Our theme for this month: “Character and Integrity”
Our Bible verse for today: Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. For by it our ancestors won God’s approval.” Hebrews 11:1-2 (CSB)
Our thought for today: “Live by faith”
We live in a time when traditional values of morality and ethics are in decline, and instead a sense of relativism prevails. For many people, there are no longer absolute standards of truth and morality and ethical conduct. Instead, everything is relative and situational. As far as such people are concerned, what’s good and right depends entirely on the situation they find themselves in and on what they believe to be in their own best in interest at that time.
Beyond that, although some would claim there has been an evolution in our societal understanding of things like sexuality and gender, the truth is that there has been a devolution. Our standards have seriously deteriorated, they haven’t improved. We live in a “Brave New World” of twisted thinking. Values that used to be universally recognized as being good and wholesome are now denounced as being archaic and unacceptable, while things that used to be recognized as being bad and even unnatural, are now celebrated as being good and normal.
How do Christian men and women live in such a world? How do we adhere to Biblical principles, maintaining righteous character and solid integrity, in a world that doesn’t acknowledge the truths we believe or value of the principles we hold dear? We do it the same way the people of God have always done it – we live by faith.
Hebrews chapter 11 is often called “The Faith Hall of Fame”. There we read about heroes of the faith – men and women who knew what they believed and why they believed it, and who courageously stood for truth and righteousness even when doing so was difficult – even if it cost them their lives.
Often, being a man or woman of character and integrity isn’t the easy thing to do, but it is always the right thing to do. The people of God have a long and glorious history of standing strong against cultural pressures while being faithful to Biblical principles.
The way we stand strong when it isn’t easy to do so, is we live by faith. We simply do the thing we know to be right, by God’s standards, and we trust in Him. I encourage you to resist the pressures of the culture. Be faithful. Be a man or woman of character and integrity.
Oak Hill Baptist Church