We’re Giving it a Trial Run!
It’s become the norm in our society to see people “living together”, rather than making the commitment to marry (Eph 5:31). This lifestyle choice was a rarity just a few decades ago, when “shacking up” was a shameful option. Unfortunately, today’s “enlightened” generation attempts to rationalize the immorality of shacking by re-packing the lifestyle under the guise of “experimental commitment”.
Listen friend, the world is not directed by Jehovah; it’s ways are not God’s ways, and its thoughts are not God’s thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9), so the behavior of the worldly minded shouldn’t surprise any of us. However, we must not let the world’s evil behavior influence the body of Christ (Col. 1:18), nor can we let worldly, abominable practices creep into the church of Christ.
We’re now seeing the rise of liberal leaders within the Lord’s church, men ignorant of the Scriptures (Matt. 22:29), who are beginning to teach (as doctrine) that biblical marriage concepts are merely “cultural”, and are “subjective”, being defined by contemporary cultural norms. I have experienced this teaching first-hand, and brethren, it’s a scary and twisted mind-set.
The Census of 2004 reveals that approximately 5,100,000 couples are living together outside of marriage. Few people today are willing to state the honest, evident, biblical fact that shacking is living in sin. Many people, even so-called Christian leaders, want to “re-package” the terminology; they say, “Let’s not be so harsh, let’s be more loving, let’s not be judgmental, let’s call it experimental commitment”. This attitude mirrors a growing mentality among Christians today; let us soften the words so that we sound more enlightened, more approachable, and less judgmental.
Friend, can you not see the problem with this approach? By softening the terminology, we unwittingly soften the consequence in the minds of those who hear our soft terminology! God doesn’t play word games; He says that fornication is sin, and fornicators will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10).
Many so-called Christian leaders with the churches of Christ are now suggesting that the sexual conduct set forth in the New Testament is merely cultural, and the restrictions imposed in biblical times may be ignored in our contemporary, post-modern world (Jackson, 2008).
Wayne Jackson (2008) said that this position was argued recently at the self-designated “Christian Scholars Conference” on the campus of David Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Jared Cramer (an Anglican Church representative), contended that certain sexual stipulations of the New Testament are merely the result of temporal cultural conditions, and are not binding rules for modern society. Cramer maintains that a great variety of sexual unions are permissible, provided they are: “loving,” “faithful,” and “monogamous”. Strangely, he inconsistently appeals to the same Bible he largely rejects for the authority supporting those qualities he contends are essential for validating sexual relationships! (W. Jackson, CC, 2008)
The New Testament’s instructions regarding sexual behavior, shacking-up, marriage, and divorce, are not cultural. The Bible’s teachings on these issues are rooted in principles which transcend time and cultural barriers. If you try to support the idea that fornication is cultural, then you MUST also argue that every sin mentioned in 1 Cor. 6:9-10 is cultural (stealing, drunkenness, extortion, murder).
Wayne Jackson (CC, 2008) made an interesting analysis. He said that the Bible is very clear regarding the issue of sex outside of marriage; any and all sex outside of marriage is fornication. The Greek word used within the original text is porneia (used in the generic sense), and the word encapsulates sex between singles, or married people outside of their marriage partners (Danker et al. 2000, 854), but it also includes homosexuality, promiscuity, pedophilia, and prostitution; in a word, “any kind of illegitimate sexual intercourse” (Reisser 1971, 497).
Intellectually honest men and women who have the courage of their convictions will never fear using correct, accurate terminology to describe sin (Matt. 5:37); and remember, correct terminology offers insight into accurate consequences. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).
Michael J. Shank is the full-time Minister of the Metropolis church of Christ. He is also a Bible Instructor, Gospel Video Producer, Author, and Investigative Research Writer. If you would like to learn how to become a non-denominational, New Testament Christian, a Christian only, click on http://metropoliscoc.com/index.php?p=1_7_True-Christian-. You can also get a FREE copy of Mike’s latest gospel DVD by visiting http://metropoliscoc.com, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click on the request form link.
The site also contains relevant biblical information for living a life of faith in the 21st century. To discover the first century church of the Bible, the Gospel of Christ, and the path to true Christianity, check out the site and request your FREE gospel DVD!
Author: Michael Shank
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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