Christians and Morality (Or lack thereof)

[Jon-Marc]

In one Christian Web site, a 23-year-old woman (claiming to be a Christian) said that she and her boy friend were "living together" as she put it. Why a new person thought it necessary to add that to her intro is beyond me.

I replied that if I were to live with a woman to whom I wasn't married, the Holy Spirit would convict me of it. She replied with "Who are you to be so judgmental of me?" I never even mentioned her, although it was obvious as to my meaning. A guilty conscience perhaps?

Then she went into another Christian Web site and complained about my reply to her and said that I was judgmental--not knowing, apparently, that I was also in that Web site. :tongue3: I replied and said, "I'm glad you didn't mention my name (which she didn't), because I wouldn't want anyone here to know that I'm that judgmental person." :tongue3: I tend to be a bit facetious. :laugh:

Now (finally) my question: Is morality a thing of the past with the modern Christian, and are people with my high degree of morality a thing of the past? It certainly seems that way with "Christians" accepting homosexuality, adultery, fornication, porn, profanity and other wickedness as normal and OK--even claiming that God understands.

What happened to Christian men and women who strive for holiness that God says we must have? "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15,16

I don't think I'm being "holier than thou". I'm simply trying to be what God commands all born again Christians to be. Yes, I often fail, but it's not for lack of trying or by giving in and saying, "I'm only human, and I'm sure God understands."

I hear "Christians" say, "I see nothing wrong with homosexuality." I read where they say that they use profanity when they hit their finger with a hammer, or when someone cuts them off in traffic. Plus, they stick up their middle finger at them. Is there no such thing as self control with many of today's "Christians"? I often feel as Elijah did in 1 Kings 19 when he complained to the lord about being alone in His desire to serve the Lord. Surely, there are others among those claiming the title of Christian who desire faithfulness, holiness and righteousness over self pleasure.

 

[matt wade]

I agree with you 100%. I believe the root cause is that there are so many churches that do not preach against these sinful acts because they want to appeal to everyone and don't want to offend anybody. Look at a ministry like Joel Osteen. I could walk away from one of his sermons feeling good about myself no matter what type of sin I was in. Unfortunately, those type of churches/ministries draw in large numbers of people and deceive them into believing they are living as Christians should live. They believe Christianity is all about feeling good about yourself and being a "good person".

Beyond the churches that aren't preaching as they should, our world in general has taken Jesus Christ out of everything. I saw a movie not long ago called "Time Changer". The point of the movie is that teaching morality to people, without telling them that the Bible and Jesus Christ are the standard by which morality should be measured, will lead to a sliding scale of morality. It's an excellent movie and illustrates a great point. When we remove Jesus Christ from daily life, everyone can have their own definition of morality.

 

[abcgrad94]

Matt, I saw that movie too, and you hit the nail on the head. We cannot remove God and still expect society not to deteriorate. Without God, there is no true morality.

When the church walks hand in hand with the world, you cannot tell the two apart.

 

[saturneptune]

In one Christian Web site, a 23-year-old woman (claiming to be a Christian) said that she and her boy friend were "living together" as she put it. Why a new person thought it necessary to add that to her intro is beyond me.

I replied that if I were to live with a woman to whom I wasn't married, the Holy Spirit would convict me of it. She replied with "Who are you to be so judgmental of me?" I never even mentioned her, although it was obvious as to my meaning. A guilty conscience perhaps?

Then she went into another Christian Web site and complained about my reply to her and said that I was judgmental--not knowing, apparently, that I was also in that Web site. :tongue3: I replied and said, "I'm glad you didn't mention my name (which she didn't), because I wouldn't want anyone here to know that I'm that judgmental person." :tongue3: I tend to be a bit facetious. :laugh:

Now (finally) my question: Is morality a thing of the past with the modern Christian, and are people with my high degree of morality a thing of the past? It certainly seems that way with "Christians" accepting homosexuality, adultery, fornication, porn, profanity and other wickedness as normal and OK--even claiming that God understands.

