Because I Said So

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 17:6

I’m sure we all remember asking as kids why we had to do something, or why we couldn’t do something, and our parents answering with, “Because I said so.” As adults we understand there is an important truth embedded in that answer, but as kids we didn’t find it a very satisfying reply.

Similarly, when people ask questions about why something is right or wrong, an answer of, “Because God said so,” is not always going to be very persuasive.

Considering the sea of moral relativism in which the last few generations have been raised, people are reasoning within themselves and challenging long-accepted norms with questions like these:

Why does it matter if the person I love is the same sex as I am? We’re not hurting anyone.

Why should we stay married when we’re unhappy? It’s better to live in peace.

Why is fornication wrong? It makes more sense to sleep/live together before marriage to make sure we’re sexually compatible.

Why shouldn’t I abort my unwanted baby before it’s born? I’m not ready to be a mother, and I’m saving it from this world of misery.

Why is it wrong to steal from someone who has more than they need when I don’t have enough?

Now, we can easily go to the Bible and show people what God has called a sin. But they want to know WHY it’s a sin. Why does God care about these things?

Until a person comes to accept the Bible as the infallible word of God, giving them book, chapter, and verse may not be enough. And even in the Bible, the why is not always readily apparent. There is not often a because statement following a command. But let’s look at an example where there is.

James 1:19-20 (NIV) says, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” Why do I need to control my anger and gather all the facts? Because human anger doesn’t produce righteousness. Would that be a satisfying answer to someone who wants to hold on to their wrath? Maybe not. But it is the reason that the Bible gives and it makes sense. It fits with our human experience. When we fly into a rage, especially before we have listened to all the facts, we tend to get things wrong; we do and say things we later regret.

It’s easy enough to see in this example that God’s way is best. But the reason we must be slow to wrath is connected to righteousness. If a person doesn’t care about righteousness, then there is a bigger issue at play. WHY do we need to be righteous and what does that mean? Now that kind of question is actually better suited to lead a person to Jesus Christ, but that isn’t the kind of question people typically ask at first.

Christians need to be prepared to answer the questions that unbelievers do ask in the modern climate of moral relativism, questions like the examples above. Responding with, “Because the Bible says so,” in hopes of leading them to a discussion of God’s authority is not necessarily a bad idea. But when they can’t see that their action is causing any harm, and to them it even seems good and wise, they may feel like we’re not answering their question.

Ultimately, “because God said so” is reason enough, and there’s an important lesson there too. Where there is no respect for authority, “everyone [does what is] right in his own eyes,” (Judges 17:6; 21:25), and that is not a safe way to live. But if we want to reach today’s typical unbeliever with the gospel, we are going to have to learn how to defend the reasonableness of God’s laws. When we show people that God has good reasons for everything He says and does, we help them begin to build trust in God, in His goodness, in His authority, and in His word.

by Christie Cole Atkins

Along these lines, next week I plan to examine this popular justification: It’s not hurting anyone.

Dear God, thank You for giving us Your word to guide us. We know that Your commands lead us to righteousness. Give us wisdom to share Your word in such a way that even those who don’t acknowledge it as such may see its wisdom and power. We know You are good. May You bless us with the ability to show Your goodness to the world. In Jesus’s name, Amen.