Redefinition and Reverence

Romans 13 says:
(12b) Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

This passage draws a clear contrast between light and darkness, right and wrong, the flesh and the spirit.   The Bible is full of absolutes, and God gives us the choice whether or not to align our ways and desires with His or to walk in disobedience.   I am thankful that God has given us His Spirit to enable us to walk in a manner pleasing to Him.

In Galatians 5, we read:
(16b)Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.   There is a clear contrast between right and wrong that is found in the Bible...in His words, we find truth.

Congratulations to the state of North Carolina - a proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman passed with approximately 61 percent of voters in favor of it. Polls taken prior to the vote indicated it would pass with at least 58 percent.

"Now, the people have spoken," said Ron Baity, pastor of Berean Baptist Church in south Winston-Salem, quoted in the Christian Post.  He worked for years to get the amendment on the state ballot but wasn't successful until after Republicans won a majority in the General Assembly in 2010.

North Carolina becomes the 30th state to define marriage as one man and one woman in their state's Constitution.   I am thankful that over half of states have agreed with the Biblical definition of marriage and placed it into their law.   In a culture that seems to be fond of redefining areas in a manner contradicting the Bible, it's good to see that people across America are affirming traditional marriage. 

And why not?  The government, as we've discussed on The Meeting House, has an interest in preserving traditional marriage, and it's right for officials to endorse that definition, realizing it leads to a more stable society.   But, it was God's idea - of course, it's the best way, an institution ordained by Him, that is representative of Christ and the church.

There are other areas where cultural influences lead to redefinition of terms.   Even the word, "truth", which from a Biblical perspective means to affirm and live by God's absolutes, His certain principle, has been redefined to mean that whatever is true for you is OK - there is not an absolute standard.   And, so we are pressured to not adhere to clear definitions of right and wrong, good and evil, light and darkness.   We are called to tolerate, and if we do hold to a view or express a position that represents firm, Christian conviction, we are seen as intolerant, bigoted, and unduly rigid.

But, truth is still truth, and an accurate definition indicates that truth is found in the pages of the Scriptures.   If we make His definitions our own, then we won't be distracted by the redefinitions that occur in the culture.