Counterfeit morality: A deeper look, the naked truth

 Recently, I saw an article that discussed the "unwritten laws" of nude beaches—rules intended to regulate behavior in such places. The title was, "Lose your clothes, but not your manners." I found this fascinating because it perfectly reveals the modus operandi of this world. It shows how the enemy ensnares the masses into a sense of self-righteousness while they are actively promoting and participating in evil.

One of the "laws" mentioned was: Don’t look down, and don’t compliment people on their bodies. This would be hilarious if it weren't so wicked.

 A person who frequents such a place and keeps these "laws" will consider himself a moral person. Because he didn't stare or make inappropriate comments, he feels righteous. He might even condemn someone else who fails to follow these rules as a "pervert" or a "wicked person with no self-control."

This is exactly where the world wants to bring us: to a point where we think we are righteous because we keep the "laws of evil" while remaining in complete disobedience to God.

Some might ask, "Are you saying there shouldn't be laws to regulate behavior at a nude beach? How else can we ensure the experience is pleasant for everyone?" This is the trap. The world tries to get us to agree that these regulations make the practice "decent." But as Christians, we should not fall for such counterfeit morality. We prevent evil at a nude beach by not having such a wicked thing in the first place. Public nudity is a sin against the Lord. It isn't just the man who breaks the "beach rules" who is a pervert; the entire environment is based on perversion. We must stand on God’s morality, not man’s imitation of it.

 Our society is full of this counterfeit morality. Take, for example, the "age of consent." God’s standard is clear: intimacy is reserved exclusively for a man and a woman within the covenant of marriage. However, society rejects this. Men say, "We want to have sex without being married, but we need rules to regulate the behavior." So, they set an arbitrary age of consent. In one society it is 18; in others, it is 16, 15, or even younger. If a 21-year-old sleeps with a 17-year-old, society calls him a pervert. But if that same man waits until the girl turns 18, society views him as a law-abiding citizen. God, however, sees both as being in sin. Having an "age of consent" for a sinful act does not make the act right. A man who follows God’s law—refraining from intimacy until marriage—will never have to worry about violating the changing laws of men.

 Society calls abortion "a woman's right to choose," while God calls it murder. Society calls homosexuality an "alternative lifestyle," while God calls it an abomination. Too often, the church follows the culture’s morality instead of the Word of God. When the culture shifts, the church shifts.

Fifty years ago, both the culture and the church condemned homosexuality. Today, the culture celebrates it, and many churches have followed suit. Today, society and the church rightly condemn pedophilia. But as wickedness increases, and as justifications are found to rebrand these actions—perhaps calling them "minor-attracted persons"—the church that follows culture will eventually follow that trend as well.

 Society’s morality changes like the wind. Today they condemn; tomorrow they apologize and exalt. History shows us that ancient cultures, like the Greeks and Canaanites, practiced things that we currently find loathsome. Society is largely under the control of the enemy, and its "morality" is just a series of evil counterfeits.

The Word of God reveals true righteousness. It tells us that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We must not follow the shifting winds of culture. Instead, let us preach the Word—condemning sin while offering mercy to the sinner. In the eyes of society, the fornicator is respected while the pedophile is condemned; in the eyes of God, both are in need of divine grace.

Let us live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. His morality is the only true morality.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3730628/

https://www.cnn.com/travel/nude-beach-etiquette-naturism-rules/index.html

Oppose the promotion of homosexuality

Would you allow a friend to eat poison? Would you support a friend who is drinking down a deadly toxin? Would you justify the drinking of poison within the church, or simply say "live and let live" while someone destroys themselves? Unless you have a cruel heart, you would do no such thing.

Yet, for some reason, many people are cheering as a minority of our human family consumes the spiritual poison of homosexuality. In the eyes of God, homosexuality is not natural; it is described as an abomination and a departure from His design. According to the Word of God, the spiritual consequence of unrepentant sin is death, and the Scriptures teach that those who persist in this lifestyle will not inherit the kingdom of heaven.

 God made the woman for the man and the man for the woman. "Opposites attract," and the physical design of the human body shows that men and women were made for one another. From a biblical perspective, homosexuality is an aberration—a misuse of humanity. It represents a breakdown at some level where the divine distinction between male and female is no longer discerned. Rather than a cause for celebration, this is a condition in need of help and healing.

 The Book of Proverbs says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). A proud person is often blinded to reality and set on a path toward ruin. The fact that our society dedicates the entire month of June to "Pride" suggests a collective loss of spiritual sanity. A society that can no longer see the inherent disorder in same-sex unions is a society that has moved away from its foundation and toward divine judgment.

 If we truly love our neighbors, we must oppose what we believe destroys them. We should never tolerate a path that leads to spiritual ruin; instead, we must seek to rescue those caught in this snare. We must point them toward the Great Physician, Jesus Christ, who is able to restore the mind and bring harmony where there was once disorder.

Our opposition should not manifest as hatred or "bashing" those caught in this struggle. Instead, we must preach the Gospel of our Lord, who has delivered us from our own spiritual bondages and corruptions. We must:

1. Show Love: Treat the individual with kindness while warning them of the path they are on.

2. Tell of Power: Share the news that Jesus has the power to save and transform.

3. Counteract Deception: Challenge the arguments of a culture that rebrands sin as a virtue.

Conclusion Homosexuality is a spiritual poison and a breakdown of the original nature God intended for us. However, Jesus is able to heal those who have been affected by the "old serpent" called the Devil. He is able to renew broken minds and provide a new nature. Let us oppose the lifestyle and the pride associated with it by preaching the good news: Jesus is able to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.