James Duff October 25th 2015 ~ Moral Absolutes

Dozens of motorists in Perth's south scored bargain fuel on the weekend after a petrol station mistakenly charged them 14.9 cents a litre. It is believed an error was made when setting the price at the bowser. Cars lined up at the petrol station to take advantage of the cheap fuel.The technical problem which caused the error happened at 6:30am and was detected at 2:30pm. Puma Energy's state manager Rosemarie Vitalone said: "The price then returned to the correct rate of 141.9 cents per litre" (ABC website).I first heard about this situation on talkback radio. The petrol station involved requires users to pay first at the bowser by card before filling up the tank. The radio presenters asked the hypothetical question whether people would fill up their tanks or would they let the petrol station know and not fill up? I was not surprised at the different responses that came in from the public. What did surprise me was the reasoning people used to justify their position.The acid test came when I asked myself what I would do. I would like to think that I would not fill up but unless I am in that position I am really only having an educated guess. If I did fill up, I think my justification/reasoning would be that it was the petrol company’s fault if I purchased the product for the price given. I might also argue that the petrol companies make a huge profit, charging motorists who are dependent on their car, so getting a cheapie is a fair payback.This got me thinking even more. There is an assumption behind all the reasoning I heard and have given. The assumption is there is some sort of moral absolute, a sense of right or wrong, of some type of justice.  It is identifying the line between right and wrong that was really being argued.If there is a God, who knows all and is all-powerful, it logically follows that there must be moral absolutes - that there is such a thing as right and wrong. If there is no God, then logically there are no moral absolutes and all morality is subjective, reasoned by humanity in whatever way seems best. I am not saying that you can’t have good morals if you don’t believe in God, but, if there is an all-knowing God, Christians are compelled to follow his good perfect will. The great news is that it is  the Holy Spirit’s job to help us Christians in this and He actually causes us to delight in God’s good ways. We want to do the wise thing!In one of our prayer gatherings this week, we read and prayed through James 3 and 4, which, among other topics, speaks about two types of wisdom. James encourages us to submit to God and he will give us wisdom that comes from heaven. This wisdom is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness (3:17-18).Individually we make decisions all the time and often, if not always, they affect our corporate life, the church. We all need to ask for God’s wisdom when making decisions, especially the leadership of the church.  Asking for God’s wisdom will always help us frame any situation we find ourselves in. His ways are perfect and good and they are given to us freely when we ask.What should a Christian do if he finds himself at the bowser confronted with the temptation of cheap fuel? Answer: Pray for God’s wisdom, submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).God bless,James