• Home
  • About This Blog
  • Contact Me
  • Subscribe
  • Comment Policy

Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Quotation Oswald Chambers on a moral imperative

Oswald Chambers on a moral imperative

Posted on July 3, 2015 Written by Mark McIntyre 3 Comments


Oswald Chambers
Oswald Chambers

Every man has an imperative something within him which makes him say “I ought,” even in the most degraded specimens of humanity the “ought” is there, and the Bible tells us where it comes from—it comes from God. The modern tendency is to leave God out and make our standard what is most useful to man. The utilitarian says that these distinct laws of conduct have been evolved by man for the benefit of man—the greatest use to the greatest number. That is not the reason a thing is right; the reason a thing is right is that God is behind it. God’s “oughts” never alter; we never grow out of them. Our difficulty is that we find in ourselves this attitude—“I ought to do this, but I won’t”; “I ought to do that, but I don’t want to.” That puts out of court the idea that if you teach men what is right they will do it—they won’t; what is needed is a power which will enable a man to do what he knows is right. We may say “Oh I won’t count this time”; but every bit of moral wrong is counted by God. The moral law exerts no coercion, neither does it allow any compromise. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Once we realize this we see why it was necessary for Jesus Christ to come. The Redemption is the Reality which alters inability into ability.

Can those of us who claim the name of Christ be honest and admit that we often find excuses to justify doing the wrong thing? Perhaps if we were more honest about this and less vocal about the failings of others, the world would see the church as something other than a bunch of judgmental hypocrites. Yes, I know that we are often unfairly criticised, but we need to own the times when the criticism is justified.

Also, we need to be more vocal about our inability to live up to any standard. As Chambers points out, our inability is why we need a savior. In Jesus we have a savior who “alters inability into ability.”


Filed Under: Quotation

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

Follow Attempts at Honesty

Honesty in your Inbox

Skepticism – Means or an end?

I seem to recall that in the introduction to at least one of his books, C. S. Lewis offered the caveat that he was not a theologian. In a similar vein, prior to the material below, I must offer the caveat that I am not a philosopher nor the son of a philosopher. In a […]

Teaching Evolution in the Church?

This post is a reaction to Paul Wallace’s article in the Huffington Post as to why he teaches evolution in the church. There are some underlying assumptions that need to be examined and this post is an attempt to do so.

Saving Leonardo

Nancey Pearcey on Worldviews as Idols

Humans are inherently religious, and when they deny the Creator, they will fasten on to something within creation and elevate it to an object of worship. In practical life, people who reject God will seek some substitute emotional fulfillment: power, profit, or pleasure. In intellectual life, they will seek some substitute to play the role of the divine in their thinking – the ultimate reality, the source of everything else. Worldviews are idols of the heart (Ezekiel 14:3)

Theology vs. Experience?

There are some who would downplay theology and doctrine in favor of renewed experience of the power of God. “It’s not about doctrine” is a phrase that I’ve heard a few times within Christian circles. I found this quote from Tim Keller helpful when thinking about theology vs. experience: “We are not called to choose […]

The Light that can be found – reflections on a lyric by 3 Doors Down

The comparison of light and darkness in a 3 Doors Down lyric caught my ear. Can the light be found? What does the Bible say?

Post Series

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series

Categories

Archives

Blogger Grid
Follow me on Blogarama

Copyright © 2022 · Focus Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in