“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” – Is. 5:20. Thousands of years ago, people in Isaiah’s day redefined their evil works as good and called good things evil, and we still see the same mindset today. It happens in personal lives, personal relationships, self-justifications, and it can even work its way into the church. In matters where God has instructed us how to conduct ourselves, we must be careful to be guided by Him and stick to His classifications of what is good or evil.
- Is. 5:20
- Confirmation hearing of Amy Coney Barrett – “sexual preference is an offensive and outdated term” because it implies that one’s orientation is a choice. The same people who argue that sexual orientation cannot be changed, however, also claim that gender is a choice…
- Whatever happened to old fashioned “sin”? Society now renames and reclassifies all sorts of things to make them more acceptable…
- “Living in sin” used to be adultery – Jn. 8:3-11 (Jesus calls it sin)
- Now it’s a “committed relationship” and normal stage either before marriage or replacing it – Is. 5:18-24
- Many evil things now called “good”, even by some in the church
- “Good works” in the church
- Many efforts done in the name of Jesus diluting mission of gospel and/or done without authority – Mt. 7:21-23; Col. 3:17
- Sin of Indifference – “Don’t bother me—I’m comfortable just the way I am!”
- Church at Laodicea condemned because of indifference – Rev. 3:15-17
- Worldliness – desire to be like everyone else
- Divorce – Major problem in many churches; arguing details, hypotheticals, etc.
- Mt. 19:3-9 – simple rules for divorce
- Homosexuality – Split the Presbyterian church a couple years ago
- 1 Cor. 6:9-11 – regardless of whether one is “born that way or not”, God expects people not to conduct themselves in that way, but be washed/changed
- Love the world or things of the world
- 1 Jn. 2:15-17 – Worldliness must be opposed, pointed out, and taught against by God’s people.
- Divorce – Major problem in many churches; arguing details, hypotheticals, etc.
- Selfishness/Justifying ourselves – Prov. 21:2
- Can’t make excuses and be hypocritical
- Living as Christian isn’t always easy – Lk. 9:23; Rom 12:1-2
- Often it is difficult for us “not to think of himself more highly than he ought”
- We think our way is best – Prov. 12:15
- Admitting we were wrong and repenting is impossible for some – Prov. 16:18
- The Bible is right. God sets the standards and defines right/wrong. That is what we will be judge by, and redefining evil as good is fooling ourselves.