Church – Mind@Work

Morality

I want to start this post off with a true story that explains why I stress and talk about morality so much. Years ago, I volunteered for a California police department. During my time there, I rode in about 20 ride-alongs. One day in the briefing room, the officer I was going to ride with grabbed a dictionary for the word of the day.

They held it while I closed my eyes. I opened it and, still having my eyes closed, put my finger on the page. It landed straight on the word “moral.” Even before that instance, I remember watching “Walker, Texas Ranger” and being inspired to pursue justice, morality, and righteousness by the theme song.

So why do I talk about it so much? Because I believe I’m called to talk about it. I truly believe the world in this day and age is sorely lacking in and starving for it. I also believe the church corporately and individually is failing miserably in preaching on the subject and living it out. Because of this, America and the world are suffering spiritually.

What Is Morality?

One definition of morality by Merriam-Webster is, “conformity to ideals of right human conduct.” Another definition by The Oxford English Dictionary is, “of or pertaining to the distinction between right and wrong, or good and evil, in relation to the actions, volitions, or character of responsible beings.” The Apostle Paul gives examples of these definitions in 1 Timothy 3.

While those are good definitions, the one I’ve always remembered (and have strived to live by) is The Golden Rule: “Treat others as you want to be treated,” which is also echoed by Jesus in Matthew 7:12: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…”

What Morality Is Not.

Morality is not legalism. I once attended a Christian church for a few weeks to see what it was like and if I would be a good fit there. I agreed with most of their messages and all of their beliefs until I had one question. I went to the pastor and asked him if the church would ever talk about morality, to which he responded, “No, we will never talk about legalism.” With that, I knew that church wasn’t for me.

While that church did emphasize God’s grace, I can only guess what the pastor defined as morality. But if it’s at all like Merriam-Webster’s definition, they probably thought that “right human conduct” meant abandoning God’s grace for the Law of God only. But I see this as flawed reasoning. God’s grace gives us the power to adhere to His Law when we can’t on our own. He wants us to love Him and obey His commandments without forgetting His Throne of Grace lest we become legalists like the Pharisees.

In chapter four of his book, The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters, Sinclair B. Ferguson cites Geerhardus Vos, author of The Self-Disclosure of Jesus and The Kingdom and the Church, who says, “Legalism is a peculiar kind of submission to God’s law, something that no longer feels the personal divine touch in the rule it submits to” (page 82). I think that exactly describes the Pharisees’ conduct (John 9:26–28, John 18:19–24), but what Jesus has freed us from!

It is truly a shame that the Church avoids talking about morality and its companion traits (e.g., character, integrity, honesty, etc.) because the key to understanding the Laws of the Old Testament and Messages of the Prophets (and much of the New Testament) is to first understand morality.

How is this the key? Because the latter part of that verse from Matthew above is, “…for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” And most of the laws of the Bible revolve around the morality of relationships (e.g., our relationship with God, husband/wife, family, workers, neighbors (Luke 10:25–37, Exodus 20:16–17), foreigners, etc.) and practicing the aforementioned companion traits.

Why Is Morality So Important?

It helps us understand the ways of God. What do I mean by that? God is moral. He defines in His Word morality, immorality, and their consequences. Moses saw God perform all kinds of miracles in Exodus but still didn’t know God, so He asked to know Him through His ways. Scripture, and thus God’s ways and thus God Himself, is actually easier for me to understand because I’m seeing His Word through the eyes of morality.

Why I Can No Longer Sing or Listen To “God Bless America”

This may seem bold or un-American, but I’m aware of what I’m saying. I was born and raised in America and grew up playing, watching, and loving the nation’s pastime… baseball. I loved listening to beautiful renditions of “God Bless America” during major sporting events and holidays. But recently, I haven’t been able to sing or listen to it because I don’t believe it matches with our current reality.

Why do I believe this? Our Pledge of Allegiance contains the words “under God,” and if a nation wants God’s blessing, He expects them to take His laws seriously. If they don’t, they will be under a more severe penalty than of a nation that doesn’t claim allegiance—the more guilty nation did not fear Him or His laws as its people claimed.

But America has committed abominations—the legalized murder of innocents, legalized covenants of perversion and sexual immorality, and idolatry of presidents, to name a few. America has ignored the eternal laws of God engraved on the buildings of our highest courts. And if He doesn’t drop the hammer down, we’ll end up destroying ourselves.

We have abandoned our trust in God in favor of trust in presidents, politicians, money, and government. Many Americans, including the mainstream news, can’t believe how bad the leadership is under President Trump. We have turned away from the God of this nation. He is the only One who gives us a firm and uncompromising basis for morality and truth—both of which cannot be separated from Him and still work. Because we have compromised on truth, morality, and love, our only basis of reference for what was once good is history and traditions.

Like Moses calling his people back to their God after four hundred years of slavery, we need a mass spiritual revival—starting with God’s anointed and holy church.

I believe many things need to happen for the judgment of God to not come upon America, but these are just a few major issues America must see. This list is by no means comprehensive.

For Americans, especially those in high power and authority, to love the truth. (2 Thessalonians 2:10)
Repealing the 2015 legalization of same-sex marriage. (Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26–27)
Total abolition of Roe v. Wade, on national and state levels. (Matthew 2:16–18)
God’s church adhering to and proclaiming His Word in His house.
Great repentance by the nation and call of prayer to seek His Holy face.

I have loved this country and what it stood for, but I can’t ignore blatant wickedness, perversion, and corruption. I do hope America repents of her wickedness and major wicked laws listed above, but my allegiance is now to the Lamb of God and His eternal Kingdom. Glory be to His Name and His Kingdom, now and forevermore!

Homosexuality vs. God’s Word

The Canadian Parliament recently passed a law that nullifies the statute of criminalizing gay sex and homosexuality and reverses all convictions therein. While I do not believe that criminalizing such acts is the right course of action, I cannot and will not support gay sex or homosexuality. Today’s societal norms are far more accepting of homosexuals as equals under the law than in previous generations. They go so far as to convince churches that gay behavior is acceptable.

Homosexual attraction—a feeling of attraction toward a person of the same gender—is not a sin because we are not held responsible for our feelings or desires; we are held responsible for acting on those desires. While lust (mentally embracing and meditating on those desires for sin), pornography, and sexual actions outside marriage are sinful, the attraction, desire, or feeling is not. When I was in high school, and even up until a few years ago, I was also in favor of homosexuality because of my politically based belief in our country’s freedoms.

Recently, however, I have come to change my beliefs. I have come to a point in my life where my internal standards have shifted such that I no longer live for anything of this world, but rather for God’s eternal Kingdom of righteousness. I have even heard many believers cite Scripture of the Old Testament, using it to justify to others that homosexuality is now okay because that was a different era. The reason I am changing my decision is because of what is clearly stated in the Old and New Testaments, with supporting evidence found within current testimonies of visions of hell given by the Lord Jesus Christ.

1st Scripture: “26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.”-Romans 1:26-27

2nd Scripture: “8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality…”-1 Timothy 1:8-10

3rd Scripture: “9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men”-1 Corinthians 6:9

4th Scripture: “22 “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.”-Leviticus 18:22

5th Scripture: “13 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.”-Leviticus 20:13

The Church is to love as Christ loves, therefore, we are to love the sinner but hate the sin. That being said the Lord Jesus Christ is not coming back for a financially prosperous church or a compromising church, as are many churches in America which condone homosexuality, He is coming back for an obedient and Holy (which means “sacred, divine, like God”) church, one that keeps His commandments and endures to the end.