If we gave each individual the freedom to decide for themselves what was right, even Hitler would be justified because he thought he was doing the right thing. Yet again even an alcoholic considers alcohol to be good but it might be self destructive or even worse destructive to their family and society around. We clearly need a moral law that is not man made, in order to survive in harmony and that means we need a moral law giver and that can only be the one true God. The dangers of wanting to decide for ourselves what is good and evil, goes right back to the beginning of time.
God told Adam and Eve to stay away from the 'tree of knowledge of good and evil', but the serpent enticed Eve by telling her that she would be like God, knowing good and evil. This meant that she would no longer need God to tell her what is right and wrong but she would have the power to decide on her own. When we trust our own judgement over that of God's, we want exactly what Eve wanted, 'To be like God'. We don't want to be told what we are doing is wrong and that is why we want to remove God from the picture. The sin of Adam and Eve, was pride, it was the same sin of the Pharisees during the time of Jesus who took the law into their own hands. They were so blinded because of their pride that when God came down on earth to tell them the truth and they crucified him and treated him like a criminal.
How will we know what is good and evil?
Through time, God has revealed to us as a father teaches his child the difference between what is right and wrong. In the Old Testament we see that he gave the 10 commandments to a community that was facing idolatry, sexual immorality and many other evils. In the New Testament we see that he sums up the Ten commandments into two important ones. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it" 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself." If we would actually put this into practice there would be no evil, especially if we understood love the way Jesus taught us and that is through sacrifice.We wouldn't do things with a self-centered approach but rather deny ourselves for the betterment of the other.
To encourage or ignore wrongdoing is the opposite of Love, St Paul states in 1Corinthians13:6 "Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth". However, before correcting someone it is important to be aware that we are all sinners and fall short in some way, yet God loves us. We must learn to love the sinner but hate the sin. Matthew 18:15-20 teaches us how to reprove someone who has sinned against you. The first approach is to point out their fault when in private, if they listen you regain that person. If they don't however, the passage insist that you take one or two with you as witnesses, but if the person still insists on not changing their ways it must be reported to the church. In other words, you must do your best to help your brother or sister understand their mistake. Further it states that if the person still refuses to listen to the church, let him be as a Gentile or tax collector (people who are out of jurisdiction of the synagogue) which basically means that your responsibility ceases and it is now up to God alone. Proverbs 15:32 states "Those who ignore instruction despise themselves, but those who heed admonition gain understanding."
Showing mercy to the sinner
Remember the passage of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. The scribes and Pharisees didn't care about the woman nor about Jesus. They were out to trap them both, which is what Jesus prevented by telling them, the one without sin can throw the first stone, knowing well that he was the only one there who was without sin. As we are all sinners, we must not condemn or despise another, instead we must bring them to repentance by revealing to them the mercy of God. Jesus chose not to condemn the adulterous woman and lets her go, not before he instructs her and this is the part we often ignore. He tells her "Go your way, and from now on do not sin again." He does not let her simply continue in her sin but makes her aware of her mistake and offers her an opportunity for repentance.
It is only when you experience the goodness and holiness of God that you realize how far away mankind has drifted. We must strive to be holy because our heavenly Father is Holy. As the gospel of John states, he is the light that has come into the world, if people love the darkness rather than light, it is because their deeds are evil and they do not want it to be exposed by the light. It's time we realize our mistakes, repent and step into the light!
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