Transcript Morality? - Rose Ave. Church of Christ

Romans 12:1-2
“And do not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your
mind…”
Renewed View of Morals
No place in America is so obviously in
need of a renewal – note change in our lifetime!
 Life has changed all around us, as though we
were sleeping and now suddenly awakened.
 Contrast: “The gradual conforming of the man
more and more to that new spiritual world into
which he has been introduced, and in which he
now lives and moves; the restoration of the Divine
image; and in all this, so far from being passive,
he must be a fellow-worker with God”
(Trench, Syn of NT, 65-66)

NT Christians Had to Learn It
Early Christians came from pagan lives
 1 Pet 4:1-4 “wasted enough time”
 Idolatry, social customs and national leaders
promoted licentious and wicked behavior

Living in wicked environment made it seem
natural – “everybody is doing it.”
 Example: family in Corinth on “holy day”
 But Christians must see life differently
Acts 3:19; 2 Pet 2:9; 19; 3:11

What is “Morality?”
There are two basic philosophies of morals or
ethics:
One adheres to an objective standard of right and
wrong. These may be the principles one
encounters in the Ten Commandments, the
wise proverbs of Ben Franklin, or other
principles of living.
The other views right and wrong as fluid and
changing depending on the situation and the
desired outcome. This is the philosophy of
much of “postmodern” society.
Moral Relativism
Moral relativism is the view that ethical
standards, morality, and positions of right or
wrong are culturally based and therefore
subject to a person’s individual choice. We can
all decide what is right for ourselves. You
decide what’s right for you, and I’ll decide
what’s right for me. Moral relativism says, “Its
true for me, if I believe it.”
Ex: One generation casts off another’s rules.
Children reject their parents values which
are Bible based.
Is Moral Relativism Neutral?
Moral relativism has steadily been accepted as the
primary moral philosophy of modern society, a
culture that was previously governed by a
“Judeo-Christian” view. While these “J-C”
standards continue to be the foundation for civil
law, most people hold to the concept that right or
wrong are not absolutes, but can be determined
by each individual…thus, anything goes…Words
like “ought” and “should” are rendered
meaningless.
Acts 17 – Epicureans – “If it feels good, do it.”
Song: “How can it be wrong when it feels so right?”
Honky-tonk-country-rock-rap….
Innate Morality?
The Natural Law tradition, from the Greeks to
the present day, explicitly holds that all
rational persons know what kinds of actions
morality prohibits, requires, discourages,
encourages, and allows. …Even religious
thinkers in this tradition such as Aquinas, hold
that morality is known to all those whose
behavior is subject to moral judgment, whether
or not they know of the revelations of
Christianity. But compare: Romans 2:16; 7:7
What Difference Does It Make?
It is vital that you understand these two ethical
positions and the consequences that have come
about because they affect your health and safety,
they affect crime, government, they affect your
future. Our secular schools are probably not
teaching objective moral standards. You will not
observe objective moral standards on network TV
programs. It is vitally important that our families
and our religious institutions re-establish basic
objective moral principles.
Do you understand why certain things are right and
others are wrong? Do you accept an objective
standard?
Results of This Confusion
Every day in the United States of America:
4,219 teenagers contract std’s
2,329 teenagers unintentionally become pregnant
908 teenagers who didn’t intend on becoming
pregnant obtain abortions.
1,000 adolescents begin drinking alcohol
500 adolescents begin using illicit drugs
16,000 crimes are committed on school campuses
What Effect Does This Have?
A ripple effect on society because of teen-age
pregnancy: Only 50% complete high school
and more than 50% of them are on welfare.
They themselves become child abusers and
their children, when they grow up, have 82%
incidence of teenage pregnancy. 8.6 billion
dollars are spent every year for the financial
and health care support of teenage mothers.
The sexual revolution of the 60’s has affected
another dimension of health care…
What Effect Does This Have?
…In 1955 alone, 10 million cases of Chlamydia, 2
million cases of gonorrhea, 1 million venereal
warts, .5 million genital herpes and 90,000
syphilis were diagnosed. The plague of AIDS
is adding a new twist to our fears. 200,000 cases
(out of date figures, tr) have diagnosed in the
U.S. alone, out of which 50% have already
died.
Africa is now the most affected nation and is
causing world-wide economic loss in addition to
the human toll and the countless orphans it has
created.
Without God, There is No Moral Standard
• Debate among sociologists as to existence of
moral standard apart from revelation
• Without divine standard, whose rules do we
follow? Yours, Mine, Atheists, Societies?
• Obviously, man has capability of great good,
great evil (Hitler), but who is to say what
is good or evil for all time for all people?
• Giving up knowledge of God allows man to
descend into gutter Rom 1:20-32
Identifiable Change Agents of Morality
• Journalists and mass media (biased, liberal)
• Supreme Court (unable to define
pornography, limits religion)
• Television (vast wasteland of immorality)
• Churches (liberal, tolerant, accept all sin)
• Political parties (cater to blocs for votes)
• Social Mores – such as easy divorce,
alternate life styles, acceptance of perversions
• Inability of most to stand against pressures
“Slouching Toward Gomorrah” (Bork)
“Thirty years ago, Clinton’s behavior
would have been absolutely disqualifying.
Since the 1992 election, the public has learned
far more about what is known…as the
‘character issue’. Yet none of this appears to
affect Clinton’s popularity. It is difficult not
to conclude that something about our moral
perceptions and reactions has changed
profoundly.”
(Modern Liberalism and the American Decline, Robert H. Bork)
Needed: A Renewal of Bible Teaching of Purity
• “Now the works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these: adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness” Gal 5:19
• “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among
you, as becometh saints” Eph 5:3
• “For this is the will of God, even your
sanctification, that ye should abstain from
fornication” 1 Thes 4:3; Col 3:1-9
Needed: A Renewal of Bible Teaching of Purity
• “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth
with a woman, both of them have committed
an abomination: they shall surely be put to
death, their blood shall be upon them” Lev
20:13
• For this cause God gave them up unto vile
affections: for even their woman did change
the natural use into that which is against
nature; and likewise also the men” Rom 1:26f
We Are in a Culture War
Liberal thinkers have made a conscious
assault on morality, substituting secularism
 Rejecting the Bible and ancient rules of
conduct, a “new morality” is substituted.
 Humanism invaded every level of schools
and tossed out God and morality
 Supreme Court has changed “freedom of
religion” to “freedom from religion.”
 Illegal to teach “Intelligent Design”

