Why are so many Christian moral teachings outdated or oppressive?
Introduction
This is a common and important question, as modern culture often defines Christian teachings on topics like sexuality, marriage, and gender as relics of a less enlightened age—something restrictive, punitive, and ultimately harmful.
For the Christian, this cultural friction is expected. The Bible teaches that God's standards will always feel "outdated" or "oppressive" to a world system that prioritizes human autonomy and subjective desire over God’s objective design. The Christian response is to affirm that God's moral law is not arbitrary; it is fixed, eternal, and given out of love for our ultimate well-being.
Three Reasons God’s Morality Seems Oppressive
The perceived "outdated" or "oppressive" nature of Christian morality is best understood by contrasting the nature of God's law with the nature of human desire.
1. The Law is Fixed, But Culture is Always Changing
What feels "normal" or "acceptable" is constantly shifting based on technological, economic, and social trends. God's moral law is the anchor in the storm of cultural change.
God is Unchanging: The Bible reminds us that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). His commands are a reflection of His perfect nature: “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7).
Moral Law as Design: Christian morality is not about arbitrary rules; it’s about design. God designed the human body, mind, and soul. His instructions on how to use them (e.g., in sex, marriage, and finance) are like an owner's manual. When we use a machine contrary to its design, the machine breaks. When we live contrary to God’s design, we break ourselves and our relationships. What seems like "oppression" is actually the necessary boundary for human flourishing.
2. The Law Exposes Sin, But Humanity Hates Exposure
God’s commands feel oppressive because they stand in direct judgment of the natural human tendency toward self-interest and sin.
Sin Requires Autonomy: The core of sin is the desire to be a "law unto ourselves," telling God, "My desires are more important than Your commands." When God’s law forbids an action (like lust, greed, or sexual expression outside of marriage), that law is perceived as oppressive because it restricts our personal freedom to do as we please.
The Law is a Mirror: Paul explains that the purpose of the Law is to reveal our need for a Savior, not to be a burden in itself. “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:20). What feels oppressive is actually the light of God exposing the darkness in our hearts.
3. God's Freedom vs. The World's Freedom
The definition of "freedom" itself differs dramatically between the biblical worldview and the secular worldview.
Worldly Freedom (Autonomy): The world defines freedom as the absence of restriction—the ability to do whatever you want without consequence.
Biblical Freedom (Submission): The Bible defines true freedom as living within the boundaries of God's design, which leads to spiritual and emotional liberation. Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).
What the world calls "oppression" (e.g., sexual restraint, honesty in business, forgiveness of enemies) is what the Christian calls the path to holiness and inner peace.
Conclusion
When dealing with the claim that Christian morals are outdated, we must point to the ultimate evidence: Jesus Christ. He perfectly fulfilled God's moral law and proved that living under God's standard leads not to oppression, but to perfect love and abundant life (John 10:10).
The Christian does not live under the Law as a means of earning salvation, but rather lives by the Law as a grateful response to the grace of Christ. We trust that the God who saves us knows better than we do how to design a life that brings Him glory and brings us joy.
