Part III: From right and wrong to safe and unsafe

Over the past decade, a subtle but significant change has taken place in our moral vocabulary. Moral questions are increasingly framed not in terms of right and wrong, but safe and unsafe.

Right and wrong language assumes an external moral order. It implies that goodness exists outside of us, that actions can be judged against something external and binding. In the Christian vision, that standard is grounded in God himself — holy, just, and good. To speak of right and wrong is to assume that we are accountable to a reality greater than self.

Safe and unsafe language works differently. It makes the self the reference point. The primary question becomes not “Is this true?” or “Is this good?” but “How does this make me feel?” Harm is measured by subjective impact.

This shift did not occur without reason. Some have been harmed, silenced, abused, or ignored. The language of safety has helped name real wounds and protect the vulnerable. That is a genuine gain, and Scripture tells of a God who sees affliction and hears the cry of the oppressed.

But something important is also lost. When safety becomes the highest good, discomfort is easily confused with danger, and suffering with injustice. Scripture tells a more complex story. In Genesis, Hagar and Sarah both experience real harm, and God does not dismiss either woman’s pain. And yet the moral weight of the narrative is not resolved by appeal to feelings alone. God’s purposes unfold through flawed human actions, costly, long slow obedience over time.

Scripture consistently affirms that moral authority resides outside the self.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). “Speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).

These texts assume that truth can confront us and still be life-giving.

A church shaped only by safe/unsafe language will struggle to form resilient disciples. A church shaped only by right/wrong language may forget gentleness. Biblical wisdom holds both together: objective goodness grounded in God, and compassionate care for those who suffer under its weight.

In a culture increasingly asking, “Does this feel safe?”, the Christian faith continues to ask a deeper question: “Is this faithful, true, and good before God?”