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"MORAL ISSUES CONFRONTING CHRISTIANS"
• Authority In Morality

• INTRODUCTION
• Christians today are confronted with many conflicting views of morality...
• There are different opinions concerning what is right and wrong...
• What once was generally accepted as good
• and true is now challenged...
• Governments are redefining the concept of marriage...
• Businesses often operate with ethics that sanction immoral practices; such as lying and stealing...
• The list goes on and on
• Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to them who call evil good and good evil…”
• How does one know what is right and wrong in areas of morality...?
• Everyone has a sense of right and wrong...
• But the standards of right and wrong often differs...
• Proverbs 16:2 “Every mans ways are right in his own eyes…”
• The answer for the Christian is simple.
• But before we consider it, we must first consider the standards others are using to determine the standards of morality.

• WHAT MANY ACCEPT AS AUTHORITY IN MORALITY...

• THEIR FEELINGS...
• "If it feels good, it must be right"...
• Isaiah 5:20 ...Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
• The Bible warns against trusting in "feelings"...
• "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12)...
• "He who trusts in his own heart is a fool..." (Proverbs 28:26)...
• "O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jeremiah 10:23)
• -- Many people have destroyed themselves by following their feelings!

• THEIR CONSCIENCE...
• "Let your conscience be your guide"
• But one's conscience is not always reliable
• Paul had served God with a good conscience throughout his life...
• Acts 23:1 ...And Paul, looking steadfastly on the council, said, Brethren, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day. (ASV)
• Even at a time when he was persecuting Christians!
• Acts 26:9 ...I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. 11 And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities. (ASV)
• -- Our conscience is like a clock, which works properly only if set properly!

• THEIR FRIENDS...
• "Everyone else is doing it"
• 1 Samuel 8:5 ...and (the elders) said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.... 7 ...And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them. (ASV)
• But consider the words of Jesus, in describing the end of the majority..
• Matthew 7:13 ...Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. 14 For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it. (ASV)
• If you followed the majority...
• In Noah's day, you would have perished in the flood...
• In Moses' day, you would have perished in the wilderness
• In Jesus’ day, you would have crucified Him.
• -- In short, the majority will be lost

• THEIR MINISTERS...
• "The preacher (priest, rabbi, etc.) says it is okay"...
• They reason that surely these "men of God" could not lead them astray...
• Yet notice the warnings given by Jesus, Paul and Peter
• Religious leaders can be "blind leaders of the blind"... (Matthew 15:12-14)
• They can be "ministers of Satan"...
• 2 Corinthians 11:13 ...For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for even Satan fashioneth himself into an angel of light. 15 It is no great thing therefore if his ministers also fashion themselves as ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. (ASV)
• There will be false teachers with destructive ways...
• 2 Peter 2:1 ...But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their lascivious doings; by reason of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of. (ASV)
• -- Following the wrong minister can lead to destruction!
• Many of them follow human opinion and make their faith subject to political correctness in order to satisfy the people.
• It is clear that what many people accept as authority in morality should not be a guide for Christians.

• THE CHRISTIAN'S AUTHORITY IN MORALITY IS FROM CHRIST...

• JESUS HAS ALL AUTHORITY...
• In heaven and on earth...
• Matthew 28:18 ...And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. (ASV)
• In all areas, including sexual morals and behavior...
• Ephesians 4:17 ...This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart; 19 who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye did not so learn Christ; 21 if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22 that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23 and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth. (ASV)
• He will one day judge all mankind...
• Acts 17:30 ...The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent: 31 inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (ASV)
• And the standard of judgment will be His words...
• John 12:48 ...He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day. (ASV)
• -- Jesus is the ultimate standard of authority in morality!

• JESUS DELEGATED AUTHORITY TO HIS APOSTLES...
• To receive them is to receive Him...
• Matthew 10:40 ...He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
• They were sent as "ambassadors" for Christ...
• 2 Corinthians 5:20 ...Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
• To ensure reliability, Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit...
• John 14:26 ...But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
• The Spirit would guide the apostles into all truth...
• John 16:12 ...I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
• Thus the apostles proclaimed "the whole counsel of God"...
• Acts 20:27 ...For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.
• Christians were to accept the apostles' words as truth...
• 1 Corinthians 14:37 ...If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.

• THEIR AUTHORITY PERTAINS TO AREAS OF MORALITY...Also, everything Christ commanded.
• As Paul solemnly charged the church in Thessalonica...
• 1 Thessalonians 4:1 ...Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk, --that ye abound more and more. 2 For ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; (ASV)
• Addressing sexual immorality...
• And marital faithfulness...

• CONCLUSION:
• Many people go through life confused about morality...
• They constantly wonder: "Is this right or wrong for me?"
• They stumble their way through life, making wrong choices with terrible consequences...
• The Christian need not be confused about morality...
• The truth is in Jesus...
• Ephesians 4:21 ...if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: (ASV)
• God has given us "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3)
• ---If you are looking for truth as it pertains to morality, then let Jesus and His apostles be your guide.
• As Jesus said...
• "I am the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6)

By Carey Scott from a sermon by Ron Lehde

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