We live in a culture that is easily offended by many things. Daily conversations can be a mine-field of politically incorrect words, phrases, and sentiments. People feel outraged and personally attacked, indeed victimized, when they are told something that is unpleasant to them, even if it is true.

After decades of raising children with generous helpings of self-esteem and over-indulgence, we now have a society full of people that feel deserving of anything they desire. We are a nation of entitlement. We want what we want. We believe we deserve what we want. We believe we should never be told “no”. We believe that life should be a utopian adventure where we are indulged and nothing bad ever happens, either physically, mentally, or emotionally. We are covered in mental bubble-wrap. Anything that pokes at us in any way is immediately responded to with indignation and offense.

Not surprisingly, this self-indulgent attitude also leads to rampant and open sinfulness. “If it feels good, do it!”, has been the overriding cultural subtext for our behavior for at least 40 years. At least two generations in this country have been raised to believe that as long as they are not hurting anyone (and that, of course, is defined by the person doing the potential hurting, not the person being hurt), they are free to engage in any activity they wish. Morality becomes relevant.

Is it any wonder then, with these two forces working together, that we have seen an explosion of sin and moral decay in this country, and indeed around the world. The rapid change between what was considered immoral to what is now acceptable is truly breath-taking. From things that are now on television that were at one time only available to adults in movie theaters, to things in movie theaters that were at one time reserved for the private lives of the most perverse and violent. Children behaving in ways unthinkable and not tolerated in the past, to parents behaving worse than their children.

Can there be much question that this current social circumstance is perfectly suited for the Devil’s work? At a time when morality has crumbled, a time when the bright light of God’s Law is more needed than ever; it is socially unacceptable to tell anyone they’re doing anything wrong. It is a perfect confluence for losing souls.

Paul wrote in Romans 7:7:

What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

God’s Law shows us our sin and our need for the payment Jesus made for us. Without our understanding that we broke God’s Law, how then can we understand the value of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us? The silencing of God’s Law is exactly what the Devil needs in order for people to de-value Jesus; to think that they can take Him or leave Him.

If someone offered to repeatedly zap you with radiation, you would likely not be in a hurry to take them up on their offer. In fact, you’d probably think they were crazy for trying to do something like that to you. However, if they first told you that you had been diagnosed with cancer and had only months to live unless aggressive treatment was started right away; you’d not only not reject their help but would likely be very grateful. How then can we expect people, who have been told their whole lives that they are good and deserve good things, to understand that they are in need of life-saving, soul-saving treatment? Instead, people, out of reflex, are instantly offended when told they are in fact sinners and have a great need to be forgiven. People do not consider themselves sinners.

The circumstances seems quite grim. At a time when people need the truth the most; the truth, if it offends, is socially unacceptable. Our society reinforces this belief and reaction. Children are taught in school to not offend, to be tolerant, even of things that go against their moral beliefs. Morality, lest we forget, is relative to each person. In our society, everyone is their own god and, therefore, defines their own morality. People are sued, people are fired for being offensive. We even tolerate intolerance so as not to offend certain groups. We run around unsure of what is offensive and, because of this, censor ourselves in order not to risk being seen as intolerant. Now the Devil is in our head. We censor ourselves.

So, who will tell the lost the seriousness of their situation? There is no prevailing morality in our schools, our government, our workplaces, our day-to-day lives anymore. What moral yardstick can stand up against this culture awash in moral ambiguity? Of course, the moral yardstick that has been the guide for people for thousands of years; God’s Law.

But why God’s Law? Certainly, this is not an acceptable standard to much of our society today. Even among Christians, God’s Law is more of a take-it-or-leave-it affair. Often times, Christians use God’s Law as a way to judge others as less acceptable than themselves. It is often with angry expressions and angry voices that Christians point the finger at unbelievers while indulging and excusing their own sin.

Matthew 7:1-5:

Do not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

When Christians speak to each other or to unbelievers about their sins, they must be certain of their motivation. Is it to judge others? Is it to make ourselves feel superior? If these are our motives then we are judging others and God, in turn, will judge us harshly. This is why we must be sure that we are constantly asking God to help us turn from sin, so that we will not only stop sinning against Him, but so that we can be credible witnesses to others.

