What is morality? The Biblical definition of morality is the standard of righteous living given to us by God. Moses said it like this on Gods behalf: “For I am the Lord who brings you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:45). God Himself is holy, and therefore He sets the standard of morality. We can plainly see in the text that God holds Himself up as the standard of that which is holy.
However, what we must not overlook is that God also calls man to be holy as He is. Peter would say it like this: “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:15-16). The Word of God, as given to us by Peter, clearly shows us that our conduct is tied to the holiness from which God has given the example. You see, man cannot be born a child and teach himself to be moral. Rather every person must be taught that which is moral and immoral.
Even those who profess to be Atheist have a knowledge of what is right and wrong, but not because they taught themselves. Rather, they are taught by their parents, their friends, their teachers, and others as to what is acceptable concerning their behavior. You see the question that the Atheist must ask him or herself is this: where did the ones who taught me morality learn what morality is?
If any person were to ask that question and be diligent in their efforts to find out where any one of us learns what is right and wrong, they would find their answer in (Gen. 1:26). “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Gen. 1:26).
Friends, the image of God is the image of holiness in which we are called to live up to. God Himself is holy and has set the standard for all. Thus John proclaims in (Rev. 4:8b) “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
To be continued next week.