On the Right, the Wrong, and... the Irrelevant?

Verses:

Proverbs 21:2: A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.

Psalm 19:8: The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

Psalm 25:8-9: Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.

Hosea 14:9: Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

Thoughts:

Dear reader, I must make a small note here to preface this blog. I have waxed rather longer with words and thoughts on this, and I must admit I had quite a bit of fun with my word play and with turning these thoughts over in my head. But, I hope that you will bear with me and gain something from this. For, I have pondered a subject of utmost eternal importance: objective, moral truth.

Either something is right or wrong or irrelevant. So how do we figure out whether it is right? Can "irrelevant" be a category? Irrelevant to what? If I like blue, that is relevant to how I decorate. But, me liking the color blue doesn’t make that the only “right” color for all people to wear. But, what if I like murdering people? Does that make it right or is it irrelevant? It is neither. Murdering is not right and that statement is certainly relevant. But, how do you know murdering is wrong if you are basing that off of a gut feeling? If everything is relative, why should someone who likes to murder not be allowed to do so? 

Is there a universal line between right and wrong, and if there is, how do we draw it? What is actually relative?

Certain things are relative: you have opinions and you are naturally oriented to certain things. But, I would argue that there is a universal line between right and wrong, and we generally call this line the law of morality.

How do we draw this line? It can only be drawn by something “outside.” Something that is set apart from us but also has a real and true bearing on everything we do. We draw this line by looking to the character of God. 

Let us ponder the three categories I outlined at the start: right, wrong, and irrelevant. Recall I raised the question, "irrelevant to what”? I would like to proffer the answer that relative opinions on matters not concerning moral values are irrelevant to eternal significance. 

Here is what I mean: Although my loving the color blue does impact my day-to-day (clothing choice, decoration, ext...), my loving the color blue does not have bearing on my soul’s eternal state. 

The word “right” can be used in two senses: The first is the relative sense. This shirt is right for me because it is the right size and color. The second is the objective sense. This shirt is right for me because it is modest and lovely for the event I am attending.

Another example: a young man working in medical school has a particular love of that field and will excel much better in that field as opposed to going into engineering. Does that mean that the medical field is morally better than engineering? No. 

The world would like to say that for the medical student, it is his truth that the medical field is better. And yes, it is TRUE that he thinks the medical field is better for himself.

However, there is an oh so important line for the definition of truth that the world has crossed: The line between relative preference and objective moral truth.

The world wants to argue that relative preference defines truth. But by doing so, they strip the word truth of the very nature of the thing to which it points.

That which is true is true for everyone. The medical student has the opinion that the medical field is better. However, his opinion on the matter does not suddenly enact a worldwide truth that the medical field is better. Truth has to do with objective reality–the world as God sees it. 

But, because the world rejects the idea of God, it can only logically “find” its definition of right and wrong in itself. This is because what is right is intrinsically based on the character of God. For, that which is right perfectly conforms to and acts out the law of God. That which is wrong is sin, which is "any want of conformity to or transgression of the law of God" (WLC 24). 

The world has no logical argument for a universal order or for why someone should act “rightly” without God. Therefore, relative truth is the only logical conclusion to the rejection of God.

Granted, most people would say that murder is wrong. But, if they say truth is relative, they simply cannot argue for a universal evil. If there is no absolute truth (which this statement is an absolute truth mind you), then there can be no universal statement about good or evil. 

But, contrary to this devil’s lie, there is an objective good that is good and true for our lives no matter what opinion we might hold. And this objective good, this objective right, is highly relevant not only to this life but to our eternal state.

We should do the morally right thing, not just because it might feel good or might benefit us now, but because it has immediate and eternal significance concerning where our soul will go. 

We are living a present life for an eternal future. And oh how fast time flies, and oh how little time we have! This life now, our choices now, position us on one of two roads. I promise you this, every person is going to either heaven or hell. And wherever they do end up, they are justly there. Those in hell are rightly judged for choices they make in this life. And those in heaven are rightly there by the blood of the cross. So look carefully to how you walk, making sure you are walking according to the calling of which you have been called. For the days are evil, and woe to the man who rejects so great a salvation in Christ.  

Summary: Right, in one sense, is subjective to the person and irrelevant to eternity. But what is morally right cannot be subjective, for without it one cannot name anything evil or good; one cannot make sense of the world nor argue for or against anything they believe. And to know what is morally right, one must look to the character of God. This my friend is why reading the Bible is absolutely paramount. We see who God is within its pages, and we learn what is truly good and truly evil. We look to Christ, who is the truth. We look to Christ, who is our only hope for an eternal home in the New Heavens and New Earth with Him.

Ask Yourself: Am I thinking about scripture and God’s character rightly? Where do I base my foundation for what is right and wrong? How have I let the world influence my view of right and wrong and relevant? How can I live this day in the present, but with a mind for my eternal home?

1 August 2025

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