1 Corinthians 5 -6

My life got its start in the last house that was one half mile off of the mail route loop that ran from the Paul Ean’s store on high way 11, north to the White Oak school house. There was just a wagon trail the last half mile, with no drainage ditches, and woods’ trail was never graded…even until this day. There were no other homes north or east of the William Turner Vandiver place. All of our neighbors lived south toward Des Arc and west toward Griffithville, and I doubt that there were as many as fifty families in this twenty square mile area.

My family and I did not know anything about illicit drugs, not even marijuana and so my parents had fewer things to worry and warn me about. Times have changed and parents today have much more to concern them. The sins of my day were probably led by the most important one immorality. It involved every teenage boy and girl from their first date on the rest of their lives. The rest of the list of common sins were ‘cussing’ or using the Lord’s name in vain, lying, stealing, and smoking Bull Durham; then there are several more including suing your neighbor. Our lesson today suggests that we find different reasons why we should practice Christian Morality.

The most common immoral practice is no doubt promiscuity. God made man and woman to be his helpmate and God gave them the desires that are natural cravings that if left uncontrolled will lead to complete disaster in the life of a person, or home including children. There has never been a pregnancy out of wedlock that did not wreck havoc in the lives of the parents [mother especially] and the child who actually had nothing to do with the mistake that was originally made. After serving in the public school system for forty two years, in seven different school districts and a total of thousands of homes and many thousands of children, I can attest that the problems caused by sexual immorality grew each year I worked in education. Problem number one is that as time went by, the general public grew to accept illicit practices causing the problem to increase.

Today in good schools like the one here in Heber Springs it is not uncommon for 60% of the students in a given class to be from broken homes. In the larger cities the percentage is higher and conditions much worse, to the point that some of the children do not even know their parents. So, let me just say up front that the main reason for the practice of Christian morality is protect innocent children from homes absent of parental love.

Juanita and I married in 1944, and back at that time one of the main reasons for abstinence was to maintain a good character and not be known as a promiscuous person. For the same reason, honest Christian like people did not steal, rob, and lie. It was important that we maintain a flawless reputation and we be known as people of good character. It should be that way today—and I suppose it is in most cases; however there seems to be less feeling for the need of a good character.

I have already drawn the picture of our vastly rural area in Prairie County and tried to make the point that most people knew everybody within miles of their home. If there was an immoral act committed that became public knowledge, the girl suffered most…and usually the entire family was adversely troubled. In larger cities the problems were more adverse, open, and more frequent.

This lesson is dealing with the time when Paul was trying to minister to the city of Corinth. Corinth was a metro area, the hub of transportation, the center of trade and travel, and occupied by numerous groups with different backgrounds, especially non-religious influences. Some, a few, of each different nationality, with varied religious thought and lack of Christian training made up the congregations of the new churches being formed.

Of such was the population of the new church at Corinth. It had been planted by Paul and was now under leadership of his followers. The short period of Paul’s teaching influence had begun to fade away as new members of the church began to try to do their own thing and this was the reason they were having problems in Corinth. There were divisions of all kinds cropping up in the church and one of the most devastating was the promiscuous practice of sex even in some phases of church worship. Bible history relates that even by first-century standards, Corinth was infamous for its sexual permissiveness. Available in Corinth was the Corinthian temple of Aphrodite [a pagan love goddess, featuring sexual rituals with ‘so called sacred priestesses’ available at the “worship” services. The soldiers, sailors, and travelers looking for a good time knew where to go, and this made it hard for a new Christ Like church to grow without doing some of the same things.
What is the Christian teaching about sexual morality? I think most of you know! I can not make it any plainer than this statement does. “God’s intention is for the sexual relationship to be enjoyed only by a married husband and wife.” This simply eliminates premarital marriage, adultery, and all kinds of illicit sexual activity including homosexuality and sex with animals.

Allow me to change the thought to a question at this time. Think back over the last few years at the great number of highly elected officials; governors, senators, representatives, and a president; and also several leaders of mega-churches and denominations that have made headline news about their promiscuous sexual ways. [I do not want to call names to hurt people] I simply want you to realize the number of United States citizens that have been hurt, betrayed, caused suffering and pain because of the sinful acts of people who held offices of trust. Is one of our worst problems in America today the fact that “People do not trust their leaders?”

Here is my number one reason for practicing Christian Morality. If we could manage somehow to elect only those who are morally competent officials during the next few years we could regain our old and true Christian nation. So, yes it is my business when officials commit immoral acts; it lets me know that they are not competent, can not be trusted, and should not be holding office for the people.

The change in time from 1924, my birth day until today 2010, has resulted in many people drifting away from the teachings of the word of God. But those teachings are the same yesterday, today and will forever be. No foreign power could ever destroy a God loving, God fearing America. So, as predicted by the Russians only a few years ago—America is destroying itself from within by those who are denying the God of creation his rightful place in our history books, and within the walls of our congress, and on the bench of our national courts.

All we need to turn the troubling tide away from our shores is about 500 good people in the White House, in Congress and on our courts. The word good is simply defined as men and women who believe in and practice CHRISTIAN MORALITY. We just need a few good men! Will you help me pray that this may happen even in our lifetime? Thank you.