Don Fredenburg
Jim Tucker
H.E. 'Hub' Bowen
Mike Coble
Ron Bowen8/8/2018
It doesn't take an Einstein to understand that the world we live in is characterized by immorality. The apostle John said, "The whole world lies in the power of the evil one" (I John 5:19). In spite of the fact that the darkness of immorality, in all of its forms, surrounds us and we find it difficult to blush. Have we reached the state of which Jeremiah spoke when he said, "Were they ashamed because of the abomination they had done? They certainly were not ashamed, and they did not know how to blush; therefore, they shall fall among those who fall; at the time of their punishment they shall be brought down, says the Lord" (Jeremiah 8:12). I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet but I believe this great nation is on the brink of disaster because so many have turned their backs on the Sovereign God of the Universe and are giving themselves to Satan, the arch enemy of God and man. In turning from God they have denied that we have an objective standard of right and wrong and chosen to be their own subjective standard. This raises the question concerning the Bible, "Is the Bible our source for morality?"
If the Bible isn't the source for morality, then the question needs to be asked, "What is the standard to be used?" We live in the midst of a plurality of ethical viewpoints which are in constant competition with each other. Some make pleasure their highest value, while others put a premium on health. There are those who say we should watch out for ourselves first of all, and yet others tell us that we should live to be of service to our neighbor. If social consensus is our moral compass, then we have built our morality on a foundation of shifting sand. In ancient Greece and Rome, the city or state was taken as the ultimate authority and yardstick in ethics. Caesar was lord over all when moral questions were raised. Have we as a nation decided that our government is our standard of right and wrong? As Christians we bow to no king but King Jesus for He alone has "all authority in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18). In the Book of Revelation those who stood in opposition to the Roman Government were described as "those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12; Cf. Acts 5:29)
The Christian operates upon two facts: 1) God exists, and 2) God has spoken to us in the Bible. We are told that we were created in the image of God and made a moral creature with the power to choose. That is why the apostle Paul said, "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (Romans 6:16). This Sovereign God who made us gave us the Bible, which contains His revealed will to guide us morally and spiritually so we may be His children in Christ Jesus. In writing to Timothy Paul said, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Cf. 2 Peter 1:21). Jesus said, "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock" (Matthew 7:24-25). Beloved, you will never go wrong by following the moral compass God gave us in the Bible.
"Daily Devotions by Guy Roberson"
Walnut Street, Church of Christ
