1. God’s Rule In Morality 2 Timothy 3:1-17

2. A Decisive Shift in Attitude “Worse than ever?” (Genesis 6) General attitude: If two consenting adults agree, it is moral

3. Task of Christians Do not conform (Romans 12:2) Evil gets worse (Romans 1:18-32)

4. Effects of Mass Media Pornography –Nothing too sensitive to portray –“A Frank Discussion of a Subject Too Often Avoided” (Ladies Home Journal, 1919) –Protests and cancellations

5. Effects of Mass Media Television –Introduced at World’s Fair in 1939 –New York Times reporter: “… the problem with television is that people must sit down and keep their eyes glued on the screen; the average American family hasn’t time for it” (3/19/39)

6. Statistics 99% have one or more and it is on an average of almost 7 hrs. per day 8,000 murders by the end of elementary school 200,000 violent acts by age 18

7. Statistics Minutes in meaningful conversation with parents per week: 3.5 Minutes watching television per week: 1,680 54 percent of 4-6 year olds choose watching television over spending time with their dad

8. Sexuality God’s boundary for sexual activities –Marriage between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:18-25) –Sexual relations only within marriage (Hebrews 13:4)

9. Sexuality Homosexuality –Out of the closet and seeking to redefine marriage –Argue they cannot help it (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) –An abomination in God’s sight (Genesis 19: Romans 1:24-27, 32) –Denominations have surrendered

10. Sexuality Premarital sex –Treated as an addiction –Illegitimacy rate tells the story –Even a problem in the church (Galatians 5:19)

11. Sexuality Extramarital sex –About half of all married people –Recommended by some counselors –Cure is plenty of marital love (Ephesians 5:22-33; Titus 2:4)

12. Treatment of The Helpless Abortion –Once defined as a criminal act –Government funded murder –God is at work in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16; Luke 1:44; 2:16) –Increase in child abuse

13. Treatment of The Helpless Euthanasia –So called “mercy killing” –Cases such as Karen Quinlan (1975) –Baby Doe in Bloomington, IN 1983 –Mot to shed innocent blood (Genesis 9:6)

14. Treatment of The Helpless Elderly ignored –Too much emphasis on youth –Often put out of the way –Seldom visited

15. Surely They Would Come Today “He was 91. He awakened earlier than usual. He bathed, shaved, and put on his best clothes... Surely they would come today, he thought...He didn't take his daily walk to the gas station to visit with his friends. because he wanted to be right there when they came... He sat on the front porch with a clear view of the road so he could see them coming. Surely they would come today…”

16. Surely They Would Come Today At suppertime he refused to cut the cake and asked that the ice cream be left in the freezer. He wanted to wait and have dessert with them when they came...at 9:00 P.M. he went to his room and got ready for bed. His last words before turning in were "Promise to wake me up when they come"...It was his birthday and he was 91. (Alan Qualmann)

17. Treatment of The Helpless Elderly ignored –Too much emphasis on youth –Often put out of the way –Seldom visited –Are to care for our own (Leviticus 19:32; 1 Timothy 5:1, 2)

18. Personal Morals Immodesty –To be a light to the world (1 Timothy 2:8, 9) –One contestant once equated being photographed nude with acting –Old preacher: “Time to pass the apples” (Genesis 3:8-11; Luke 8:35)

20. “For Better or For Worse”

21. Comment on Miniskirts “I don’t mean that you won’t see even shorter skirts on some women some of the time. Among the teenaged, the near-anorexic and the deliberately provocative, minis are bound to be popular. (Among prostitutes, they never went out of fashion) …

22. Comment on Miniskirts “…The miniskirt is the relentless enemy of modesty.” (Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 4/29/87)

23. Personal Morals Dancing –Teens no longer hide it –Still a sin (Mark 6:22; Galatians 5:19)

24. Personal Morals Social drinking –Told that it is acceptable as long as one doesn’t get drunk –Scriptures teach otherwise (Proverbs 23:29-35; 1 Peter 4:3)

25. Conclusion God’s standard is ignored He has a right to rule Let’s be lights in a dark world