Chapter 2
The High Moral Ground
The Attack
It is recorded that when the world was young, there arose in the garden that God had planted, a serpent, with a cunning agenda. His aim was to pervert God’s creation and destroy God’s plan for man. His relentless attack has continued to this day.
To his disappointment, there has always been a man willing to stand firmly, unapologetic, on the moral high ground. There was Abel, Seth, Enoch, and then Noah, who alone stood in his generation. Then there was Shem, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even to this day there are those men who occupy the moral high ground because they have put their trust in the author and finisher of our faith. All of these are an inspiration for us to put our faith in God. With His enablement, we can rise to the high ground and stand firm on that moral high ground.
It is important that we understand the nature of the attack, for the elements of the attack have not changed. The lie was introduced subtly, questioning the motivation of God. The serpent presented his proposal as representing the moral high ground. The serpent proposed that God does not want you to rise to His level, so He has imposed rules to keep you down in your place.
The idea was to plant doubt in Eve’s mind about the love of God. Satan’s strategy was to narrow Eve’s view to the one thing that was forbidden. “Has God not said that you shall not eat of every tree in the garden?” Eve’s answer was: “We can eat of every tree in the garden except the tree in the middle of the garden”. Eve even gave the reason why they must not eat of that particular tree. “We can’t eat of that tree because God forbade us to eat of it. He forbade us because, if we ate from it we would die”. Satan replied, “You will not surely die, for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be as gods knowing good and evil.”
Notice the subtly in which Satan mixes fact with fantasy. The result is that Eve’s focus is diverted from the generous blessings of a loving God to the one thing that has been forbidden. As Eve considers the forbidden fruit as a source of food and wisdom, her faith in God falters and she rebels. The promised result comes in a most unexpected way. Her eyes are opened and she knows sin.
Adam likewise succumbs to the voice of his wife, the voice of experience, and sins against God by partaking of the forbidden fruit. Now they know what God knows about the effect that fruit would have on them. Obviously it was not as satisfying as they had been deceived into believing. Their innocence had been violated. They experienced a profound self-awareness, that they were naked. They experienced fear for the first time, as God approached them. Their eyes were indeed opened in a way that was not good. They had brought a curse on themselves and on all of creation. They were going to die and a part of them had already died. They were no longer innocent.
The high ground of morality or righteousness is founded on love. God is the God of Love. God is love. God’s purpose for mankind has always been in man’s best interest and God in his wisdom knows what is best for us. When Eve retreated from that moral high ground of trust in the God of love, she lost that high ground and brought Adam down with her.
The High Ground
Few subjects are more important than those dealing with and determining right and wrong, for the accepted morality of a society is foundational to its very existence. It is important in any serious discussion that people understand the basic terms being used. When I am referring to the moral high ground, I am speaking of those concepts that are most easily defended because they present undisputable truth. I realize that there are people that will argue that 2+2 does not equal 4, but there are some arguments that do not even merit a reply.
It is obvious that we are in a battle of world views. Although many times in history men have ended up on a physical battlefield, the battle always starts with conflicting ideas and concepts. Because we are moral beings, we tend to try to defend our position, first in our own mind, and then with those we hope to align with us. I have already presented some general concepts of what is moral. As we continue this discussion, I will get a little more specific in my defense of right and wrong as revealed to us in Scripture.
My reference to the “high ground” is taken from those physical battles that have been waged throughout history. Modern warfare with airplanes and missiles is beginning to blur this concept of occupying the high ground, but I am sure we have not totally lost this concept that was so important for so long. The concept is still true in modern warfare, but just not as easily captured in clear imagery.
There is tremendous advantage of occupying the high ground. We can start with the view you have from this perspective. From this viewpoint you have a better understanding and an overall view of the entire situation. You might say that you are on top of it. You have the advantage of not being taken by surprise because you can see everything coming at you. From your high perch you have a circumspect view. You are not limited by a narrow perspective. Your position is easily defended. It does not matter from which angle you are attacked. You are on top of it and can see it coming. From this position you can call the shots. You can either wait for the enemy to approach you, or you can go on the offensive. When the actual fighting begins you have the advantage of fighting downhill. The enemy has an uphill battle.
If you want to enhance the image I am trying to create, then look to that fortress in the Judean desert, Masada. Here a small group of Jews were able to hold off the might of the Roman military machine. This small group of people set the standard for uncompromising defense of what was important to them. Even in defeat no one was able to violate their resolve to not surrender. They never left the high ground. This was their land and their heritage, and they stuck to it.
Acquiring the High Ground
How do we acquire the status of occupying the moral high ground? I have in a sense already answered this question. It is not a matter of superior intellect, acquired knowledge, or vast experience. It is merely accepting the standard that has been handed down to us from God Himself. It is simply putting our trust in God. I like the words of the song writer penned in that old hymn, “Higher Ground”.
- Lord, lift me up and let me stand
- By faith on Heaven’s table land,
- A higher plane than I have found;
- Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
We arrive on this higher ground by simply having faith in God and trusting His Word. I am not talking about a blind faith that is better described as wishful thinking. I am talking about trust in the Word of God that has proven to be true over and over throughout the course of time.
It does not matter if we have arrived here tentatively or with great resolve, the high ground is the high ground. How we came to this position often determines how solidly we arrive here. What is important is, that once we have arrived, that we plant our feet here. My purpose in writing is to help establish people’s confidence in this plane, even if they have arrived tentatively. I also want to make sure that none of us take for granted our status and allow ourselves to get too close to the edge whereby we start slipping down that slippery slope toward destruction.
I want to keep reminding you that the foundation of true morality is love. This is based upon the very character of God and that is why morality is eternal rather than evolutionary. We must keep this in mind as we study the different facets of morality.
War of the World Views
Since the first attack on morality (the law of God) the war of world views has persisted. Often the battles have been hard fought as the forces of hell attempt to thwart the plan of God. If it were not for the grace and mercy of God, our world would have gone the way of the world of Noah’s day and destroyed itself; however, God has intervened. Through revivals and an occasional reboot, He has kept hope of righteousness alive all of these years.
The attack of Satan in the Garden of Eden started the conflict that is with us to this day. Through the deceptive lie, Satan introduced the accusation that God’s moral law was intended to restrict Man and limit his potential. Of course the opposite was true, for the Law of God is the Law of Love. Its intent is to protect and preserve mankind in an atmosphere of fellowship with God and all of creation.
If we can grasp the nature of the conflict, then we will understand why both sides battle so differently. Satan’s attack is focused on the foundation of the Law, which is love. His aim is to convince people that God’s law is not based upon love. If the foundation is undermined, then morality will begin to collapse. Satan is unrestricted by truth or love as he mocks and ridicules people or makes promises that remain unfulfilled. On the other hand, those who live by God’s law are bound by love.
The battle is for our preservation and to win those who are blinded by the lies of Satan. Armed with the truth, we seek to convince those in darkness to come to the light, to trust God and choose life. Motivated by love, we testify of the grace of God and warn of the judgment to come.