Doing What’s Right Because It’s Right

Bible Study: Doing What’s Right Because It’s Right – Living with Honor and God’s Truth

Introduction

This Bible study explores the call to do what is right simply because it aligns with God’s absolute truth, as emphasized in the provided text: “Do what’s right because it’s right.” In a world where intellect often sidelines God and morality, leading to relativism and immorality, we are called to live with hearts grounded in God’s Word. Drawing from C.S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man and biblical principles, we’ll examine how to cultivate a “chest” or heart filled with God’s truth, love, and conscience, countering a heartless intelligence that breeds corruption. Key Scriptures, including those highlighting God’s law written on our hearts, will guide our reflections. Use these points for personal or group discussion, reading the verses and considering their application to today’s challenges.

Section 1: Doing What’s Right Because It’s Right – The Foundation of Morality

The call to act morally stems from God’s unchanging nature and word, not from rewards or societal approval. God has inscribed His law on our hearts, giving us an innate sense of right and wrong, yet society often rejects this for relative truth, enabling immorality through systems like socialism, Marxism, or our modern society. Without God’s Word as the foundation, morals become subjective, rooted in fleeting experiences rather than divine absolutes.

Key Biblical Cross-References:

• Romans 2:14-15 (ESV): “For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves… They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness.” (God’s law on our hearts provides a moral foundation, needing alignment with His Word.)
• Deuteronomy 6:18 (ESV): “And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you.” (Righteousness is for God’s glory. Cross-reference with Micah 6:8: “He has told you, O man, what is good… to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”)
• Psalm 119:105 (ESV): “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (God’s Word clarifies the heart’s moral sense. See also Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”)
• Romans 12:2 (ESV): “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God.” (Intellect without God, leads to immoral norms, but a renewed mind aligns with divine truth.)

Reflection Questions:

• How does society’s rejection of God’s law on our hearts (Romans 2:14-15) make immorality “easy”?
• If morals aren’t rooted in God’s Word, why do alternatives like life experiences fail to provide absolutes?

Section 2: Responding to Chaos – Knowing, Spreading, Teaching, and Living God’s Word

Amid societal upheaval, we are called to know, spread, teach, and live God’s Word, which aligns with the law He has written on our hearts. Men teach men to be godly through fathers, mentors, brothers, and Christ Himself. Intellect divorced from God distorts truth, paving the way for corrupt systems and immorality.

Key Biblical Cross-References:

• Jeremiah 31:33 (ESV): “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (God’s law on our hearts enables us to live and teach His truth. Cross-reference with Hebrews 8:10, reiterating this New Covenant promise.) “This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”
• Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV): “Go therefore and make disciples… teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Spreading God’s truth fulfills the heart’s moral calling. See also Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “These words… shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children.”)
• Titus 2:1-8 (ESV): “Teach what accords with sound doctrine… Older men are to be sober-minded… urge the younger men to be self-controlled.” (Mentorship reflects God’s heart-written law. See also Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go.”)
• Ephesians 6:4 (ESV): “Fathers… bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Fathers reinforce the heart’s moral sense through godly teaching.)

Reflection Questions:

• How can mentors and fathers align the innate law on our hearts with God’s Word?
• How does relativism enable systems like dictatorships or secular societies to erode morality?

Section 3: The Heart – Men Without Chests and the Loss of Virtue

C.S. Lewis’s The Abolition of Man (1943) warns of “men without chests” – intelligent but heartless, lacking morality and virtue. When intellect overshadows the heart, it removes Christ and love, leading to societal decay. Believers with hearts filled with God’s law and truth can shine as witnesses to His glory.

Key Biblical Cross-References:

• 1 Timothy 1:3-7 (ESV): “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (A pure heart, aligned with God’s law, produces virtue. Cross-reference with Proverbs 4:23: “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”)
• Ezekiel 36:26 (ESV): “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you… I will remove the heart of stone.” (God renews the heart to align with His law. See also Jeremiah 17:9-10: “The heart is deceitful… I the Lord search the heart.”)
• Romans 2:15 (ESV): “They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness.” (The heart’s law, nurtured by God, counters heartless intelligence.)
• Matthew 5:16 (ESV): “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (A godly heart draws others to God.)

