The Webster definition of moral is: of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior. : expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior. For most people the definition of right and wrong comes from their parents or environment growing up. Society then begins to cause people to make adjustments to their beliefs or definitions of right and wrong. Each culture varies on what issues are wrong, and what is acceptable.
A recent Pew Research Center study called "Social Trends" ranked 10 issues to create a barometer of modern U.S. morals. 88% of people believe that married people having an affair is wrong. 79% of people say that not reporting all income on your taxes is wrong. That was higher than the 61% who said drinking alcohol excessively is wrong. Only 52% said having an abortion is wrong, more than the 50% who said smoking marijuana is wrong. The same result, 50%, said homosexual behavior is wrong, while 43% said telling a lie to spare someone's feelings is wrong. Only 35% said sex between unmarried adults was wrong, the same percentage that said gambling is wrong. 32% said overeating is wrong, meaning 68% must think it's not wrong.
The same Webster defines ethic as: the discipline dealing with what is good and bad with moral duty and obligation. The set of moral principles or values defines if we are ethical based on what society accepts. This is all about measuring behavior, but the underlying precept is determining what is right and what is wrong. Situational ethics, tolerance, and a lack of absolute truth are being foisted upon our society to it's demise. Josh McDowell, in his book "Right from Wrong" points out our young people are confused about truth. He points our that in Sevres, a suburb of Paris, the headquarters of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures establishes standards for units of measure. If two people disagree on the length of a meter, the objective and universal standard comes from Sevres. A standard exists outside, above, and beyond ourselves for morals as well. The basis of everything we call moral is the eternal God who is outside us, above us, and beyond us. What is God's standard of morality?
I submit to you that if the specific subject is mentioned in the Bible, there is never a "gray" area for confusion. If it's not specifically mentioned, there are precepts and principles that can be studied and applied to clear up any confusion one may have. It is also not appropriate to add to the biblical principles with cultural beliefs, regardless or how good they may sound. If we are to be ethical, a discipline and obligation is required of us to be right in our behavior 24/7.
Failure to do what is right is called sin. The Bible says all have sinned. God sent the law to ensure we understood we are not righteous. The 10 commandments covers a lot of territory, then Jesus came with the 11th commandment. He also brought a plan of salvation so that through his death, burial, and resurrction we might meet God's standard of morality (since we could not on our own). He left us the Holy Spirit to empower us to be right in our behavior, and provided the Bible to clarify any issue or subject we study. Go through the 10 issues the Pew research measured and see what the Bible says. Culture and society should never determine our morality. If you are doing or not doing something based on your personal standards or what someone else says is their standard, STOP. Ethics that are accepted by society are only moral if they are also biblical. Absolute truth never changes.