If our motives are pure, we should not be afraid to be honest with people about their sins. This prepares their heart for the good news of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. However, if we stop at pointing out sin but do not share the forgiveness of Jesus with them, then what is the point of our speaking? It is to serve ourselves and not God.

We have very good news to tell unbelievers about their circumstance. Yes, their current circumstance is truly grave but they can be freed from the the eternal punishment for their lives of sin.

This, however, is a difficult thing to do in the current culture we find ourselves in. Pointing out one’s sins to them is almost certain to offend those who have no reverence for God’s moral law. Truly, anything that contradicts the moral law they have established for themselves is seen as accusatory and judgmental. Is it judgmental to tell someone their true condition? Is a doctor judging or condemning the cancer patient when he tells them they are dying? Surely not. However, The Bible says that God’s Law is written on our hearts. Our conscience makes us feel uncomfortable when we are confronted with God’s Law and are found guilty. This, along with a lifetime of being told we have the right not to be made to feel uncomfortable, explains the reaction when we confront people with God’s Law. Far from being afraid of this reaction, it should be a sign to us that God’s Law is doing it’s work. The person we are speaking to may be, for the first time, coming to know of their sin because of the Law.

Psalms 19:7 reminds us:

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

Unfortunately, many Christians, being influenced by our current culture, fear this confrontation. We fear the reaction that the Law is intended to create. Is this because we have bought into what the culture has preached about not offending people? Are we avoiding the saving humility that comes when people have the knowledge of their sins? Too often, the answer is “yes”.

Instead, we play along with the moral relativism of the culture. We not only tell others that their sins are not really sins, but we ourselves indulge in sinful things because we too do not want to be told that what we are doing is wrong. We comfort ourselves with the idea that “at least I’m not sinning like that person is.” No where in The Bible does it say that God grades on a sliding scale. Quite the opposite.

Romans 3:23:

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

James 2:10:

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.

All too often we are more concerned about being accepted by people and not at all concerned with what God expects of us. We do not want to offend because we do not want people to dislike us or worse, finger us as one of those “narrow-minded Christians”. We are more concerned about what people will think of us than we are about helping them know the only way to be saved from their sins. We tell the cancer patient that they are just fine and, therefore, have no need of the treatment that will cure them.

We must always remember what Jesus taught in John 15:19:

If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

It is no surprise that the world does not want to hear what The Bible says about their sin; but we cannot be afraid to tell the truth to people. It is the truth that will inform them of their true condition and their need for rescue.

Sadly, many churches have adopted this practice of appeasement. Many churches and many Christians have chosen to ignore or explain away parts of The Bible that are politically incorrect or uncomfortable. Others have chosen to preach The Gospel without The Law and by doing so remove the justification for The Gospel of Jesus. If there is no sin, if one can simply live a good life, then Jesus becomes a lifestyle choice, a philosophy. Jesus did not come to earth to be a philosopher but to be the sacrificial lamb upon which our sins were placed.

Is it no wonder that, in a recent Pew Research study, 43% of Christians believed that atheists could go to heaven by living a good life? This is what the perversion of God’s Law has lead to; a complete misunderstanding of why Jesus died and rose again for our sins. When nearly half of Christians believe that people can avoid the eternal consequences for their sins by living, what they think, is a good life; then we know for sure that the morality of the culture has won out over the morality of God.

We should, however, not be surprised by this. The Bible predicted this time would come.

2 Timothy 4:2-4:

preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.

Many Christians today, and many Christian churches, have turned aside to myths. They have created their own doctrine that is acceptable to a sinful, self-indulgent culture. New-age Christianity promises eternal happiness in this life and the next, without Jesus, without surrendering the desire for sinful things and sinful living. Many have accumulated for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.

