would be immoral in another context. It is the task of the mature Christian to consider her own actions to discover God’s will. It is the hallmark of an immature Christian to shrug, point to the simplest version of a command and say “that’s good enough for me.”
Take Colossians 3 for another instance of contradiction. We read:
The immature Christian reads this, shrugs, and says, “That’s good enough for me! God’s will is perfectly clear: slaves and children should obey; wives should submit to their husbands; and fathers and husbands should be good to those in their care. Simple. No need for discussion.”
The mature Christian thinks of Jesus, who misled his parents by remaining behind in Jerusalem in order to sit among the teachers at the temple courts (Luke 2). Then the mature Christian remembers Abigail who contradicted her husband’s orders calling him “wicked” and a “fool” behind his back—and David praised God for her and her actions (I Samuel 25). Most likely the mature Christian can think of many instances in her own life where a seemingly simple moral law (“Never lie” “Always submit to your husband”) needed to be amended for a certain set of circumstances.
Because we have Biblical examples of contradictions to these seemingly clear commands, the mature Christian must examine the circumstances. If this sounds like a lot of work . . . you’re right. It is! But God has given us a lifetime, the Bible, rationality, and the Holy Spirit to encourage us in this task. Even more, we believe in a God who is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” When we seek God’s will in that same spirit of grace, God will provide.**
In the case of Colossians 3:18 in particular, a few facts about the context will help:
In Christ, women have always been free to become apostles (Junia, Romans 16:7), disciples (Tabitha, Acts 9:36), missionaries (Phoebe, Priscilla), and indeed Paul’s “coworkers” in Christ. In the first century, however, they were also encouraged to play by the rules of their society and to blend in with that which their culture deemed was most “appropriate” for women. This was necessary for Christianity to earn itself a good name among its pagan neighbors.
How is the modern context different? In what ways has the idea of what is “appropriate” for women of your culture changed in last century or so? (Consider: 100 years ago, women couldn’t vote in the United States!)
What kind of name does Christianity earn itself among its pagan neighbors when it insists on following Colossians 3:18 rigidly? What other contradictions have you noticed in the Bible? How do such seeming contradictions lead you toward God?
**I wish I could say God provides the same answers to all mature Christians, but I think we all know mature Christians have been disagreeing about things since Paul and Peter. No such luck.
“Don’t lie” is one of the clearest commands of the Bible. Throughout Proverbs (14:5), the epistles (Colossians 3:9), the Old Testament law (Leviticus 19:11) and Jesus’ words calling the devil the “father of lies,” (John 8:44) God’s will is fairly clear about lying: it’s immoral.
And yet the Bible shows that even this clear moral law is not absolute: Jacob deceives his father to receive his brother’s birthright (and God blesses him, Genesis 35); the midwives lie to save the lives of Hebrew babies (Exodus 1); and Mordechai instructs his niece to lie about her identity as a follower of God (Esther 2:10).
The Bible regularly contradicts itself in this manner because life is messy and morality must be considered contextually. What is moral in one context would be immoral in another context. It is the task of the mature Christian to consider her own actions to discover God’s will. It is the hallmark of an immature Christian to shrug, point to the simplest version of a command and say “that’s good enough for me.”
Take Colossians 3 for another instance of contradiction. We read:
“Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart. Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth . . .” (Colossians 3:18-22a, NASB).
The mature Christian thinks of Jesus, who misled his parents by remaining behind in Jerusalem in order to sit among the teachers at the temple courts (Luke 2). Then the mature Christian remembers Abigail who contradicted her husband’s orders calling him “wicked” and a “fool” behind his back—and David praised God for her and her actions (I Samuel 25). Most likely the mature Christian can think of many instances in her own life where a seemingly simple moral law (“Never lie” “Always submit to your husband”) needed to be amended for a certain set of circumstances.
Because we have Biblical examples of contradictions to these seemingly clear commands, the mature Christian must examine the circumstances. If this sounds like a lot of work . . . you’re right. It is! But God has given us a lifetime, the Bible, rationality, and the Holy Spirit to encourage us in this task. Even more, we believe in a God who is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” When we seek God’s will in that same spirit of grace, God will provide.**
In the case of Colossians 3:18 in particular, a few facts about the context will help:
- The verse states that wives ought to “submit themselves” or “be subject to” their husbands. This word (ὑποτάσσεσθε, pronounced hupotasesthe) is used 38 times in the New Testament and its meaning is very clear: wives are commanded to put themselves under the absolute control of their husbands. The same word is used to describe how all of the world is “subject to” God’s will. See this link for all the other uses.
- Wives are commanded to do be submissive to their husband in a way that is “ἀνῆκεν” in the Lord. This word (pronounced “aneiken”) means “appropriate” or “fitting.” See also Philemon 1:8 and Ephesians 5:4, the only other places in the New Testament the word is used.
- That which was “appropriate” was highly important for the first century church. They played a dangerous game with their Roman overlords when it came to women’s roles in the church. Unlike other religions at the time, first-century Christianity was very liberal toward women. It allowed women to learn and discuss alongside men. Because this happened in a traditionally masculine space (evening dinner parties known as symposia), Christians were commonly charged with impropriety between men and women.
- Consequently, Christians were often thought by outsiders to simply by the newest “mystery cults.” Mystery cults and Christianity were similar in their preaching of freedom from social distinctions (such as Colossians 3:11). In the most famous of these, the cult of Dionysius or the Bacchanalia, women in particular were encouraged to set aside socially-appropriate gender roles of modesty in order to engage in cult worship practices (i.e., cult-sponsored orgies).
In Christ, women have always been free to become apostles (Junia, Romans 16:7), disciples (Tabitha, Acts 9:36), missionaries (Phoebe, Priscilla), and indeed Paul’s “coworkers” in Christ. In the first century, however, they were also encouraged to play by the rules of their society and to blend in with that which their culture deemed was most “appropriate” for women. This was necessary for Christianity to earn itself a good name among its pagan neighbors.
How is the modern context different? In what ways has the idea of what is “appropriate” for women of your culture changed in last century or so? (Consider: 100 years ago, women couldn’t vote in the United States!)
What kind of name does Christianity earn itself among its pagan neighbors when it insists on following Colossians 3:18 rigidly? What other contradictions have you noticed in the Bible? How do such seeming contradictions lead you toward God?
**I wish I could say God provides the same answers to all mature Christians, but I think we all know mature Christians have been disagreeing about things since Paul and Peter. No such luck.
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