Great Moral Questions Facing Our Day
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesSUBJECT: Ethics: Praxiology
TITLE: Great Moral Questions Facing Our Day
PROPOSITION: In this lesson we will call attention to the crisis in morality today, and study what the Bible says about 1) Abortion, 2) Homosexuality, 3) Fornication/Adultery, 4) Divorce
OBJECTIVE: The hearer should be able to find at least one passage of scripture for each point that refutes the idea that these activities are legitimate.
AIM: In this lesson we want to call the hearer’s attention to these problems, motivate them to oppose these actions, and give them the grounds on which to oppose them.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Read: Titus 2:11, 12
2. About the Text:
1) The grace of God teaches.
2) It teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts.
3) It teaches us to live–
a. Soberly
b. Righteously
c. Godly
4) The world and the Christian have always conflicted on these areas of interest.
5) John writes, “Love not the world. . .”
6) Jesus said, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man. . . .” (Matthew15:18-20).
7) We have a crisis in morality today!
3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.
DISCUSSION: We have a moral crisis today in . . .
I. Abortion
1. Background
1) 1972–Roe v. Wade
2) Feminist’s agenda
3) Arguments
a. Its not alive
b. Its my body
c. I have the right to choose
2. Scripture
1) Biblical attitude about children: “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them” (Psalm 127:3-5).
2) Biblical attitude about the unborn: “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.” (Psalm 139:14-16).
3) If God recognizes the life then we have no right to take it: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”
3. Consequences
1) Physical
2) Psychological
3) Spiritual
II. Homosexuality
1. Background
1) Until recently considered a sexual disorder (much like alcoholism).
2) Homosexual agenda
3) Arguments
a. It is really biological
b. It does not matter because it is my choice
2. Scripture
1) Leviticus 18:22 “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”
2) Romans 1:26, 27 “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”
3) 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
3. Consequences
1) Physical
2) Psychological
3) Spiritual
III. Fornication/Adultery
1. Background
1) Sex is considered a recreation.
2) Safer sex is taught in school today.
3) Adultery is something that is glamorized and exalted.
2. Scripture
1) 1 Corinthians6:9, 10 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”
2) Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
3) 1 Thessalonians4:3-5 “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God.”
4) Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
3. Consequences
1) Physical
2) Psychological
3) Spiritual
IV. Divorce
1. Background
1) Divorce rates are on the rise.
2) Single parent families are considered normal.
2. Scripture
1) God’s plan–Genesis 2:23, 24 “And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
2) Ephesians5:21ff
3) Matthew 19:3-9 ” The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”
3. Consequences
1) Physical
2) Psychological
3) Spiritual
CONCLUSION:
1. We have noticed some Great Question of Morality Facing our Day
1) Abortion
2) Homosexuality
3) Fornication/Adultery
4) Divorce
2. Let us determine to live as God would have us to live and be lights shining forth in the darkness.
3. Invitation