“You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16 (ESV)
There is a moral standard! Sadly, much of the church is afraid to speak it, and/or doesn’t believe it any more. In fact, the Barna Group picked up in a recent survey that 1/3 of pastors do not believe in a moral absolute anymore. If the pastors don’t believe, the members definitely won’t be hearing about it. Many of these pastors spend more time reading books by men than the Book inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). As a result, too many believers even pastors act as if compromise is perfectly fine! They somehow forgot that God hasn’t and doesn’t change. He’s the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 18:8). He has no shifting shadow or turning (James 1:17). His word is eternal, it stands firm forever (1 Peter 1:25, Psalm 119:89). These are absolute truths! But why do so many say that God has changed and softened His ways? Homosexuality hasn’t ever been ok before the Lord! Premarital, or any out-of-wedlock sex is never said to be ok! There is no place that declares pedophilia is ever ok! Nor is the killing of babies (i.e. abortion) ever acceptable! In fact, throughout history Baal worship has opposed God’s word and ways! Baal required the sacrifice of babies, which is still happening today! The Bible is still our resource for morality, as is our faith in an unchanging God!
Here are a few passages that highlight the importance of God’s word today!
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (HCSB)
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3 (ESV)
“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Joshua 1:8 (NLT)
Please cry out for God to awaken His children to come back to the Bible, His unchanging, living and active word. Cry out for a fresh hunger in your heart for God’s word above all other books. Ask Him for a grace to meditate upon and linger in it much, and for courage to apply it in your life no matter what others may think. Ask God to re-awaken your pastor’s hunger for God’s word, for his sermons to be more influenced by God than man, and to equip your church with how to study it and live by it. Cry out for the word to be awakened across the churches in our city, that no matter where anyone goes, they will hear the fullness of God’s word! Cry out for the church in Athens to be holy as He is holy!
