Legal does NOT mean Ethical

“Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.”  Potter Stewart

  During our recent local flooding, I was called in to a situation where, though most of the community now had electric power restored for several days, this family did not. They were tenants in an area where there were other rental properties. The house next to them faced the same situation but there the landlord provided a generator for his tenants.

  The law does not require landlords to provide generators even if there is a power outage of several days. Because it wasn’t legally required, even though his tenants had been without power for nearly a week, this landlord refused to rent a generator. So, the landlord next door, out of kindness, allowed them to run extension cords from the generator that he’d provided his tenants and paid for the fuel to run it…even though they weren’t his tenants. As you know, our entire community was pulling together to help each other. Yet, here was one hardhearted landlord who just because he wasn’t legally obligated, refused to help, or be gracious and show mercy.

  Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it is right. It’s a scene all too common. Unless someone is legally obligated, they refuse to do the right thing. It’s why laws are added upon laws. The erroneous thinking is people can somehow be legislated into ethical behavior. Sadly, it won’t work. 

  In my opinion, we have such a scene playing out on the national stage. Donald Trump Jr., responded with great interest last year to a proposed meeting with a Russian lawyer, who claimed to have documents from the Russian government that would damage Hillary Clinton’s campaign and be “very useful” to his father’s Presidential campaign. Trump Jr. told an intermediary, “[I]f it’s what you say I love it” and arranged for a secret meeting on June 9, 2016 with this Russian lawyer.

  In spite of all the political histrionics from the media and Democrats, was it illegal? Probably not. Was it unethical? Absolutely! One does not partner with an enemy of their country, even if the outcome is a major political win like the Presidency. It may not be illegal, but it’s certainly unethical.

  Nothing is free. Were policy concessions also discussed, such as a lifting or softening of sanctions to this adversary of America, in return for campaign help? Doesn’t such a secret meeting put the Trump team in a position to have a hostile foreign government politically blackmail the administration later, though there is currently no evidence suggesting such blackmail happened? This meeting definitely opened up the possibility. While it may not be illegal to meet with an American adversary for help in defeating a domestic political opponent, it’s unquestionably unethical.

  The politics are insignificant. The ethics are everything. Just because something is legal does not mean it’s moral. Yet, the rationalization is one made all the time. It’s a tit-for-tat. “The Democrats do the same thing.” Reportedly some Democratic Party officials met with Ukrainian officials to help the Clinton campaign, including the area of opposition research.

  If it’s unethical, it’s unethical. Even if an opponent rationalizes sloppy ethics, it doesn’t mean I can justify it. Often ethics in our culture, whether they’re tenant/landlord or political ones, are similar to a cage fight – anything goes. As Christians, we’re citizens of another Kingdom. Philippians 3:20 reminds us, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Something may be legal but that does not mean it is moral, or more importantly for a believer, it may not be righteous.

  The Bible clearly teaches moral absolutes. Ours is a relativistic, pragmatic world and ethics are fluid. The thinking is that while something may be wrong for you, it’s right for me. If it is pragmatic or works, that tips the scale that it must be right. God’s Word teaches transcendent moral absolutes. Wrong is always wrong and can’t be rationalized away. Nor does the end, as in winning an election, justify the means.

  For example, stealing is stealing whether it’s an armed robbery or taking home a box of staples from work. It’s not the amount that makes it wrong, it’s the biblical fact that the Bible commands us to not steal. Exodus 20:15 does not qualify it but simply states, “You shall not steal.”

  Cultural acceptance is not a justification for violating moral absolutes. Though a high percentage of taxpayers believe it’s acceptable to not report all of your income or to be paid off the books, it doesn’t make it right. Though 74% of men and 68% of women would cheat on their spouse if they thought they could get away with it, it doesn’t make it morally right. There are probably no statistics for being hateful to your spouse or child, indolent at work, jealous of a neighbor, shading the truth, or telling off-color jokes. While all of these are culturally accepted, they’re still wrong.

  Morals may be fluid and subjective in this world, but there is a God in heaven who sees and knows everything. He’s a just Judge and the God of moral absolutes. His standards do not change with time or culture. 

  Those who are part of His Forever Family, in love to Him for the great sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, are to be distinctly different. We’re to be the most ethical of people. The standard is not friends, a changing culture, or even how we feel about something. It’s God’s Word. The believer is to live to please an audience of One. We know that someday, even if it is “legal” in the courts of earth, there will be an accounting in heavens courts. We must live in a way that pleases our Heavenly Father. We must determine to be ethical, always doing the right thing, even if it means standing alone. 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. "