After seeing the futility of moral legislation, especially in these last days of iniquity abounding, one might ask how the gospel is effective in curbing the immorality wave from Satan. A comprehensive look through the word of God shows us one thing: The word of God is the foundation of converting life individual and then collective; a person and a family.
The Family is known as the basic unit of society. It encompasses the basic ground for physical, spiritual and social nourishment. What the family is feeding on is a very crucial issue as it can have a great impact on society as a whole.
Sadly, because of the poor spiritual nourishment of the church, there is a sick and malnourished church; and a sick malnourished church leads to a sick and malnourished family to a sick and malnourished society.
It is here where Christians need to take up responsibility in feeding their families spiritually to keep them as the salt and the light of the earth. But because this is not happening on the grand scale families are messed up and thus individuals are messed up.
On the issue of Moral legislation, why it is vanity is because the people want the courts to do what they have failed to do. Despite all the cases of racism, there are still racial biases within the people. Just because it is hidden in the heart because people fear the legal implications does not mean it will not die. Human laws keep outward order but not inward change which is necessary for outward change. The hatred is still there so out of an evil man’s heart will come out evil treasure.
So as Christians we need to remind ourselves how we are to deal with immorality FIRST in our own backyard because it is with us. Majority of the current church sexual scandals in Christendom are from the so called bible based Evangelical church.
There are divorces in The Bible Belt as there are in the secular liberal North. Despite anti-sodomy laws, sodomites fill up Bible belt states. This is deeply ironical to say the least.
In Kenya, teen sex is ravaging the urban and semi urban areas yet there are over 1000 Christian denominations, beautiful church buildings, youth hyped churches and so called 80% Christian population .So grave is the situation that the Anglican church has finally agreed to include the use of contraceptives in the fight against HIV Aids –a license to immorality for the youth that attend their churches!!
Christians is this the way? What has gone wrong? Many have absconded their duties in the name of, making money and the family is falling apart morally and spiritually. A quick overview of the scriptures will reveal to us that God is concerned about the family being grounded in his word and having faith in him.
FAMILY AND IMMORALITY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
God gave the commandments to the children of Israel as the basis of his covenant with them. Their love to him was shown in keeping the commandments in the Torah. Their disobedience showed their disloyalty to him.
One strong point in the book of Deuteronomy 6 is that the Lord was concerned about what the family learned. He commanded that they read his word to their children in the ir houses, in their leisure time and hang it even on the walls. All this was to remind them to continue loving the Lord by keeping his commandments. Everyone had a duty to do so.
So this means they read the book of Leviticus which contains the laws on sexual immorality where homosexuality and incest and bestiality are called abominations. This is the word and the law that was read to the CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
As we read through the Old Testament scriptures we see that Israel strayed away and when they did so God sent prophets to warn them calling them to repentance. Repentance meaning a return back to the Deuteronomy 6 lifestyle… Back to the word of God...Why?
Sinners and Saints come from families. But they will be judged as individuals. If a family is not careful in doing its duty of training up the child in truth and sound doctrine be prepared for a wrecked person in the end. This why the Lord insisted that they read the word and meditate on it so that individuals who make up families do not become unrighteous hence fit for the wrath of God. Sadly, sodomites were in Israel, wizards, adulterers, fornicators, oppressors of the poor and working class and widows…just like today.
The cry of the prophets and destruction and judgment of Israel show that many people had forgotten the word of God, forgotten the ways of God and rejected the call to repentance. They preferred doing sacrifices and listening to flattering prophets than the voice of the true prophets who told them to repent of rejecting the word of God.
FAMILY AND IMMORALITY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
We still see God our Father is concerned with the family even in the New Testament. The teachings of the Apostles which are Holy Spirit inspired gave various instructions of living in this wicked world:
Instructions to:
- Husbands and wives
- Children
- Masters and slaves/Employer and Employee
- Church leaders
- Widows and Widowers
- The Youth
- The Rich and the Poor
So fundamental was the family that a good leader was known from the way he led hi s household and family. Responsibility was a very key characteristic of a faithful spiritual leader.
