Article - Where Have Morals Gone?

“Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). Our nation was once built upon good moral, but those moral are rapidly deteriorating. For example, a March 2006 study published by Pew Research revealed how we are loosing our morals on many behavioral issues. Respondents said these behaviors are NOT a moral issue:

  • Married people having an affair (7%)
  • Not reporting all income on taxes (14%)
  • Drinking Alcohol Excessively (31%)
  • Having an Abortion (23%)
  • Smoking Marijuana (35%)
  • Homosexual Behavior (33%)
  • Telling a lie to spare someone’s feelings (26%)
  • Sex between unmarried adults (37%)
  • Gambling (42%)
  • Overeating (58%)

For a moment, I want you to stop and think about what the Bible has to say about each of these moral issues. Remember, we are not going to be judged by what society thinks is right or wrong. We will be judged by what God’s Word says is proper behavior (John 12:48).

  1. A married person having an affair is adultery and sinful in God’s sight (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
  2. Not reporting all your income on your taxes is lying and in direct violation of Scripture (Revelation 21:8; Romans 13:1ff).
  3. Drinking alcohol excessively is known as the sin of drunkenness (Ephesians 5:18).
  4. Having an abortion is killing the innocent and is immoral in God’s eyes (Proverbs 6:17; Exodus 21:22-23).
  5. Smoking Marijuana is not acceptable behavior. It is intoxication in another form (Ephesians 5:18).
  6. Homosexual behavior will keep a person from going to Heaven (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 1:26-29; Leviticus 18:22).
  7. Telling a lie to spare someone’s feeling is still telling a lie (Revelation 21:8).
  8. Sex between unmarried people falls under the realm of fornication and is immoral (Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:3).
  9. Gambling is not authorized in the Bible (Colossians 3:17) and it does not fulfill the golden rule of doing unto others as you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12).
  10. Overeating is harmful to one’s body and is not good stewardship (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

May we be reminded that we will all have to stand before God on the Day of Judgment, not our society (2 Corinthians 5:10). With that in mind, we must search the Scriptures to see what kind of behavior God approves. May God give us the courage to avoid immoral behavior!

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Study Guides, articleJoey FerrellMorality