West Side Church of Christ - Elkton Ky

• A Culture in Moral Free‑Fall
  • Headlines normalize what Scripture condemns; those who question it are branded judgmental.
  • The question beneath the noise: Who gets to draw the line between virtue and vice?
• Aim of This Lesson
  • Show that God’s fixed moral law is loving, protective, and transformative—never arbitrary.
  • Equip believers to discern right from wrong and to explain it with humility and conviction.

“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’” — 1 Corinthians 15:33, ESV

• Biblical Definition – Greek ēthos = “habitual pattern of behavior.”
• Illustration: A football team cannot improvise every play; it needs a playbook. Your moral code is the playbook you run every day.

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” — Judges 21:25

• Subjectivism Fails
  • Burger‑King Ethics: “Have it your way” feels freeing but ends in chaos.
  • Proverbs 14:12 – “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
• Human Limits
  • Isaiah 55:8‑9 – God’s ways are higher; our best thinking cannot outperform His wisdom.
• Real‑Life Example: The 2008 housing crash—banks, buyers, and brokers all “followed their own rules,” confident profits would never end. The result: global collapse, proving that unrestrained self‑interest implodes.

Romans 1:18‑25, ESV (excerpt)
“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God … their foolish hearts were darkened … therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts.”

• Downward Spiral
  1. Suppress truth (v. 18) →
  2. Darkened thinking (v. 21) →
  3. Disordered desires (vv. 24‑27) →
  4. Celebrated rebellion (v. 32).
• Modern Parallel: Online “cancel culture” silences dissent, then celebrates what God calls sin—exactly the pattern Paul outlines.

“There is only one lawgiver and judge, He who is able to save and to destroy.” — James 4:12

• Ultimate Courtroom
  • John 12:48 – “The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.”
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:7‑9 warns of “eternal destruction” for those who ignore that standard.
• Pastoral Note: Judgment passages grieve us, not gloat over us. They fuel loving urgency, not smug superiority.

“The Lord … is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish.” — 2 Peter 3:9

• Like a parent yanking a toddler from a hot stove, God’s “No” often prevents unseen disaster.

“Predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.” — Romans 8:29

• Hebrews 6:18 – “It is impossible for God to lie.” Therefore lying is wrong because it contradicts God’s very nature.

“The Lord disciplines the one He loves.” — Hebrews 12:6

• Analogy: Bowling bumpers—boundaries that keep novices out of the gutter until their skill grows.

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” — Isaiah 5:20

• Cultural Drift – When society constantly redraws the lines, people lose any hope of moral clarity.
• Micah 6:8 provides a fixed compass: “Do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with your God.”

1. Does it reflect God’s character?
2. Does it draw me closer to Christ?
3. Would it withstand the judgment seat of Christ? (2 Cor 5:10‑11)

• If “No” surfaces anywhere, abstain—no matter how loudly culture cheers.

• Everyone faces Christ’s bench; anyone can receive His mercy.
• Our Tone: “If God transformed me, He can transform you.”
• Call to Action:
  • Not yet a Christian? Obey the gospel today.
  • Discouraged believer? Seek help—elders, ministers, trusted friends stand ready.
• Why Hurry? God’s moral law is ultimately a love letter warning of a cliff ahead and offering the only safe path home.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely … He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:23‑24