"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Psalms 119:18 (KJV)
Is "Religion" Relevant Today
"There is no need for religion anymore. Many of us don’t even believe there is a God!” quipped the self-proclaimed atheist.
“Is stealing wrong? I asked.
“Why of course it is!” retorted the liberal defiantly.
“Well, where did that moral standard come from?”
“I have no idea. It’s been known forever.”
“It was one of the many commandments God gave Israel 1,500 years before Christ.”
“Well, how do you know that’s true?”
“It is found in the Bible.” I continued, “Is adultery wrong?”
“Why sure. Once you are married you shouldn’t fool around.”
“That’s in the Bible, too. Is lying wrong?”
“Of course.”
“It’s also in the Bible, as are not committing idolatry, respecting God and parents, not killing, not stealing, not coveting what others have, and hundreds of other moral principles, many of which are still to be obeyed today.
“Obeying them will not guarantee anyone’s going to Heaven, but those standards must be upheld if people are to coexist. Without those guidelines, there would be anarchy, and man would destroy others and himself. See, there is a need for what you call ‘religion’. Without God’s guidelines, man would be way out of control,” I explained.
The countenance of the unbeliever had now changed. “Well, it makes sense. I never thought of it that way.”
“That’s why all the bad things are happening today. There are no moral guidelines, and every man is doing what he thinks is right. Unfortunately, ‘right’ is different for each person and is constantly changing. God created man and knows that he needs His direction. That is why He made sure all mankind would always have His wisdom. Only His way will work. The Bible, which is often mistakenly identified as ‘religion’. may be an old book, but its truths must be followed for any people to live together. It is still relevant and always will be.”
“The reason you don't like the Bible, you old sinner, is because it knows all about you!”
This article was featured in The Bible View #658.