Reflection Questions:

• How does Lewis’s “men without chests” reflect a society ignoring God’s law on our hearts?
• How can a heart renewed by God (Ezekiel 36:26) influence others to notice His truth?

Section 4: Living According to Christ’s Values – The Path of Honorable Manhood

Honorable manhood involves speaking biblical truth, living for Jesus, respecting elders, disciplining children, loving and respecting women, and discerning what to accept or change. Without honor, mediocrity and corruption rule. Honor constrains yet frees, creating community and meaning. Men need small “platoons” – honor groups like churches or close brothers – for accountability, as large groups are too impersonal.

Key Biblical Cross-References:

• Ephesians 5:25, 33 (ESV): “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church… let each one of you love his wife as himself.” (Loving women reflects God’s heart-written law. Cross-reference with 1 Peter 3:7: “Husbands… live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor.”)
• Proverbs 13:24 (ESV): “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” (Discipline aligns children with God’s moral law. See also Hebrews 12:11: “Discipline… yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”)
• Leviticus 19:32 (ESV): “You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God.” (Respecting elders honors God’s order.)
• Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (ESV): “Two are better than one… a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Small groups foster accountability. Cross-reference with Hebrews 10:24-25: “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together.”)
• Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): “Do nothing from selfish ambition… count others more significant than yourselves.” (Living for Christ reflects a heart aligned with God’s law.)

Reflection Questions:

• How does honor, rooted in God’s law on our hearts, both “constrain and free”?
• Why are small honor groups more effective for fostering godly living than large, impersonal ones?

Section 5: Challenges and Questions in Pursuing Honor

Pursuing honor raises questions: Can honor survive without violence, historically tied to defending reputation? Is it manlier to fight insults or remain stoic? When should we confront folly or ignore it? How do we address violations outside our group? C.S. Lewis warns, “We remove the organ and demand the function… We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the gelding be fruitful.” We must multiply God’s gifts by living as true men of heart and honor.

Key Biblical Cross-References:

• Proverbs 26:4-5 (ESV): “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.” (Discernment in conflicts aligns with the heart’s moral law. Cross-reference with Matthew 5:39: “Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you… turn to him the other also.”)
• Romans 12:18 (ESV): “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Balancing confrontation and peace. See also James 3:17-18: “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable… a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace.”)
• Matthew 25:14-30 (ESV) (Parable of the Talents): Multiplying God’s gifts requires faithful action, reflecting the law on our hearts.
• Romans 2:15 (ESV): “The work of the law is written on their hearts.” (Our conscience guides honorable responses, even in complex situations.)

Reflection Questions:

• How does God’s law on our hearts guide responses to insults or conflicts, online or offline?
• In a non-violent society, can shame and conscience uphold honor, per biblical principles?

Conclusion

True manhood integrates conscience and honor, rooted in the law God has written on our hearts (Romans 2:15, Jeremiah 31:33). As James Davison Hunter notes, society craves virtue without its costs: conviction, guilt, shame, and limits on freedom. Yet, Scripture calls us to embrace these for God’s kingdom. C.S. Lewis warns of “men without chests,” expecting virtue without heart. Honor thrives in small “platoons” of men committed to God’s standards. Will you be one who multiplies God’s gifts, living out His law with a heart of truth and action?

Final Reflection Questions:

• How can you align your heart’s innate moral sense with God’s Word in daily decisions?
• What steps can you take to join or form an honor group to live out biblical manhood?

Relative Truth – belief that truth changes based on individual understanding. It suggests that there are no absolute truths: what may be true for one person may not be true for another. This concept indicates that truth is often socially or culturally constructed and subjective, meaning that different perspectives can lead to different interpretations of what is true.

Subjective truth - the concept that truth is based on personal perspectives, feelings, and opinions rather than objective reality. It emphasizes that what may be true for one person may not be true for another, as it is determined by individual experiences and interpretations. For example, a statement like "my favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip" is subjectively true for the person making the claim. This type of truth is often seen in areas such as personal beliefs and experiences, where consensus may not exist.