What happened to Christian men and women who strive for holiness that God says we must have? "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15,16

I don't think I'm being "holier than thou". I'm simply trying to be what God commands all born again Christians to be. Yes, I often fail, but it's not for lack of trying or by giving in and saying, "I'm only human, and I'm sure God understands."

I hear "Christians" say, "I see nothing wrong with homosexuality." I read where they say that they use profanity when they hit their finger with a hammer, or when someone cuts them off in traffic. Plus, they stick up their middle finger at them. Is there no such thing as self control with many of today's "Christians"? I often feel as Elijah did in 1 Kings 19 when he complained to the lord about being alone in His desire to serve the Lord. Surely, there are others among those claiming the title of Christian who desire faithfulness, holiness and righteousness over self pleasure.

You are right on target with your post. It is hard for me to relate to the woman you are describing, as I never lived with a person unmarried and have been married for 32 years.

I certainly do not think you are being holier than thou. In the examples you cite, such as cursing at traffic or hitting your finger, if you cannot control your outward actions as an example to others, how is your inner being, which brings me to another point.

We need to examine our thought and motive lives as well as our outward actions. This is the part of our being no one can see, only God. For example, using the woman in your post, if someone is pointing out the sin of living together (which it is, no doubt) but their own thought life is a continuous cycle of lustful thoughts that no one can see, it seems God would not want that person condeming the woman.

We must take a stand for morality, and we must guard our thought life as closely as we do our outward actions. Jesus made it quite clear in Matthew that the sins of adultry and murder can be committed on a thought level as well as physically.

 

[thegospelgeek]

The morality (or lack there of) is simply a reflection of what's in the heart. If I am carrying bucket of hog slop and spill something, it ain't honey that's spilling out. It's mearly what's in the bucket.

 

[donnA]

there is a serious 'lack there of' among christians.
many believe they can separate God/christianity and scripture from other areas of their lives, God is their religion, but other areas of their lives are not religion. Makes sense to them some how.
If a person easily separated God/Christianity from any other part of their lives, they may need to check on themselves, make sure they really do beleive what they say they do.

 

[donnA]

The morality (or lack there of) is simply a reflection of what's in the heart. If I am carrying bucket of hog slop and spill something, it ain't honey that's spilling out. It's mearly what's in the bucket.

thats good

We must take a stand for morality,

try that on this board and they start flinging rocks at you.
actually off this board too.
But I do agree with you.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

In one Christian Web site, a 23-year-old woman (claiming to be a Christian) said that she and her boy friend were "living together" as she put it. Why a new person thought it necessary to add that to her intro is beyond me.

I replied that if I were to live with a woman to whom I wasn't married, the Holy Spirit would convict me of it. She replied with "Who are you to be so judgmental of me?" I never even mentioned her, although it was obvious as to my meaning. A guilty conscience perhaps?

Then she went into another Christian Web site and complained about my reply to her and said that I was judgmental--not knowing, apparently, that I was also in that Web site. :tongue3: I replied and said, "I'm glad you didn't mention my name (which she didn't), because I wouldn't want anyone here to know that I'm that judgmental person." :tongue3: I tend to be a bit facetious. :laugh:

Now (finally) my question: Is morality a thing of the past with the modern Christian, and are people with my high degree of morality a thing of the past? It certainly seems that way with "Christians" accepting homosexuality, adultery, fornication, porn, profanity and other wickedness as normal and OK--even claiming that God understands.

What happened to Christian men and women who strive for holiness that God says we must have? "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15,16

I don't think I'm being "holier than thou". I'm simply trying to be what God commands all born again Christians to be. Yes, I often fail, but it's not for lack of trying or by giving in and saying, "I'm only human, and I'm sure God understands."

I hear "Christians" say, "I see nothing wrong with homosexuality." I read where they say that they use profanity when they hit their finger with a hammer, or when someone cuts them off in traffic. Plus, they stick up their middle finger at them. Is there no such thing as self control with many of today's "Christians"? I often feel as Elijah did in 1 Kings 19 when he complained to the lord about being alone in His desire to serve the Lord. Surely, there are others among those claiming the title of Christian who desire faithfulness, holiness and righteousness over self pleasure.

