Glorifying And Glamorizing Sin
"Let us get rid of this silly little word called 'sin'," "We must be free to behave as we please." "If you like it -- then it is all right." "All rules and restraints of morality are out-dated, puritan, and old-fogey." "We need a completely new code of morals to fit our advanced sophisticated age." "Let's scrap all the rules and make brand new ones." "Let's have free love and uninhibited behaviour." "Let everybody do that which is right in his own eyes." "What is wrong for you may be right for me, so there is no such silly thing as sin."
These are some of the ideas we are hearing today. This generation has decided that we need a "new morality." In the newspapers, in the movies, on the radio and television we hear the cry for a "new and sophisticated code of morality." And we are already seeing the horrible results of this loose and "unrestrained behaviour." Crimes of all types are rapidly increasing; divorces, broken homes, and illegitimate births are multiplying; and never before has this nation seen sin glorified and glamorized as it is now.
I am a young man but I have seen our country decline morally even in the last few years. Why, for example, things are exhibited on television now that even a few years ago would never have been filmed, much less accepted and praised by the public. But now we wink at the sins exhibited and call the sinners "swingers." If you are not in there sinning -- you're not with it, man! If you are not reveling with the "swingers" you are a "square." Today we have seen such repulsive and revolting, lascivious and lewd programs as "Shindig" and "Hullabaloo" and many other programs which feature teenagers (and even supposedly "mature" (?) adults) going through all sorts of torrid, sensual, and suggestive movements and bodily contortions that put the African jungle dancers to shame, One cannot watch many variety programs any more because sensual, lewd, and lust-promoting dancing occupies the spotlight. We have become obsessed with displaying half-nude young girls and sloppy, mop-haired young boys as the "idols" which our teenagers are to imitate. It is nothing but sin glorified and glamorized! No wonder some teenagers act the way they do if they have such programs as this to feast their minds, ears and eyes upon. (We can be thankful that there are many fine teenagers who are Christians and who act like such; they refuse to be led by the revelings of the sinful.)
It is not a problem of immorality that only teenagers have to deal with. Oh no; many, many adults are also crying for a "new morality" and freedom to sin as they please.
But friend, let it be truthfully understood that this "new morality" is neither "new" nor "moral!" It is nothing but the old immorality. It is nothing but sin, and Satan is behind it all. This old immorality is on the increase. We can look into the Old Testament and see the sinful condition of Israel as she turned away from the true and living God and became a harlot. Wickedness was glorified and glamorized back then just as it is today. Notice some passages from Isaiah:
"Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that deal corruptly! they have forsaken Jehovah, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are estranged and gone backward. " (1:4)
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet; and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" (5:20,21)
Does this sound like a description of people of our own time? Listen also to some passages from Jeremiah:
"How can I pardon thee? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the harlot's houses; they were as fed horses roaming at large; everyone neighed alter his neighbor's wife." (5:7,8)
Sounds like Judah had some of the same morality problems that the United States has! Imagine a people that are "fed to the full," and are as "fed horses roaming around and coveting their neighbor's wife!" Remind you of any present day situations? Listen again:
"For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness, (how true this is in the 20th century, drg) and from the prophet even unto the priest everyone dealeth falsely... Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush!" (6:13,15)
Again, how very aptly this describes our own generation. We have become so used to sin that no longer do we blush. Grandmother would surely have blushed; mother might have blushed also; but daughter is one of the "sophisticated swingers" and she doesn't even know how to blush! But listen again to the very next verse:
"Thus saith Jehovah, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way: and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk therein." (6:16)
Yes, the way of Jehovah, the "old paths" is the good way! If we will walk within the old paths we shall find rest for our souls. But, just as Judah did, the people of today cry: "We will NOT walk therein!" "We want a NEW pathway!"
Today sin is glamorized by making it attractive and enticing. This has always been the devil's lure: to dress sin up in beautiful garb and make it look glamorous. Certainly there are "pleasures in sin," but remember it is ONLY "for a season," and the "wages of sin is death."
Today, woman dressed (and undressed!) in immodest apparel is the main enticement that is used very frequently to sell the public everything from automobiles to hair-oil. This is something I have never been able to comprehend.
All that many individuals want out of life is a "thrill" and a "fast buck," and they will sink to any depth to get them. It matters not how low the dollar may sink in value, it can never sink any lower than some people will stoop to get it and worship it.
No matter how much we glorify or glamorize sin -- it is still actually ugly, repulsive, and soul-damning. You and I will still go to hell if we succumb to the "thrills of sin." The devil loves to have people cry for "unrestrained morality" and "free love." Satan must be gloating, clapping his hands, and shouting for glee as he observes his converts trying to tear down God's laws as presented in the Bible.
Do not be fooled! Righteousness is the way of courage, conviction, and eternal reward. But immorality is the way of cowardice, unrestrained behaviour, and eternal doom.
May we never, never forget that "Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people," (Proverbs 14:34)
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