Is God immoral?
Article author: Jay Zeke Malakai
Article editor: Jay Zeke Malakai
Introduction
In the world of apologetics, critics of the Bible love to claim God is some kind of moral monster, of whom the whole world should be afraid. It is claimed, among many other things, that God approves of sexual slavery (or slavery in general), that he commands rape, and that he is a bloodthirsty murderer with no greater desire than to commit infinite amounts of war crimes. These claims are simply not true, and are usually based on a blantant and seemingly deliberate misinterpretation of his word. On this website, we will answer as many claims of God's immorality as are brought to our attention. However, it must also be acknowledged that sometimes, God does indeed issue harsh commands and perform some deeds which, rightfully, make our stomachs turn. These will also be individually adressed at a later date, but the question that this article intends to ask is whether or not God could actually be accused of immorality at all?
To date, I have not seen a more difficult objection to answer than the "God is a moral monster" argument. This isn't because it is a legitimate argument, of course, but because the issue is heavily rooted in personal opinions more than it is on facts. It is a largely emotional issue. And indeed it should be a hard issue to deal with. Christians need to remember that this world is a fallen one. Death, pain, suffering and anything related are bad things, and no they are most certainly not what God wants. But when we see God himself performing or commanding acts that cause death, pain or suffering, how do we deal with such? After all, if God hates death, why does he kill? If God hates pain, why does he cast plagues over sinful nations? How can a Christian, who believes in a just and loving God, explain these seemingly unjust and unloving actions performed by God himself?
The most embarassing mistake I have seen Christians make is attempting to draw too large a distinction between the Old and New Testaments. While it's true that there is a distinction to be
made, the distinction is not so great that it's as if God has somehow changed his mind, or worse, that it is somehow a different God in the New Testament.
Both Old and New Testaments speak about (and were written under inspiration of) the same God. The only true God. Both testaments also show that God is indeed loving and patient, but they also show that he is just and Holy, and so even his patience is not enough to permenantly forgive an unrepentant sinner. The two testaments are so similar, in fact, that if I was to quote several verses from each Testament, the less knowledgeable people would struggle to identify which Testament it came from, and indeed the New Testament is flooded with Old Testament quotes.
However, all is not lost. 9 times out of 10, the objections raised by skeptics are based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the cited text. The 10th time, it is based entirely on the personal preference of the one citing it.
Just your opinion
The vast majority of accusations launched at God are based on his judgements of certain nations. In the ancient world, there were many wars between several different people groups, for a number of different causes. That being the case, it shouldn't surprise us to see these wars appear in the Old Testament, which is as much a history book as it is a moral guide. Some skeptics object to God getting involved in any war at all, nevermind starting one. Ironically, it is these same skeptics that often ask why God did not get involved in World War II, further proving that you just can't win with some people.
But God’s visible actions (or lack thereof) in war are only immoral to those who do not recognize God’s right to judge the people he created when they rebel against him. God has the right to deal with his creations in any way, shape or form he sees fit. Creations do not get to dictate how their creator creates, uses or deals with them. They are created for a purpose, and failure to perform that purpose usually results in disposal. This is exactly what we read in Romans 9:21, when Paul says Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
This gets us right to the core of the problem. Rather than cutting away at the branches by explaining each claim, one can get to the very root of the tree by asking the skeptic to justify his moral claims. Christians believe that God Himself is the standard. Because He is the Creator, He gets to say what is right and wrong. Some people like to cite Euthythro's dilema to show that even God's moral standards are arbitrary, as he can technically make anything perfectly acceptable if he wishes. Click here for a refutation of this. By contrast, any non-theistic skeptic must be his own standard of right and wrong. It must be entirely subjective, based on the skeptics own opinions, but on what grounds can a subjective standard be used objectively? The only thing the skeptic can actually say in this situation is "I don't like what God did", not "God is immoral and therefore cannot exist". But of course, by admitting this, the skeptic would essentially be signing off on what the Bible says about his own heart.
Misquote
A huge number of accusations are based on "paraphrases" (i.e. misquotes, often deliberate) of certain passages. A lot of the time, a skeptic will quote a verse reference, but not quote the passage itself. Instead, they will give their interpretation of the verse, which usually ignores a lot of the surrounding context. This is what is known as a strawman argument. That is, arguing against something that no one actually believes, with the intent to make it look like you have refuted your opponant's views.
