Where have all the Biblical morals gone?

I was out at dinner the other night with some friends and they started to give some intimate details of their lives. It was an interesting conversation seeing as only 2 of them were married (there were 10ish of us). The rest were talking about their escapades with so and so. Or that they were so glad they lived together before they got married. Or even that they were so glad they had sex before they got married because not that much had to change when they got married (for the one who was married, and even for the engaged one).

Huh?

Wait, what? I sat there dumbfounded. I was lost at their blatant disregard for covenant love. For real love. For healthy dating and marriage relationships. I was hurt because these friends, who are Christians, clearly didn't see where they were wrong, or worse, they didn't want to recognize it was wrong.

My biggest fear is that we have become a compromising generation. My biggest fear is that we are beginning to disregard truths that are laid in plain sight in the Bible. Have we, as a generation, walked away from Biblical morals? There is a reason that Paul pleads with the Colossians to "put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). There's a reason he pleads with the Galatians that "for the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit... The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:16, 19-21).

It breaks my heart to watch the people I love compromise. It breaks my heart to watch them settle for "good" and not "great". It breaks my heart that they think they are getting away with what they are doing because they are Christians, not knowing the seed they are sowing will reap a harvest. It may not come in their lives, but it may come to their children. All sown seed reaps a harvest. It breaks my heart to chalk this stuff off to "boys will be boys, I'll just have one more, they aren't "doing" anything when they spend the night together, it was only that one time"...

It's too late to change what has been. But it is not too late to change what is to come.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." - Romans 12:1-2

Our generation needs people who are willing to stand up in the face of compromise. Very few are willing to do that. Very few are willing to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. Am I? Are you? I walked away from that dinner with a broken heart and cried for those friends on my way home. I cried because they are missing out on the great things that God has in store for them. I cried because they are missing, most importantly, his heart for their lives.

Offering your body as a living sacrifice, and living a Biblical life will tear your world apart. It will disrupt your relationships, alter what you watch on television and listen to, and come into opposition with things you thought were right. But the reward is the Kingdom of Heaven. And oh, how beautiful He is.

"The first step to any spiritual awakening is demolition." - Jim Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire