God’s Word: Denial and Descent
September 14, 2008
I am always amazed as I observe the increasingly secular leanings of our culture. Recently, a court ruled that an East Texas jury wrongly used a Bible during deliberations in a capital-murder case. The man convicted was involved in a break-in during which he fatally shot and bludgeoned a 64-year-old man. Now, let’s get this right: (1) man breaks into home; (2) man shoots other man; (3) man then bludgeons (beats with heavy object so as to inflict major bodily injury) other man. What did the jury do? They looked at the evidence. They looked at the facts. But as people of faith, they were also influenced by the Bible. How was this action viewed? Well, in his appeals, lawyers for the murderer contended that jurors improperly consulted Bible verses that called for death as punishment for murder. “Improperly consulted?” This is another painful example of the moral abyss people begin to fall into when we depart from the word of God. Our Lord gave us clear instructions for our good (Deut. 10:12-13). However, various negatives are promised when we fail to honor these instructions. Referencing the wisdom that is the word of God, the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21) declares, “For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord; but he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death” (Prov. 8:35-36 NKJV, emphases mine). It is obvious that the world is working to deny the word of God. What may not be so obvious (especially to them) is that such denial initiates a descent into moral chaos and, ultimately, death (Rom. 6:23). Now, we Christians can stand idly by and watch this happen, or we can seek strength in God and work to correct it. Which will you choose? -JLNJR (Resource: Richmond Times-Dispatch, 8/24/08, A20)
