Matt and Susi Lundquist, Campus Ambassadors
A week ago Tuesday at Book Table we asked for responses to the question:
“Where does Morality originate?”
It wasn’t long before a young man stepped up to the plate:
“I disagree with your ideas on morality and your views offend me!”
“Excuse me. I believe we were just raising the question.”
“Yeah, but you’re Christians aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“And you believe the Bible?”
“Yes.”
“Well why should I have to have someone else tell me what’s right and wrong?”
“Okay, well let me ask you this, when you face a decision about right and wrong, is it good to have more information, or less?”
“More, of course.”
“Do you ever have all the information you need to make a really good moral decision?”
“Probably not.”
“On a continuum of knowledge and understanding, with ignorance at one end and omniscience at the other, where is the best place to make a good decision?”
“Omniscience seems to be the place.”
“If there were a Supreme Being, A God who created the World, which end would He be on?”
“I suppose He knows everything.”
“And which end are you closer to?”
“Hmmmm, I’d have to think about that.”
“Christians and other monotheists believe that God has revealed truth to us that we would not have discovered on our own.”
“So you need God to tell you what’s right and wrong?”
“Well, He has given us our conscience, and He will speak through that if we’re willing to listen. But there’s something else we need from God.”
“What’s that?”
“Well, sometimes even when we know the right thing to do, we don’t want to do it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s say I let you write your own code of conduct, your own rules. How well would you follow it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Would you get 100%, 90%, 80%?”
“Probably less than 80%.”
“Why is that?”
“Nobody’s perfect!”
“Yeah, but even when you write your own rules? Why not just lower the standards?”
“I can’t just change what I believe about right and wrong.”
“So it seems we’re stuck. We don’t have all the information we need to make good moral choices, and we don’t always choose to do right when we know what it is.”
“What difference would it make to have God in the picture?”
“I need God’s revealed wisdom to know right from wrong and the help of God’s Spirit in choosing right when I don’t feel like it or it doesn’t seem to be in my best interests.”
There were actually two lengthy conversations like this that day. I enjoyed both of them, though I can’t say it wasn’t a bit draining.
Students from our ministry are always there, listening, chiming in, praying and learning. I’m encouraged by their faithfulness.
I also like the fact that there are “regulars” who come by each week to see what our question is. Students know where to find us!
Thanks for your support and prayers – we have a lot to be thankful for!
Pray for the students we engage in dialogue to keep coming and learn more about the God who loves them and has made a Way!