There is a Christian viewpoint!

Encouragement for today -

To observe that we live in a society that is suffering greatly from confusion regarding moral boundaries is not a profound insight. There is little need to provide a full set of statistics to demonstrate the consequences of such things as, the sexual revolution, the legalization of abortion, the ongoing epidemic in teenage pregnancies; a drastic rise in the divorce rate, the list goes on!

Our society has undergone a rapid transformation in terms of accepted behaviour, and few would argue that it is for the better. Today, the experts tell us that one out of two marriages ends in divorce. Six out of ten teenagers are sexually active. The millions of abortions over the last decade and the phenomenal spread of AIDS indicate that our society has serious problems with morality. In the last generation, the incidence of sexual activity outside of marriage has doubled and tripled, what is most disturbing to me is the open arm acceptance of these once seriously frowned upon behaviours.

The news a few weeks ago may have made you stomach sick as it did me when we learned of the flawed plan for teachers in Ontario to discuss sexual education with Grade 3 children! There is little doubt in my mind our fair province will follow suit in the next few years. The in your face attitude to sexual education that our public school system has taken across the country has further eroded what in my opinion should take place exclusively in the home.

Studies show clearly that premature and promiscuous sexuality prevents many from establishing good marriages and family life. Few deny that a healthy, wholesome sexuality and a strong family life are among the most necessary elements for human happiness and well being.

Our education policy makers should wake up and embrace the only source of sexual education they have any business engaging in, that is, total abstinence.

Twenty years ago, when the sexual revolution was in full swing, many argued that it would liberate men and women from the repressive view of sexuality. Many pointed to Christianity as the source of sexual repression. But the Christian view of sex is looking a lot more like wisdom. Christians should offer no apologies for their insistence upon reserving sex for marriage. Some in high public places are now beginning to counsel abstinence before marriage and to extol faithful monogamous marriages. They have begun to see these as practices of great practical wisdom.

In spite of the facts that tell us loose morality leads to trouble there are still some who insist on teaching the other false worldview, that anything goes in relation to sexuality.

Ten minutes of watching MTV or of a soap opera; ten minutes of listening to any rock, pop, or country music station; one visit to the corner-store magazine rack; or two minutes at the beach should serve to convince anyone that our society has very little respect for Christian morals regarding sexual relations.

Sadly, I must offer the assessment that even Christians have begun to lose sight of the understanding of sexuality advanced by their faith.

The existence of the institution of marriage acknowledges the importance of love for the happiness of human beings, of the lifetime unconditional love that marriage makes possible.

Christians need to explain why faithfulness and responsibility of a husband and wife toward children are two of the defining characteristics of marriage.

Men and women today are tired of unfaithfulness, tired of shallow and brief relationships. They crave something more meaningful, something on which they can rely. Young people are sick of divorce.

There is virtually no one who does not know children who have suffered greatly from divorce. Certainly many in our society, because of our own foolishness, weakness, or wickedness, or because of the foolishness, weakness, or wickedness of others, may not be able to form the marriages and families that we want and need. We must trust in the grace of God to provide for all those who turn to Him for aid.

My encouragement to you today is for Christians, who have the wisdom of the word of God and centuries of moral discipline, to strive to live pure lives and to form loving marriages and families, for such is vital to their eternal salvation, and such may well be vital to the temporal well being of the whole of society. Christianity possesses a worldview that is distinctly different from that of popular culture, we should not be ashamed of it!