Each second of every day we live, we make ethical decisions. Many times, over and over, we fail in these decisions, choosing the sinful path. Because of our nature, it is difficult to flee from this path. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” (Genesis 3:6). We can not do it alone. To win the ethical battle over sin, Jesus came to earth, lived a life as a human, like one of us, and won. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). He did not succumb to sin. He made the ultimate sacrifice, dying and then rising from the dead to bring us life and redemption through His spilled blood. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4).
With Jesus in our hearts, by our sides, holding our hands, we can win over anything. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). Sin is defeated. We must accept the truth of the Bible and not let sin win out in this ethical battle over our souls.
In your own heart is a noble place to start. This can spread to others as they see how you act. But if there is no attempt to give the society itself a moral and ethical code, just as we have seen so many times in the histories of numerous countries, the society fails. Without ethics, without a shared value system, a society will crumble. It will fall, and the inhabitants will succumb to sin. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10). We must have ethics to have a society, and there are no better ethics to have than the ones laid out for us by our Heavenly Father.
In the Bible, time and time again, societies destroy themselves from the inside out or are destroyed by others to fulfill God’s will. If a society gets wretched enough, God will even see to things on a more personal level. “Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;” (Genesis 19:24).
The current-day American society of the 21st century is a perfect example of this. We no longer support and uplift the Biblical Ethics that were important to our Founding Fathers. It was a life and death issue for them, and we let it slide away like priceless chaff to the wind. And we are paying dearly for it. Our government no longer respects the individuals’ God-given rights of freewill and free speech “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13).
Other questionable, horrendous things are accepted as the new norm, things God has rejected as sinful. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).
Because of this blatant disrespect of God and prominent worship of ourselves, we are falling helpless into destruction and have no one but ourselves to blame. God is sovereign over all. He determines truth, ethics, logic, and law. We discover and follow them. We cannot reinvent what God has already put into motion. “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” (Colossians 1:16).
Yet, there is a promise, a light through the darkness. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). If we believe, if we trust and “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37) we can win over this flood of disturbing, depressing sin.
By believing that God is above all, ruling all, and created all, we can live our lives trying our best to follow Him as our creator and Lord. We will choose the ethical, right decisions with God’s guiding hand, shining Jesus’ light out for others, telling and showing them the way. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Surely, as we are cursed and persecuted for our righteous ways here on earth, we will be rewarded highly by God in heaven. “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” (1 Peter 1:4).
Disagreeable sanctions are extended to those who do sin, but for the righteous good will be given. “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.” (Psalm 37:9). Sin, the Devil, and his followers are entitled to disastrous sanctions, and they have no way out. “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Revelation 12:9). Praise God that we do! “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:10). Praise God that we can walk the ethical path, the true, righteous path with Him.
Without God’s ethical code, we are destined for destruction. But with it, we can be victorious.
Alena Coons 
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