This is a truly sad state because the truth is so much more wonderful. The Devil has once again convinced many that a lie is better than the truth. The truth is that God can change our hearts so that we will not want our sins. We don’t need to settle for a finely decorated prison cell; being locked up with our sins. God can free us from that cell. We don’t have to butcher God’s Word and ignore the parts we are uncomfortable with. We can, through His power, be freed from the desire for these sins. We do not have to make excuses for our sins.

Many people rely on the old excuse that “God made me this way.” While it is true that we are by nature sinful creatures, it is hardly God’s doing that we are in the mess we’re in. It is interesting that even those who do not believe in God will acknowledge that there are things they do that are undesirable and beyond their power to control. These things are certainly true; however, rather than excusing our sinful behavior away and rejecting God because of our sin, we can surrender ourselves to God and ask Him to change our sinful nature. Rather than giving up because of our own weakness, we can rely on God’s strength to help us.

Jesus told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9:

And he said unto me, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Rather than ignoring or excusing our sin away, we must confess our sins and ask God for forgiveness. We must claim the price that Jesus paid for our sins. If we do this, we will not be held eternally liable for our sins but rather will have complete forgiveness.

Psalms 103:12:

As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

If we truly believe that we are saved; if we truly understand what Jesus did for us, then we will not want to continue to sin against Him. We will not want to make excuses for our sins. We will truly believe in the promise that God made to us in 2 Corinthians 5:17:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

We are new creations. The old sins and the old desires have passed away. If we ask God to change our hearts; if we ask God to protect us from temptation, He will. We need, however, to want Him to do this.

It is sad to think of all the people, particularly those who claim to be Christians, who are still holding on to certain sinful desires. They hold on to them because they may have a particular predisposition to lustful things, to anger, to greed, to pride. They hold on to them because they cannot see how they could possibly live without them. They hold on because they feel helpless to stop their desires. But none of these things are too strong for God. He can change us. He can be the strength for us. We do not have to overcome these things on our own. If we ask God to help us; if we ask God to make an escape for us out of tempting situations, He will do it. If we do what He tells us and pray every day to ask for His help; if we read The Bible every day so that we have His Word to counter the excuses of the world and the weakness of our flesh, then we can be freed from this prison of sin.

Above all, we must want to not sin against God. We must ask God to give us the desire to serve Him, to live the way He wants us to live. We must ask for His help to not willfully sin against Him.

Hebrews 10:26-27:

For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.

If we do this, He will rescue us. He will give us the desire to live the way He wants us to live. We will not have to make excuses. We will not have to undermine and call into question the credibility of The Bible in order to deny our sin. We will not have to undermine our own faith in order to indulge our sinful nature.

This is the amazing grace and mercy of God. We do not need to be afraid to tell people about God’s Law and what He expects of us. We can tell them the wonderful truth; that we are all sinners and have need of saving, and God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die in our place, to take the punishment we deserve. Not only did He do this to give us a life with Him in eternity, but He also gave us an escape from our desire to sin in this life as well. Will we be tempted in this life? Yes. Will we sometimes fall into sin? Sadly, yes. But we will not make excuses for our sins. We will not defend our sins. We will beg God for forgiveness and ask Him to help us to turn away and resist temptation.

1 John 1:9:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

As Christians, we must first make sure we are living the way God wants us to live. We have to be sure that we are not making excuses for our sins.

2 Corinthians 13:5:

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you– unless indeed you fail the test?

Then we must be bold and share the good news of Jesus with those who are not yet saved. We must not fear how the world will view us. We must not fear making people uncomfortable. But we must also not stop with merely point out sin. We must use this knowledge of sin to show the amazing grace of God, and share the wonderful news, that Jesus took our punishment for us; that through Him, people can be freed from their sinful desires. They need not settle for a finely decorated prison cell. They need not live in willful sin and risk undermining their faith.

As Christians, we have good news to bear. It is uncomfortable for people to hear at first. It is uncomfortable to tell to people. But it makes the miracle of God’s forgiveness and the promise of a new creation even more amazing. Let us, through God’s Holy Spirit, be bold and joyful bearers of this wonderful news!