Avoiding immorality is not just about sexuality. It is about the everyday choices that point towards a life of morality. Moral choices are personal, but the influences towards those choices should not be. This is why we need influencers in our lives to help us make wise, moral decisions.
But, you say, “I can make it on my own.”
Excuse my bluntness: that is pride from the pit of hell.
Flying solo in today’s immoral culture will result in a nosedive and subsequent crash of epic proportions. Maybe not today, or publicly but eventually. This is why we need people in our lives to help us navigate difficult airspace and provide navigation. Many believers feel they can navigate these areas alone. Solo-ness is considered normal. And yet, the Bible is clear that we need people in our lives to move us towards love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24).
We live in an increasingly immoral world. The lines get blurred more easily. What was considered black and white even just a few years ago is now grey beyond recognition. For the child of God, this can create moral confusion. When there is moral confusion, it’s usually quickly followed by sin. And, when you factor in the stresses of life, one’s morality can tank quickly.
Throughout any given day, the believer is faced with multiple decisions that could impact His fellowship and his testimony for Christ.
Thankfully, God has put tools around us to help us make wise moral decisions.
I was thinking about the importance of making wise moral decisions as I was studying the decision-making process of Pilate. The gospels paint him as one who was morally confused as he was trying to decide what to do about Jesus. The Jewish crowd wanted Jesus dead; Pilate did not think that was needed or warranted. So, he sought to release Jesus. This whipped them into a frenzy. Finally, in an act of spinelessness, he capitulated.
And in the right circumstances, so could you. Can I recommend three influences you need in your life to prevent that from happening?
Listen to your conscience.
Pilate knew what needed to be done. But his occupation (and maybe his life) prevented him from doing the right thing. Generally speaking, your conscience (which is given to you by God) should be listened to, particularly as you spend more and more time in Scripture and allowing your worldview to be shaped by the Scripture. The Holy Spirit can use your conscience to remind you about what is right and what is wrong. The seconds that occur after a moral decision comes at you are critical, because your conscience can tell you what is right, and what is wrong.
However, our consciences cannot always be trusted. Sometimes our consciences will tell us not to do things that are not wrong. More of that was written by Justin Taylor.
Listen to your contemporaries.
Pilate didn’t want to deal with his Jesus problem, so he sent him to Herod, his political contemporary, to deal with it. Upon examining Jesus, Herod, like Pilate, found nothing worthy of execution. Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. That act further reinforced the innocence of Jesus. Though they were not friends previously, this scenario created a friendship between them (Luke 23:12). Pilate should have leaned on the actions (and by extension, advice) of his contemporary.
We simply cannot avoid the benefit of having close friends in our lives to tell us the truth. In order for that to happen, we need to give them access to our lives.
Listen to your spouse.
Pilate didn’t listen to his conscience, nor his contemporaries. But there was no excuse to not listen to his spouse. She had a dream about Jesus and told Pilate to have nothing to do with Him (Mt. 27:19). This does not mean that we have to follow our spouses based on their dreams (that could get freaky really quick), but the principle is this: listen to your spouse. They know you better than anyone (or should). If your spouse tells you to do something, and there’s no good Biblical reason not to, you should generally do it.
Get into the habit of allowing your spouse to share their thoughts, and demonstrate a desire to act on the advice their giving. This will build bridges of trust. Make healthy communication a staple in your marriage.
Don’t have a spouse? There’s nothing wrong with that. But you need to have someone close enough to your life that can see when you’re heading in the wrong direction.
Don’t allow immoral decisions to derail you! Put the right people in your life now to help you stay on track.
Scott D. Foreman is the Executive Pastor of Fellowship Bible Church in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. He and his wife Rachel have the joy active participation in church ministry, but also to their four teen age sons.