Impacting Morality and Culture

I recently read an article on “Morality is definitely on the decline”. It reflected the reality of issues in everyday life. Where can you find relief? Alcohol, drugs, relationships, work, money, sex... the list goes on? If so, you've found relief that simply won't work long-term. The Bible says, 'Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down', causing hopelessness and depression.

Let me ask you something. Have you watched TV lately? There are shows like Jersey Shore, Skins, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and last but not least, 16 and Pregnant. I also fail to mention that all the reality TV series that are aired are not even "reality", those shows are full of lies. Every time I turn the TV on, there is at least one sex scene on almost every show. Sex is everywhere on TV, and don't forget those movie trailers. The shows are one thing but the music that is played now a days is trash. The lyrics are full of filth, like getting drunk as if there is no tomorrow, having one night stands, and getting high while using the expression "yolo". 

I have been watching the news and it saddens me that most of the people in the government who are representing us are quickly changing their minds and supporting gay marriage. I'm sorry if people feel offended by what I am about to say, but marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman. I do not like to hear things like: "God hates gays", because he doesn't, he loves everyone, but he does not love the sin that is being committed, and that's the major difference. Another issue is the separation of church and state. What ever happened to the phrase "in God we trust"? Now this is a nation that believes that there needs to be scientific evidence to back everything up. Well I hate to break it to you, but God is everything he knows everything, and he created everything, including every scientific thing you could possibly imagine and that will never change.

There is much written today about how the world has lost touch with God and morality. It's easy to view the past with rose-tinted glasses, to believe in "the good old days" or reminisce about a golden era.  We do this in the Church all the time, often pointing to one practice that, if resurrected, would surely turn this generation around.

"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

How often have I been tempted to mutter these words when encountering today's teenagers? But this quote is attributed to Socrates by Plato. Apparently teens weren't doing so well in the ancient world either. The fallen nature of man has followed us through the ages, plaguing the young and old alike. Our broken nature manifests itself in so many ways… from the darkest sins to our lack of basic manners and courtesy.

We may not always have the most information or the best background, but we know that nothing of real value can occur apart from the Lord. When God is present, souls are converted, the simple are made wise, and miracles begin to happen. Remember the Lord in all that you do.

Where does this lead into.....worth a look for sure.

Greg Laurie has given another important topic on Impacting Culture without Compromise?

Let us examine every aspect very minutely: What is the biblical worldview on our culture? Are things getting better? Is humanity improving the world around it? The Bible is really clear on this one: our culture is dark, and it is getting darker. That is what the Bible teaches. It is not going to get better; it is going to get worse. Despite the fact that humanity has increased in scientific, medical, historical, educational, psychological, and technological knowledge to an astounding degree, we have not in any way, shape, or form changed our own basic nature. And we have not improved society.

Our confidence has increased, but our peace of mind has diminished. Our accomplishments have increased, but our sense of purpose and meaning have all but disappeared. Instead of improving the moral and spiritual quality of our lives, our discoveries and accomplishments have simply provided new ways to show ourselves for what we really are: depraved, sinful, and wicked.

Modern man has simply discovered new ways to corrupt and destroy himself. We go from war to greater war, from immorality to greater immorality, from perversion to greater perversion. The spiral is downward, not upward.

Some Christians try to isolate themselves from the world around them. But that is virtually impossible. You may remove yourself and your children from the culture, or at least attempt to, but know this: your culture will find you.

Withdrawing to a Christian subculture is not what we are supposed to do. Jesus prayed this for us: "I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one" (John 17:15). The objective of believers is not to isolate, but to infiltrate; not to evade, but to invade. We are to impact our culture without being compromised by it. (1)

Reference:

(1)  Impact Culture without Compromise? ,Greg Laurie, Taken from "Infiltrate, Not Isolate" by Harvest Ministries (used by permission).

Blessings,

Raj Kosaraju