Rules You Can’t Rewrite: The Rule of Right and Wrong (3)

Isaiah 5:20 KJV 1900

20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; That put darkness for light, and light for darkness; That put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Romans 2:14–15 NLT

14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right.

Sermon Title: Rules you Can’t Rewrite: The Rule of Right and Wrong

Series: Rules You Can’t Rewrite Text: Isaiah 5:20; Romans 2:14–15 Big Idea: We don’t define morality; we discover it through God’s Word.

Introduction:

We live in a culture that constantly shifts the goalposts of morality.

What was once shameful is now celebrated.

What was once honorable is now offensive.

But the question isn’t, “What does society accept?” The question is, “What does God say?” 

The rule of right and wrong is not ours to rewrite.

We don’t create morality—we uncover it in the pages of Scripture.

In the past two lesson we have discussed:

The Creator (origin),

The Owner (authority),

The Judge (standard),

The Wise One (reason),

and The King (sovereignty).

Last lesson we taught about the Rule of God’s Authority or His sovereignty.

We learned that God, as the creator, owner, and purchaser of ALL - we live by his rules.

When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of Knowledge of Good and evil, it awoke in us what we call our conscience.

It is the voice in our head that guides us through life.

1. Conscience is a Witness, but Scripture is the Standard

Text: 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…”

Paul reveals that God has written a moral compass into the human heart—this is why even unbelievers instinctively know certain things are wrong.

But conscience alone is not enough.

Like a smoke alarm, it can malfunction—either go off at the wrong time or fail when it should scream.

Jeremiah 17:9 — “The heart is deceitful above all things…”

That’s why we need the Word of God to calibrate our conscience.

Hebrews 4:12 — “For the word of God is living and active… discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

🔹 Illustration: A GPS without updated maps will misguide you. Your conscience without the Word will eventually drift.

2. Society Cannot Redefine Sin

Text: Isaiah 5:20 (ESV)

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil…”

Isaiah describes the moral decay of a corrupt society.

We are witnessing this prophecy unfold:

Evil is celebrated as brave.

Holiness is mocked as intolerant.

But God has not adjusted His definitions.

Sin is still sin— Wrong is still wrong.

AND it still kills!

Romans 6:23 — “The wages of sin is death…

The issue isn’t that culture has changed—the issue is that God hasn’t.

🔹 Application: If we let culture define sin, we’ll lose our moral compass—and our soul.

3. Truth is Not a Democracy

Text: Malachi 3:6 (ESV)

“For I the LORD do not change…”

Truth is not a consensus!

God’s standards are not subject to cultural polling or generational revision.

Psalm 119:89 — “Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.”

What’s right is right—even if no one is doing it.

What’s wrong is wrong—even if everyone is celebrating it.

🔹 Illustration: Imagine a fireman refusing to shout “fire” because it might offend the guests at the party. Moral silence in a burning world is not love—it’s cruelty.

Application:

1. Anchor your values in the eternal, not the trending.

Don’t let TikTok or Twitter determine your theology.

Build your convictions on the Word, not the wind.

2. Stand firm with compassion.

We are not called to be angry defenders of truth—but loving ambassadors of it.

Ephesians 4:15 — “Speak the truth in love…”

Truth without love is harsh.

Love without truth is ineffective.

But together, they present Jesus.

Conclusion:

This world is confusing - BUT God is not the author of confusion!

This world bases it’s truth on what you feel, our relationship is based on the truth of the Word of God!

🛑 You can’t rewrite the rule of right and wrong… but you can repent, return, and realign with the truth that never changes.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” — Isaiah 40:8