Is The Bible Out of Date?

Q: My friend says there isn’t such a thing as right and wrong, and what’s wrong for one person may be right for someone else. I’ve told him what the Bible says, but he just laughs and says that’s out of date. How can I convince him that he needs to take God seriously? — J.J.

A: It’s hard to convince someone like this that they’re wrong, because they simply don’t want to believe it. Instead, they’ll do everything they can to hold on to their position, no matter what you say — or what God says in His Word.

Why is this? I don’t know your friend, of course — but people like this are determined to be free to do anything they want to do. In other words, if they can convince themselves that there is no such thing as right or wrong, then they can live without worrying about God or His moral standards. They’re like the people of Ezekiel’s day: “They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people” (Ezekiel 12:2).

What can you do? First, help your friend realize just how illogical his position is. If there is no right or wrong (as he claims), does this mean it’s OK to murder, or abuse children, or steal, or persecute people we don’t like? No, of course not. Down inside we all know that evil is real, and some things are always wrong — without exception.

But the most important thing you can do is to pray for him. Only God can convict him of his folly, and only God can convince him of his need for Jesus Christ. Right now he’s on the wrong road in life — but God loves him, and with Christ his life can be changed.

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(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

(c)2018 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.