Moral Discernment

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” - I Corinthians 10:12

Few Christians, if any, plan to get themselves into a moral crisis. As much as we have convinced ourselves that we will never be in a car accident or fatal plane crash, we have equal confidence that the strong undertow in the current of moral perversion will never claim us as victims. Yet how shocked we are to find that those holding to our same lofty principles have gone the way of all flesh. We are visibly shaken to hear that Fred and Sally are splitting up, or that George is seeing another woman on the side. We are floored to hear that the author of countless books on the family, who has taught in the seminary classroom and lectured throughout the world, has been leading a double life. His traveling companion is his homosexual partner.

Christians never expect this will happen to them. After all, we have the Good Housekeeping seal of approval stamped on our soul. No Christian looks to the future and plans to get divorced or commit adultery. Who in his right mind wants to become an alcoholic, drug addict or thief? Nevertheless, it happens, and with far greater regularity than we would like to admit. Why? Because exemption’s wall surrounds only those who know they are not exempt.

Many a man has walked through the doors of my office and said those all too familiar words, “I never thought it could happen to me.” But it did, and along with the tears, the questions begin to flow. “How can I prove to my family that I still love them?” “Will my wife ever forgive me?” “Can our relationship ever be the same?” It is of little benefit to quote our opening verse about “taking heed lest we fall” when infidelity has left its scar.

Somewhere in the past, man has adopted the idea (for the sake of mental comfort) that such sins and their attendant consequences only happen to the other guy. Perhaps it stems from the fact that none of us have a realistic appraisal of ourselves. Somehow, youthful lusts don’t war against our souls. Life has a better script and such tales of woe are reserved for our next-door neighbor. We are exempt! As Lot looked over the plains of Sodom, would his wildest dreams have carried him to a cave where the last chapter of his life would be stained with drunkenness and incest? When David strolled the rooftops, did he foresee a scenario of adultery and murder? A man after God’s own heart? Never! Had they been warned, would not their cry of exemption have been, “It could never happen to me”? Without moral discernment it may be said of us as it was said of David, “thou art the man.” That’s the way I see things.