Why do we need moral absolutes? Can’t we just do what we want?

Romans 5:12, 15-17When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. . . . But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:13God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Since Adam and Eve, every person is a born sinner. In other words, our natural inclination is to disobey God and to live only for ourselves. Thus, without God’s moral rules and restraint, left to their own, human beings would destroy each other and their environment. Those who trust in Christ, however, are reborn and have the indwelling Holy Spirit. Through the Spirit, God is changing us on the inside, helping us want to obey him and giving us the power to do what he wants.

Psalm 51:5I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

Proverbs 2:6, 9-10The Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. . . . Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.

Proverbs 21:2People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.

Jeremiah 7:28Say to them, “This is the nation whose people will not obey the Lord their God and who refuse to be taught. Truth has vanished from among them; it is no longer heard on their lips.”

Jeremiah 9:3-6“My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the Lord. “Beware of your neighbor! Don’t even trust your brother! For brother takes advantage of brother, and friend slanders friend. They all fool and defraud each other; no one tells the truth. With practiced tongues they tell lies; they wear themselves out with all their sinning. They pile lie upon lie and utterly refuse to acknowledge me,” says the Lord.

From the beginning of time, we can see examples of individuals doing what was right in their own eyes with catastrophic consequences to themselves and others. We are all born with the desire to sin, and doing our own thing will always lead us away from God, the source of all truth and goodness. Our job is not to pass judgment on God’s ways by devising our own way, but to follow God and all he says.