Descriptive, not prescriptive
Other examples of immorality in the Bible genuinely are immoral. The problem is, these verses do not describe what God actually wants to happen, but rather describe what really did happen. Just because the Bible records something doesn't neccessarily mean it approves of it, for it is as much a history book as it is a moral guide.
Stubborn hearts
Matthew 19:8 suggests that, in the Old Testament, God took the stubbornness of Israel's heart into account when issuing his commands. When questioned concerning divorce, Jesus answers that only sexual immorality could be used as a reason to divorce. The Jews asked, therefore, why OT law permitted them to divorce, to which Jesus replied it was because of the stubbornness of their hearts. If God took the stubbornness of Israel's heart into account, it does suggest that even the law itself did not conform to God's idea of an ideal world. Perhaps some things seem immoral to us in the law because they're not quite up to God's standards. They were instead designed to bring Israel closer to God's standards.
In the New Testament, we find things get just a little bit tighter. The rule of divorce is one example, but a more prominant example is the rule against revenge. In the Old Testament, the rule was an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. But Jesus tightened the rope a little on this issue in his famous sermon on the mount. In Matthew 5:38-42, Jesus says that now, revenge and retaliation are not ideal. When it comes down to it, grace is the more Godly option.
No longer under Old Testament Law
From the facts stated above, it is clear that Old Testament Law served a different role than giving a perfect moral guide. In another article, this purpose will be discussed in depth, but ultimately, Old Testament Law has served that purpose. It no longer applies, not even to the Jews.
Genuine concerns
This much must be given to the skeptic: Often, we should be scared of the things the Lord does in judgement. That's not to say that God is wrong to do them, but rather that the entire point of these judgements was to prevent anyone from committing these sins. As an example, the book of Ezekiel is filled with God's judgement. It is a book so frightening, it can be summed up in 3 words: God is angry. In this book, the words "You will know that I am the Lord" show up repeatedly. In Deuteronomy 13:11, God gives the reason for such a harsh penalty regarding idolatry as being all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you. These harsh judgements are truly frightening, and that is their purpose.
A merciful God
Ultimately, God has the right to deal with us as he pleases. If we sin against him, he does not owe us mercy. However, although he has both the right and the ability to deal harshly with us, he does not do so with haste. Slow to anger (Exodus 34:6) God takes absolutely no pleasure in the death of the wicked, not wanting them to perish but preferring that they would turn from their sins and live (Ezekiel 18:23; Ezekiel 18:32; Ezekiel 33:11; 2 Peter 3:9).
Unfortunately, God will eventually judge an unrepentant sinner. However, he rarely does so without giving them a chance to repent. God gives multiple warnings to the various nations before he finally gives them over to the consequences of their sins. God does not even discriminate when it came to his own people. Israel was stubborn and rebellious nation from the very beginning, surviving only because the Lord had made a promise to Arbraham, Isaac and Jacob (Deuteronomy 9:4-5). But God still dealt harshly with them.
Conclusion
From the facts provided in this article, it is clear that not only is God incapable of being immoral, but even those who rail against him for his alleged immorality must twist his word and appeal to their own desires to do so. Ultimately, as God is the standard of morality, it is logically impossible for him to be immoral. It would be like having dry liquid. However, it is regrettable that God does have to perform some scary actions in judgement of sin, for various purposes. In such cases, it must be remembered that God is operating in a fallen world.
In the Bible, God has clearly revealed his anger against sin, and his Earthly judgements demonstrate just how frightening his eternal judgements will be. But these are not what he wants for you. He wants to restore you to the glory for which you were created, and enter into a perfect relationship with you, completely free of both sin and its effects.
In order to maintain his two greatest attributes, his grace and his justice, God has to make compromises and sacrifices. He cannot be just and leave sin unpunished, but he cannot punish all sinners and still be gracious. If he leaves sin unpunished, he is not just, for a just God must punish sin. But if he punishes all sinners, as he will judge the angels, how can he be gracious?
There is, however, a third option. Ultimately, God will deal with sin. There will be a time in the future when all sin is dealt with, and everything is put right again. Those who fail to repent will be punished according to their sins. But there is hope. Though we are sinners, there is a door that has been left open to us, for Jesus Christ has paid our debt by taking on our form, walking on our earth and dying our rightful death. Those who repent of their sins and follow Jesus are forgiven, and through belief in his death and resurrection, we escape judgement and gain his rewards. Click here to read about how God has wiped the slate clean.