As Long as No One Else Gets Hurt

 By Marianne Mauti

As Long As No One Else Gets Hurt

How many of us have ever heard someone say, “There’s no harm in what I am doing as long as no one else gets hurt!”  " On the surface that may seem to be alright but I can think of things we'd all agree that are morally acceptable that many of us would avoid if we knew others could be hurt. Some things are obvious. Turning your car off the designated road and into a crowd of people will have immediate and obvious consequences. But there are other things we decide to do that definitely can hurt others that are not quite as obvious. Is it acceptable to do those things that will most likely hurt us as long as we don't think we are hurting others like doing drugs, engaging in "safe" sex apart from marital commitment, cheating on taxes? Is it possible to do anything you want to do and not hurt someone else in the process? 

I would like to suggest that the only way you could do that is if you could predict the outcome of your actions. How can any of us predict with any certainty if others will be hurt or how? Who would even take the time to figure out the effect of their actions on others? Oh, we may give a few moments thought to whether something we say or do will hurt someone at that moment or shortly thereafter but do we really consider how it could affect them in the future? Even more important, who has the authority to determine what is hurtful and what is not? I suppose we need to know what constitutes "hurt" in order to apply the "as long as" principle. If there are no concrete ethical principles, or moral absolutes, it is impossible to know, even more impossible to live!

In our ever-changing world, trying to determine what constitutes "hurt" seems to be based more and more on an individual's personal values than the absolute authority of our creator.  To make matters even more difficult, individuals are pressured to agree with what the world determines is acceptable behavior. The media is constantly promoting a secular worldview and we have become inundated with their message to the point where principled Christian values have been drowned out. All this does is bring confusion. If you disagree you are a hate monger and if you dare to speak out you are labeled right wing, radical, a religious fanatic, promoting hate speech, etc.! 

To say that if you disagree with someone’s viewpoint is hate speech is disingenuous at best and simply not true! 

Our cultural evolution has all but taken God out of the equation. At a time when we can’t seem to navigate our values we want to rip from society the only moral compass that exists. God’s truth has from the beginning of time brought order and balance to creation. Who could understand what man needs better than the one who created him? Yet man is continually trying to prove he is smarter and more capable than God in determining what is necessary for him to succeed and we have failed miserably. Solomon who in all of his glory, whose human wisdom can never be matched and whose wealth and material possessions cannot even be calculated by todays measure said this about mans wisdom, wealth and pursuits; Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Meaningless, meaningless says the teacher, its all utterly meaningless ( apart from God you will never find satisfaction in life)….” in the end, when reflecting on his life of wealth and power here is what he had to say: 

That’s the whole story, here now is my final conclusion; Fear God (Respect Him) and obey His commandments(they are not an option),for this is the duty of all mankind. (This is our responsibility as His creation). Ecclesiastes 12:13

If we truly don’t want to hurt others we have to start by acknowledging that God is the creator and sustainer of all things. The fact of the matter is that we would not even be self aware, let alone aware of right and wrong, if God had not created within us a conscience, which gives us the ability to make moral distinctions. We have no reference point for all this discussion about morality except as God has chosen to reveals it! He is the source of all life and therefore the source of all truth. He is the only one who can and should decide what is right or wrong. The problem with “as long as” is that it puts man in the center of the world! It forces him to make decisions he was not created to make! The bible shows us over and over examples of individuals who when left to themselves, started out with good intentions, but without guidance from above and obedient hearts, lost their way. Professor Alexander Tytler of the University of Edinburgh had this to say about man if left to his own:

From bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, 
from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency backs again into bondage.

What he is saying is that apart from the supervision of God, mans values will eventually erode. Self-desire begins to take over in determining our actions. No matter how sincerely we believe we are right about a decision we make, it has to align itself with the principles in the word of God. Only then can we be sure our actions will not result in hurting others. People may be offended by your Godly choices but they can never be harmed by them. Righteousness and right thinking, according to Gods Word, brings liberty and freedom to those who apply it to their lives! 

Our ethics if grounded in the nature and will of God takes into account our human nature, and promotes a biblical principle to protect others and seek their good, and the divine work of redemption that seeks to save the lost and build people up in the nature and character of Christ. Scripture requires us to put others ahead of ourselves. We are never to cause others harm. More than that, we're to seek others' good. We're given the ultimate example of sacrifice in Christ, "who, though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing" for our benefit" (Philippians 2:6-8). We are also told to give up things we can legitimately enjoy if they hurt other people. 

God has spelled out some pretty clear principles on how to treat others. Do we love others as we love ourselves? That is not so easy when everyone around us is living out his or her individual values and the ethics of “as long as.” The power of Christianity has always been found in the courage of those who despite persecution live out their faith, who are in the Word of God and who maintain their ethical and moral integrity in a world that is obsessed with promoting a philosophy of self-gratification. So if we must say "as long as" let us say it as one who follows a higher calling, a greater standard of living: 

There is no harm in what I am doing AS LONG AS it is acceptable and pleasing to God

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FORGING YOUR FAITH

To 'Forge' something, is to mold and shape something for suitable use. We believe that our lives are constantly being shaped and molded by the hand of God for His divine purpose! This publication strives to encourage believers who are beginning this process and those who are well into it! We also believe a truly successful life is a Christ-Centered Life! We hope you will join us and become a regular reader! 

Thank You and God Bless,

Marianne Mauti

Founder and CAO

'Forging Your Faith' is the online Christian publication of 'Christ the King Church' in Bellevue, Pa.

About Marianne Mauti: Marianne is a writer and blogger as well as a Pastor at "Christ the King Church" in Bellevue, Pa. She is currently the Dean and Chief Operating Officer of "Christ the King Seminary" a full time Bible Institute. For more information about us please contact us at: crowncntr@aol.com

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                                                                    ARTICLE RESOURCES

* The Bible

*Dr. George R. Beninate: Is Bishop of "Christ the King Church" in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A Doctor of Theology, Biblical Apologist, conference speaker, lecturer and my spiritual father.He is also the Author of several books including,"The Age of Glory", Thank you for your relentless pursuit of truth!