The Bible Leads Us to Having Better Morales – Why it Matters!

In my previous blog, How is it Possible to have Morals without a God? Why Believe in Anything?  I talk about how it makes sense that there is a God and Jesus is real based on the fact that even atheists have morals. I mention how the U.S. government and every society throughout the world has some type of morales that follow biblical laws. Most importantly, I talk about how before God provided people with biblical laws and before we receive the Holy Spirit from Jesus people had no sense of right or wrong, and did not suffer from guilt when doing morally wrong things. Now, even atheists have morales.

Now I want to talk about how following Jesus and reading the bible to better understand who Jesus is leads us to having better morales (sinning less), and why that benefits us.

The Bible Leads Us to Having Better Morales

You can be more morally centered the more you try and read the bible and follow Jesus. In fact, the bible has all the answers to the world’s most challenging struggles people face. No one ever explained that to me, and I wish I would of learned it sooner.

Before I get into that, when I was just a little kid, I used to think I was such a morally good person and I didn’t really sin. I told myself I would never steal, or kill someone, or purposefully hurt other people, and other big sins. I thought I’m definitely getting into heaven because I believe in Jesus and I wouldn’t commit those sins. Now if you read my last blog post, you know my childhood church wasn’t great at teaching the bible, but I was incredibly bored so maybe I missed a few lessons on sin. I understand it better now! I’ve understood for a long time that all sins matter and there is no way for me not to sin.

The Sins of Pride and Jealousy

I understand how just pride and jealousy are sins. How many people are prideful about how great of a Christian they are? Think about that. You ever think I’m such a good Christian compared to this or that person? I’ve seen this in religious leaders. They make it seem like they are so much better because of their titles and everything they do for the church. They act as though they are superior to other followers of Jesus. They are sinning through pride.

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

“The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 16:5

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Galatians 6:14 

More on Pride View: Proverbs 8:13 , Proverbs 11:2 & James 4:6

When we let sinful pride take over, we forget God created us equally, and subsequently gifts, purposes, views and treats us justly. (Bucher, 2022) We start to credit ourselves with our accomplishments (Bucher, 2022).

Note: Isn’t it interesting how pride is a sin? Yet, there are things called “pride fest.” We are not going to talk about that. But that was certainly on purpose, and it is an evil trap.

You ever brag about an achievement? Do you give yourself all the credit and God gets none? Ever think you are the smartest person in the room? Those are prideful thoughts too. Ever look at someone homeless, someone struggling with addiction to alcohol or drugs, and think, “I’m such a better person than them?” That’s pride. I’m so far from perfect, but I’ve been working on being more aware of thoughts like these. I’ve been working on thinking of every human being as an equal. If I said I never have pride or I never experience jealousy, that would be lying and it would be a sin too. I believe pride is a practice we have to continuously work on! So are you catching those prideful thoughts?

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of the God,” Romans 3:23 
“The rich an the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all, ” Proverbs 22:2

Judging Others

Being a Christian looks so unappealing to many people because there are many that act superior or very judgmental. What really gets to me is when people try to push biblical rules on a person without even understanding FIRST what the person is going through in their lives. It can be easy for someone who grew up as a Christian to find following Jesus to be such a simple choice and an amazing one. But someone who grew up in an extremely unhealthy environment is going to have a harder time.

It might not be their fault, maybe they grew up in an abusive household. I’ve heard demons latch onto people who are already suffering and try to lead them down a sinful road. So don’t be prideful thinking you are doing them a favor (or doing God’s work), when you didn’t even take time to listen to them. After you listen, you may be given just the right words from God (Holy Spirit) on what to say.

Even though I’ve always believed in Jesus, I know what is like to be haunted by Satan and to get angry with God. I haven’t had an easy road. But I see I’m so blessed – because of God – not anything I did.

Many people don’t take it well when they are attacked with biblical rules. They don’t find that to be very friendly. They see Christianity as following a bunch of rules. They miss all the compassion and love in store for them. Being as I’m so far from perfect, I don’t want to be that judgmental Christian. I’m working on not being so judgmental of other people just in my everyday thoughts. I’m not better than those people though, if I say that it would be prideful. I fail in many ways, I know.

Avoiding Pride

If I think I’m such a great Christian because I wrote this blog about God to help other people, that would be prideful. Even worse if I’m writing because I think that will help me get into Heaven because that means I don’t believe in the gift of Jesus. If I’m writing because I’m hoping to get a whole bunch of likes or comments to feel good about myself, that would be wrong and prideful too. I wrote this blog because God gave me a gift to write. And I feel that he wants me to write this. If I’m doing a good job, then it is because it is God working through me. If I’m doing a bad job, well then I guess it is only me writing it.

Isn’t that a difficult road to walk down to try and be better, but to do it for the right reasons? Then, not to pat yourself on the back and think, “Look at me, I’m so amazing, or look and how I’m doing so much better than all these other people.”

One thought when you feel you are doing so much better than other people is: what trials have they gone through vs you? Choose understanding people first vs judging them. Some people have to walk down a more difficult path, but still end up at the pearly gates of Heaven. You know God is doing amazing work and its not the person, when you see someone with really challenging trials finding their way to Jesus.

Why Do I Want to Morally Do Better?

Those sins that happen so quickly in our heads that we don’t even realize we did them, they matter. We may have even said something out loud, we may gossip, and unfairly judge other people. Been there? Right. So, I was thinking about how I can better obey God and follow Jesus, and I realize if I don’t keep reading or listening about Jesus it becomes easier to do all these sins.

In the past, I never really thought about it because I figured I’m saved, I believe in Jesus was my thought. Now I see, accepting the gift of Jesus is wanting to be better, to sin less and be more like Jesus. Still, WHY? There are greater blessings, greater hope, less emotional suffering, less fear, less worry, and a greater eternal life through choosing to follow Jesus. It becomes easier to push away demons that want us to sin and wreak havoc in our lives.

Following Jesus

In a podcast and book I’m reading they talk about the need to stop following religion and follow Jesus. They don’t call themselves Christians, they call themselves followers of Jesus. I can see why that makes sense. Another blog around this concept? It doesn’t feel right yet, but if I feel it, I will write it.

It is easier to walk a more morale path and not get stuck in the swampy waters of pride when we make an effort to read the bible more and see how Jesus lived a sinless life. We can see atheists do lots of morally right things, and I’ve read that is because Jesus convicts them. But if we are truly following Jesus I believe we will do EVEN more morally right things. But, don’t be prideful about it.

So, what does it look like if you really are making an effort to follow Jesus? less pride, less jealousy, etc. How about forgiveness? Like when a mom can forgive the guy who murdered her son. Like how is that possible without following Jesus? Do you know that means she let go of her anger? Holding onto anger is having poison in us. Blog about forgiveness coming soon!

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Bucher, Meg. (2022, April 27). Bible Study Tools/What Does the Bible Say about Pride? Retrieved from: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-does-the-bible-say-about-pride.html#:~:text=Types%20of%20Pride%20in%20the,the%20Bible%2C%20legitimate%20and%20sinful.&text=Sinful%20pride%20attempts%20to%20be,sufficient%20rather%20than%20God%20reliant.