Jon-Marc, the simple but sad answer is that there are lot of people who's names are on church rolls but not in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Not everybody who claims to be a Christian is. The only thing you can really do is to share the Gospel with them, same as you would any other lost person.

 

[rbell]

there is a serious 'lack there of' among christians.
many believe they can separate God/christianity and scripture from other areas of their lives, God is their religion, but other areas of their lives are not religion. Makes sense to them some how.
If a person easily separated God/Christianity from any other part of their lives, they may need to check on themselves, make sure they really do beleive what they say they do.

Agreed......

 

[preachinjesus]

We have a serious problem in the United States. That is for sure.

When I do premarital counseling I assume the couple is having sexual relations. It is sad but that is reality. In our suburban church we frequently see new guests listing the same address on their info cards.

Its really bad these days. We need either a true Holy Spirit led revival or a deep season of harsh persecution to clear out the bramble.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

We have a serious problem in the United States. That is for sure.

When I do premarital counseling I assume the couple is having sexual relations. It is sad but that is reality. In our suburban church we frequently see new guests listing the same address on their info cards.

Its really bad these days. We need either a true Holy Spirit led revival or a deep season of harsh persecution to clear out the bramble.

I agree. Just finished listening to a Paul Washer sermon in which he makes the very good point that the fact that God is not chastening many "Christians" or churches today is a sign that those people are not saved and that the Holy Spirit is not in those churches.

It's called "Ten Indictments Against the Modern Church" and you can hear it here:

http://media.sermonindex.net/18/SID18002.mp3

I cannot recommend it strongly enough.

 

[Jon-Marc]

I never cease to be amazed at the number of people living in fornication, getting drunk, using drugs, having same-gender sex, or just saying "I see nothing wrong with homosexuality or adultery or going to a prostitute" and yet claiming to be Christians. It's not wonder we have so little effect upon the world with that kind of testimony. Why would unsaved people see any need for any change in themselves when there is no change in those professing to be Christians? Can we continue to live in sin and have God pleased with that?

 

[donnA]

I never cease to be amazed at the number of people living in fornication, getting drunk, using drugs, having same-gender sex, or just saying "I see nothing wrong with homosexuality or adultery or going to a prostitute" and yet claiming to be Christians. It's not wonder we have so little effect upon the world with that kind of testimony. Why would unsaved people see any need for any change in themselves when there is no change in those professing to be Christians? Can we continue to live in sin and have God pleased with that?

I have said the samething here many times and always been bashed for it, I've seen others say it, and nothing, no one has anything to say against what they said. Is it just me or what. It's true no matter who says it.

 

[JohnDeereFan]

I never cease to be amazed at the number of people living in fornication, getting drunk, using drugs, having same-gender sex, or just saying "I see nothing wrong with homosexuality or adultery or going to a prostitute" and yet claiming to be Christians. It's not wonder we have so little effect upon the world with that kind of testimony. Why would unsaved people see any need for any change in themselves when there is no change in those professing to be Christians? Can we continue to live in sin and have God pleased with that?

I heard a guy's testimony once and it was essentially, "I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior when I was nine years old and I've been living like the Devil for the past forty years but, praise God, I just rededicated my life to the Lord last week."

And churches actually allow this.

I share the Gospel with a lot of Catholics and one of the things I find most common among them is that, although they talk about being born again (albeit, their idea of being born again in Unbiblical), they have no concept of the new nature one receives when they've been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. When we're born again, we no longer serve sin. In a sense, we go from rebelling against God to rebelling against our own predisposition to sin.

Churches are really falling down at the switch over this.

 

[Thinkingstuff]

Jon-Marc, the simple but sad answer is that there are lot of people who's names are on church rolls but not in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Not everybody who claims to be a Christian is. The only thing you can really do is to share the Gospel with them, same as you would any other lost person.

Veritas!

You are absolutely correct. Fruit is evident in the life of the believer.