Sound doctrine was also required to be taught in the family. Wives were to inquire of the teachings from their Husbands. Children were to obey what their Parents said because they were speaking on the basis of sound doctrine given by the apostles.
One good example of this was seen in the life of Timothy. Timothy was taught and edified spiritually by his mother and grand mother Lois and Eunice. Paul commended their faith and stand in sound doctrine and the Holy Scriptures. This good upbringing had an impact on young Timothy who was an able faithful minister of Christ because of the family foundation.
Paul however still insisted that the life and doctrine go together which is the whole basis of family and church being on one page. Leadership by Example was fundamental an d this was seen in the family.
Moreover the apostles insisted the continuous reading of the epistles to the church which was a family church and not separated. Guess what, teachings of abstaining from immorality were read out to all and for all to hear including the children and the youth. Just as the Old Testament reading of the scriptures to the family.
FAMILY AND IMMORALITY TODAY
Well because of the current apostasy in Christendom much has really changed from what the early church began with. This is not to forget the effect of the wicked world systems --of education, media, culture that have also polluted society.
The saddest thing to happen according to me is the exaltation of the Protestant Ethic in the lives of Christians. Christians replace the word of God as the standard of Holiness with riches and hard work. So an educated rich and smart man was a picture of a godly man and is still is.
Prosperity is the index of faith as one Christian put it. The richer you are the more right in the eyes of God you are. This does not mean we should not work or become fatalistic, we could work for the glory of God, but the trap is that work can satisfy our lusts which draw us a way from God. It is this love of money and the world that is the heart of today’s apostasy.
It has affected the family so gravely. Fathers first left the house all day to get money for the family. Now wives also left the house to support in bread winning. These are good chores however it is very tempting to get caught with them and forget the family.
This is what has happened today hence the rot in society. It is irony that parents are complaining that the youth are so corrupt and immoral yet they say they took them to Sunday school and bought them devotionals. Is this all the children need a Sunday Devotional Christianity or Biblical Christianity.
One brother lamented to me why many parents love telling their young children dream big, think big but no word about the word of God and the sayings of Jesus Christ yet they claim they are in Christian families? It is because their children are now pawns to get the good things of this life instead of desiring your children to walk like Jesus. This apostasy.
CAPITALISTIC CHRISTIANITY/WESTERN CHRISTIANITY ROT
This Protestant Ethic drive has made the family members so selfish and filled with the love of the world hence the immorality in the youth. Parents leave their children to watch Hollywood filth and garbage that laughs at Homosexuality as a cool thing and makes sin look so cute…ABOMINATION IN THE HOME, because the parent is busy MAKING MONEY; HE/SHE has NO TIME TO READ THE SCRIPTURES TO THE YOUNG CHILDREN because he/she is BUSY MAKING MONEY !!
So why do we wonder why America has gays and lesbians many of whom come from Christian families? Why remove the speck in one’s eye when the log of loving money has blocked many from doing their spiritual duty in the family.
In Urban Africa, the sodomite pastors come from so called Christian homes, church builders and deacons. Moreover the advocates of homosexuality and abortion are from Bible based homes in Urban Africa…. What is going on?
The love of money and the world certainly trap one into perdition. Families should know that the sound doctrine of Christ is the firm foundation for good family living and not Creflo Dollar tips of making it big in this world to have a successful family.
This is why the rot is in most of the church, the abominable filth…FALSE DOCTRINE OF LOVING THE WORLD LACED WITH NICE WORDS SUCH AS PROTESTANT ETHIC. Profanes came from the prophets to the whole land of Israel according to Jeremiah 23.It is the same today in Christendom.
This is why the economies of the world need and will be shaken in shock Christendom. The family has tried to serve to masters but the one called Money is the one many serve, despising God. Yet the love of Money is the root of all evil…ALL EVIL.
In Christ Jesus
Arthur Owiti
