In 1886 a German philosopher by the name of Fredrich Nietzsche published “Beyond Good and Evil” in which he questioned the idea that there is such a thing as unchanging truth. On a practical level he proposed that the whole matter of what is good and what is evil depends on each person’s interpretation of those two words. This set off a slow drifting away from the long-held principles that there are some things that are always good and some things that are always bad, no matter where one is or what kind of situation a person is in. That drift became a flood in the 21st century, leaving many believing that good and evil simply depends on many factors which can change quickly.
It is appealing to think we each have the right to decide for ourselves what is good and evil, especially when we very much want to do something we know is evil. We simply rationalize our behavior with the justification, “What I am doing might be wrong for you, but it isn’t for me.”
Fortunately, there is enough common sense among people to realize that not everything is up to debate concerning good and evil, that certain kinds of behavior simply cannot be excused or tolerated. However, even some of those “no brainer” values are being questioned. So, what happens when we get beyond good and evil, allowing everyone to decide the matter for themselves? It would seem this path could only lead to chaos.
Since the beginning of time, God has given us a very clear alternative to the moral confusion we are experiencing. He first gives us a pretty clear picture of what is good and evil through our consciences. But if that is too fuzzy, he has left no doubt about right and wrong in the 10 Commandments and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
There is an inner yearning for goodness in each of us. Even if we often do the opposite, we sense that everything we’re looking for in life somehow revolves around that which is good. Join us this Sunday for our worship service. It’s time to get back to the goodness God intends for us.
Sunday Morning Worship: 10:00 am