Being at the tail end of the “Baby Boomer Generation,” long established traditional values; were the standard at my birth in 1959. The 1960s were challenged by the “beat necks,” a generation of young people who felt their lives had no meaning and no hope at the end of the 1950s. Beat down, they gave up; were fed up and dropped out of conventional society. This paved the way for the even more radical movement of the “Hippies;" who started the Sexual Revolution with the motto, “If it feels good, do it!” Sex, drugs and rock and roll led young adults into an anti-establishment attitude. Entering Junior High Years in 1971; this void of morals revolution; had filtered down to my grade school class mates who were being led by older siblings. Youth and young adults were totally out of control. The first twenty years of my life witnessed the most shocking breakdown of moral values in history. Along with the introduction of credit cards in the 1950s came a new form of slavery that put my generation in bondage during the 1980s. The credit beast took no prisoners; and the once scandalous and abhorrent filing of bankruptcy became not only socially acceptable; but common place as well. Today it is not uncommon for individuals to have two and three bankruptcies on their record. My generation has paved the way for younger generations to live knowingly with total abandonment to consequences. There will always be a bailout! Sex, drugs and rock and roll lifestyles get bailed out of jail, bailed out of sexually transmitted diseases, by new medical treatments, bailed out of debt with bankruptcy and even Corporate America gets bailed out of huge business mismanagement by the Federal Government because of economic and job force needs. Who is going to bail out America?
The English word, “good,” comes from the Old English word, “god.” Today people look at themselves as being good if their lives measure up to society’s definition of goodness and virtue. Many people, who have no connection to God, believe that they are good in God’s eyes, because they are good in their own eyes and in society’s eye. They live by a relative goodness; that is compared to most; they are good.
When randomly asked on the street; most people believe that they are good and that they are going to Heaven at death. When asked if they ever sinned, they say, “No, I’m a good person.” When asked about how well they keep the Ten Commandments, all have to admit that they sin. At this point in the street witnessing; people either laugh it off and walk away saying, “Well I guess I’m going to hell;” or they get very sober and their guilt convicts them; some even to tears.
Goodness is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Jesus said that there are none good, but one, who is God Himself.
Mark 10:18 KJV And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
God told Israel through Moses; to be Holy for I am the Lord your God. This exact command was re-established through Peter to all Christians.
1 Peter 1:15 KJV But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
God wants us to be like Him and He is Holy, Good and Godly. The standard for goodness is God Himself. Paul makes this very clear:
Romans 6:22-23 KJV But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. (23) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The choice is ours. Live with God in His Holiness or suffer with the Devil in sin. Bear fruit of God’s Spirit living in you that will transform you for the eternal Kingdom of God; or follow the way of sin as Adam and Eve did. They wanted to set their own standard. They wanted to determine what was good for them instead of honoring God. Every human since the Garden of Eden has to make that decision every day in all that we do.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, put your standard of goodness into my heart and mind. Live in me through the Holy Ghost that you gave me at baptism. Help me to renew that commitment daily in all that I do; in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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