Culture War - Continued
Rock and Roll music spelled out rebellion
and immorality – Result, “Aids” Rom 1:26-7
 The 60’s were known for domestic upheaval,
drug use, promiscuous sex, abortions, etc.
 2004 election introduced candidate who was
from that generation of “flower children”
that fought authority and discarded medals
 This characterizes our culture today
 Immorality has gone “uptown”

Where Are These “Flower Children” Today?
“They went into politics, print and electronic
journalism, church bureaucracies, foundation
staffs, Hollywood careers, public interest
organizations, anywhere attitudes and
opinions could be influenced. And they are
exerting influence.” (Ibid, 51).
 Consider Jane Fonda, Howard Stern,
Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, The Beastie
Boys, Gangsta Rap, homosexuality, out of
wedlock babies, rampant divorce, etc.
There will be Consequences to this Immorality
Isa 1:10-16 “I have had enough”
 Jer. 3:20-21 “they have perverted their way”
 Ezek. 23:35 “bear the consequences”
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Ezek 18:4 “the soul that sins shall die”
 Even pagan nations see us as flagrantly
sinful; America is at a crossroads!
 We are in a spiritual and moral crisis and
many are not even aware!
“New Freedom” is Enslavement – 2 Pt 2:19
“Freedom from religion” insures atheism
 Humanism fights revealed religion
“Education is thus a most powerful ally of
humanism, and every American school is a
school of humanism. What can a theistic
Sunday school’s meeting for an hour once a
week and teaching only a fraction of the
children do to stem the tide of the five-day
program of humanistic teaching?”
(Humanism, a New Religion, C. F. Potter)

Even How We Mark Time Is Changing
• The Birth of Jesus Christ changed the dating
system of our calendars
 B.C. = “Before Christ”
 A. D. = “Anno Domini” (in the year of
our Lord
• Now, publications are ignoring Jesus and
using
 B. C. E. = “Before common era”
 C. E. = “common era”
George Washington’s Farewell Address - 1796
“ It is impossible to govern the world without
God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and
habits that lead to political prosperity, our
religion and morality are the indispensable
supporters. Let us with caution indulge the
supposition that morality can be sustained
without religion. Reason and experience both
forbid us to expect that our national morality
cannot prevail in exclusion of the religious
experience.”
What Can We Do?
Remember that God still rules Hab. 2:20
 There is a seasoning influence to
righteousness Matt 5:13-16
 Pray fervently 1 Thes 5:17; Jas 5:16
 God will not ignore sin Amos 2:4-5
 Remember the Judgment 2 Pet 3:5-13
 “Be Not Conformed”
 “Be ye Transformed”
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