Recently I overheard a comment by a fellow preacher regarding the mindset of many young people. A public opinion study looking into the thinking of young people suggest that our young people, when faced with choosing a value, will first consider if it is something that is already widely practiced. They will first consider how their peers feel about something. Then they will choose their behavior based upon the rising swell of popular opinion. They will then conclude that if the Bible teaches something contradictory to the combined wisdom of the larger community, then something must be wrong with the Bible. They form an opinion that the writers of the Bible just got it wrong if it is teaching against their "normal" behavior.
This presents an alarming road sign regarding the future of our nation and even the world. If the world is to be governed by first considering what is popular and widely acceptable, without any regard for the standard of morality which is found in the Bible, then we truly have our work cut out for us. Those of us who respect the Bible as the one true source of absolute truth in matters pertaining to religion and moral behavior must let our voices be heard.
Obedience and trust are integral parts of faith in God. When Jesus came to Jerusalem to celebrate the great Feast of Tabernacles, the tide of public opinion was already turning strongly against him. This was due largely to the influence of the Jewish leaders. The popular world of that day hated Jesus because he was teaching that they were doing evil. (John 7:7) When people asked about the source of Jesus' teaching, he gave them this answer: "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?" (John 7:16-19 NIV)
Those of us, who profess faith in God, will demonstrate our faith by trusting and obeying the teachings of Christ. It is mandatory that our behavior is consistent with our stated beliefs.
There has always been a great danger in relying upon public opinion instead of eternal truth. It certainly does seem like many politicians today are first checking the results of the pollsters before they declare their position on any given subject. At one point the Nazi party in Germany owned the minds of many Europeans. Popular opinion was dictating behavior rather than common sense based upon absolute truth. Millions of people blindly followed the dictatorship of the Soviet Communist Party without comparing it with the eternal source of truth. Thousands followed the hatred and bigotry of the KKK without comparing their teachings and actions with the truth. Many wealthy and elite people today are held up before us as greater role models than what the standard of truth presents. And sadly, even many priests and preachers are more concerned with popular opinion than the word of truth.
To whom shall we turn as our greatest source of wisdom -- popular opinion or the Word of God? The Bible contains the wisdom of God for all periods of human existence. The wise king Solomon once declared: "there is nothing new under the sun."
We can begin to turn our community, country and the world back around when we start trusting and obeying the Word of God. Our young people will respect the truth when they see us living the truth. It will be hard for us to turn them away from alcohol and drug abuse when we keep the home bar, refrigerator and medicine bottles fully stocked and in constant use. It is almost impossible to convince our young people that we are sincerely opposed to same sex marriages if we are constantly looking around for a better partner than our husband or wife. God has always condemned adultery in all its forms. We can turn them back from the rising popularity of the idea that "one religion is just as good as another" by showing them by our actions that we truly believe that Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the only Way to the Father in heaven. (John 14:6) Help turn our community back to God by reading, studying, obeying and meditating upon the eternal truth found in the Bible.
You are invited to attend the services of the Church of Christ at the corner of 3rd and E Streets. Write me with any questions or comments David Binkley, Sr., P.O. Box 186, Cedar Key, FL 32625 or E-mail at dgbinkley@aol.com. Or you may also request to receive the daily WORD OF THE DAY by e-mail. Check out our web site at www.cedarkeychurchofchrist.com. | 