Morality is a funny thing. By the dictionary it is defined as conduct in accordance with standards of right or wrong. For instance, if I act in accordance with the standards of right, I am a moral person. If not, then I'm immoral. The setting of those standards is where things get a bit fuzzy.
Let me explain. I live in Jackson, Mississippi. According to the law, one should not enter an intersection while driving when the traffic light turns yellow, however, if you are already in the intersection you should continue so as to clear the intersection. In Jackson, the practice is to enter the intersection until the light actually turns red. So, for those who live in Jackson, the standard (the law) and the accepted practice are at odds . . . so, which is the moral action? Let me give you another example. At one time not too long ago it was considered immoral for a man and woman to live together outside the bonds of marriage. That standard of morality was established by the Bible and accepted by most. Now, it is considered normal practice to live together before marriage, or even in place of marriage. This is even common among those who call themselves Christian. So, does the morality of the Bible become secondary to normal practice? Which is the moral action?
And these are only two examples of a confusion of moral standards which is affecting all of us. In fact, it is so bad that in most cases Christianity, and those who claim to be Christian, behave as if the Bible is secondary to the popular and accepted morality.
This is not new. Paul confronted the same confusion in morality in the New Testament when the accepted morality even included prostitution as an act of worship (a step in our future??). Christians have always been confronted with the dual standards of God's Word and what is the accepted practice. We are challenged to be lights in the darkness, i.e. examples of righteousness amidst moral decay. To do that we have to quit excusing our behavior as something that "everyone else is doing." Instead we need to open our eyes to where we have slipped or are slipping and come back to the solid ground of God's Word. The future of our country and the world depends on us finding the firm foundation of God's truth and living in it.
