Biblical Ethics, Part 1 - the Nation

21^st April 2023

Starting this week, I'd like to talk about ethics. That is, the study of what is moral and what is immoral. You may think that my words are a bit more opinionated than usual. I believe they're not opinionated; they're Biblical. I can only ask you to turn to the Bible and check it out.

I think we all know that English ethics have changed greatly over the last 60 years or so. Some things that the English used to think are moral we now think are immoral, and some things we used to think are immoral we know think are moral. Either we were wrong then, or we're wrong now, or we've always been wrong.

We don't know how many people have changed their ethical views over those 60 years, because a lot of people are reluctant, or even afraid, to admit that they hold views on subjects like abortion, homosexuality and decency on TV that are considered old-fashioned, and risk being slandered as bigoted. I suspect that what used to be called the "silent majority" is still the majority, but is more silent than ever.

We do know, however, that there is a near-monopoly in the papers and on the TV for what are often called "liberal" social values. We know that legislation has changed greatly in ways that would have been unthinkable to our grandparents. Our generation has arrogantly despised the wisdom of past ages.

We also know that the churches have less influence in government, in schools, in universities and in the media than we've had for many decades. We know that Tim Farron had to resign as leader of the Liberal Democrats because he believed the Bible. It's very likely that Kate Forbes failed to be elected as leader of the Scottish National Party because she's unashamedly a Christian, with Christian ethics. We know that a number of Christians have lost their jobs, been thrown out of university, or even been arrested by the police because they expressed Biblical views. Isabel Vaughan-Spruce has been arrested twice for praying silently outside a closed abortion facility.

What does the Bible say about the moral state of our nation? I believe the most relevant passage of scripture for the English nation right now is Romans 1v18-32. I ask you to read it now, humbly, honestly, prayerfully and with full submission to God's word.

Romans 1v18-32
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. because since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal men and birds and animals and reptiles.
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator — who is forever praised. Amen.
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

This is how it works: If a person or a nation draws near to God, God will draw near to them (James 4v8a). If a person or a nation turns their back on God, God will turn His back on them. What you sow is what you reap.

Galatians 6v7
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

And a nation reaps what it sows.

As the English nation drifts further and further from God and from Biblical ethics, we find ourselves more and more depraved, more and more lost, more and more beset with problems. Our politicians are seen to be more and more corrupt. National institutions that used to work will fail. The Royal Mail, the NHS, the Metropolitan Police, the Passport Office, the Home Office, the DVLC and HMRC are already failing.

Our society is held together by God's grace and power. If we ignore God and His Holy Bible, which teaches us about God, and about ourselves, and about ethics, then His favour, His protection and His power will be gradually withdrawn. We will eventually find that we can't do without Him. One day, we'll turn to God again in repentance. When we do, He'll come back to us, and heal our nation. But how long will we continue as a nation to hold God at the stave's end, and suffer the inevitable consequences?

So, if we accept that the nation of England has increasingly turned its back on God, and is suffering as a result, what about the church? We'll think about that next time.