Odd title, I know, but it fits something I’m hearing more and more. That’s the philosophy that everyone is really okay and as long as they are happy, we shouldn’t worry about it. I can’t tell you the number of times that someone has suggested this type of philosophy to me. I call it the “live and let live” way of Christian thinking. Is this a reasonable philosophy? Sure, if you don’t believe in heaven, hell, Christ, or right and wrong.
Essentially this is the end result of moral relativism. We should never point out to anyone their errors, if they are happy. This kind of ignorant bliss enlightens us to those who are ignorant of Scripture. Did Jesus simply come and die to “live and let live”?
Matthew 10:34-38. "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn
" ‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law--
a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.’
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”
Moral relativism suggests that what is bad for one can be good for another, but this is not true, it is simply false. It assumes there is no absolute truth, no good which is universal and good for all. Another incorrect assumption. True love means telling someone the truth, which may save their soul, though they hate you for it. True love means offering another the Truth that may set them free.
Furthermore, we have an obligation to offer others the truth:
Matthew 19:16-19. Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"
"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."
"Which ones?" the man inquired.
Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.' "
If we truly love someone, would we allow them to wither in sin and possibly not attain heaven? No, we would try to consistently show them the truth of God and man in order that they may be saved. Christ orders us to “love our neighbor” as ourselves, which involves an honesty about heaven, hell, Jesus, and salvation.
What I’m getting at is that we have an obligation to help others get to heaven. This is part of loving another as we love ourselves and it requires us to tell others the truth. They may not want to hear it, but sometimes they have to. The philosophy of “live and let live” is disastrous for those who need to hear the Truth.
God bless,
Jay
