The ends justify the means — Is this biblical? Do the ends justify the means?

what does the bible say?

“The ends justify the means” is a worldly philosophy with no place in the life of a believer. Proverbs sheds wisdom on the philosophy of “the ends justify the means.” Gain gathered through ungodly means will ultimately not profit us (Proverbs 10:2; 20:17). Because God alone “weighs” our heart and spirit (Proverbs 16:2; 21:2-3), we should seek to always do what is right and have uncompromising, biblical character. The New Testament also instructs us to act according to our new nature (1 Peter 1:15–16; Ephesians 5:8-11) rather than forsake godliness to achieve certain results. We should seek to always do what is honorable in God’s sight (and others) (2 Corinthians 8:21) and do everything for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31-32) instead of ourselves—even if it means doing what is less convenient for us. The Bible also calls us to do all things from “pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). There will be many opportunities in life to take the easier road that involves sinful compromises, but God is with us during such times and He will provide for us a way to escape temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). God calls us to live with integrity and holiness in every action, trusting Him to accomplish good outcomes rather than compromising our character because true success comes from obedience and faithfulness, not shortcuts or moral compromise.

from the old testament

• We should not try to get things—a job, for example—through immoral means, like lying on a resume. Proverbs 10:2 says: “Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.”
• While we may be able to justify in our minds doing something immoral in order to seek a “good” result, we should remember that we are not a good judge of our intentions—God is (Proverbs 16:2).
• Proverbs 20:17 makes it clear that ill-gotten gain will only do us harm in the end: “Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.”
• When met with a moral dilemma, we do well to remember that “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart. To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Proverbs 21:2-3).

from the new testament

• It may be tempting to take the easy road and “cut corners” morally speaking. However, no matter how tempting it is to do this, we are assured through 1 Corinthians 10:13 that “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
• We are to do everything for the glory of God, including the “means” by which we accomplish a result (1 Corinthians 10:31-32).
• Everything we do should be with the intent of honoring God, but we should also aim to be above reproach with those around us, as 2 Corinthians 8:21 says: “for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.”
• We should not walk in our old, sinful ways but rather walk according to our new nature in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:8-11 says: “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.”
• God is holy, just, and good. Those who follow Him are called also to be holy in our conduct, reflecting His character (1 Peter 1:15–16).
• 1 Timothy 1:5 says: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” Everything we do, big or small, should be done in godliness.

implications for today

Often, when a person says “the ends justify the means” they are saying that if the end result is noble enough, it will justify whatever measures are taken to achieve it. For example, if your goal is to save lives, it’s okay to cheat, steal, and lie to accomplish your goal. More often, the scenario is something less drastic, such as lying to someone to spare their feelings, or running up a credit card because the goal is to buy Christmas gifts. It is quite likely, if we each were to examine our lives, we would see ourselves justifying the ends with the means in many areas. The law of God, as seen in the Bible, is clear about what is moral and immoral. The reason “the ends justify the means” is such an ethical dilemma is because it allows small immoralities to take place in order to achieve larger moralities. The problem with this philosophy is that it puts the law into the hands of human beings—which, in turn, makes the “law” subjective to each person’s opinion. The ultimate reason for justifying sin is fear. We are afraid we won’t have enough money, so we lie, steal, and cheat or we are afraid we will live meaningless lives, so we puff ourselves up with pride. The answer to such dysfunction is to trust God (Proverbs 3:5–6). As God’s child, we can rest assured that He cares for us and will provide what we need. We do not need to make “the ends justify the means,” rather, we should put our full faith and trust in the God who will take care of His children in His own timing and His own ways (Matthew 6:25-34).

Recap

understand

• Scripture forbids “the ends justify the means”; God calls us to act with integrity and holiness.
• God values our heart and intentions over outcomes, so we must pursue righteousness, not shortcuts.
• Trusting God removes the need to justify sin; obedience and faithfulness bring true success.

reflect

• Where in your life might you be tempted to justify the means, and how can you respond in a God-honoring way?
• How can you ensure that your actions reflect integrity and honor God, even when it’s inconvenient or challenging?
• How do you seek to trust God with your needs instead of taking shortcuts that compromise your character or convictions?

engage

• How do we distinguish between pursuing good results and compromising our biblical values?
• Why is it important for us to encourage each other to act with integrity rather than justify the means?
• How can we help each other recognize when we are led to rationalize sinful shortcuts?