“As Christians fill culture’s moral vacuum with timeless truth and unfailing love, there is peace.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – July 12, 2021
Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings… Do you think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth that kind of attention? Such things sound impressive if said in a deep enough voice. They even give the illusion of being pious and humble and austere. But they’re just another way of showing off, making yourselves look important. Colossians 2:8, 23, The Message
A moral vacuum is when someone leaves a moral position unfilled. Sadly, those of us with a little or a lot of gray hair are dispensing moral ambiguity to younger impressionable minds and hearts. Sans wisdom, since a moral vacuum is susceptible to and often submits to immoral competitors. When a society succumbs to everyone defining morality in their own way, morality erodes and drifts into ambiguity. This moral malaise becomes victim to self-appointed, smart, self-indulgent philosophers who seem intriguing, but are agents of immoral outcomes. Judeo-Christian civilization has always embraced cultural alignment around a basic moral foundation originating in a supreme moral authority—revered as God. Moral vacuums implode societies!
Paul describes a group of people who made up their own religion with a false humility that made them seem like they cared for the people. But in reality, they coerced naive people to accomplish their immoral agenda. A philosophy or theology for living that is not grounded in God elevates human intellect and human worship as the real solution. However, only when humans look to heaven and humble themselves as the creation of Almighty God can they gain clarity and impose convictions around moral expectations for living. Moral vacuums are best filled by the fullness of Christ.
“But that’s not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything” (Colossians 2:9-10, The Message).
How can we become a solution to the problem of moral ambiguity? As followers of Jesus, we can begin by believing, receiving, understanding and living out the eternal ethos of Jesus Christ. Jesus did not stutter or stammer when He said to love one another like He loves each of us. The Scriptures are clear that we are born male and female and we are to marry male and female. God has not caused gender confusion in His creation—made in His image. Tell the truth, stay faithful in marriage, work hard, honor your parents, worship God alone, be generous not covetous, no murder, no stealing, keep the Sabbath holy and reverence the Lord’s name. All with joyful love. As Christians fill culture’s moral vacuum with timeless truth and unfailing love, there is peace.
Start by clarifying with yourself and your family what the Lord says is right, and what He says is wrong. And do not apologize for your belief in Biblical ethics. Yes, be respectful, but do not bow down to those who thrive on intellectual intimidation and moral manipulation. Speak the truth in love, and wisdom will find its way into the will of resistant minds, and love will melt the hardest of hearts. Families, communities and cities who have moral clarity become cultural influencers!
“The loose tongue of the godless spreads destruction; the common sense of the godly preserves them. When it goes well for good people, the whole town cheers; when it goes badly for bad people, the town celebrates. When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes; evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time” (Proverbs 11:9-11, The Message).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me moral clarity and conviction to understand and apply to my life your way for me to do life, through Christ’s love, and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Sit down with your family and discuss the ten commandments and Christ’s greatest commandment to love.
Related Reading
Isaiah 26:3; Jeremiah 45:5; Esther 8:17; Philippians 4:8; John 14:27
Worship Resource
Toby Mac: Help Is On The Way
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