Not open to negotiation

¹¹ For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. ¹² It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. Titus 2: 11 – 12

One of the things most noticeable in today’s society is the fact that truth is debatable and moral values are open to negotiation.  It is hard to know if this is worse than in times past but nowadays everything is open to personal opinion and debate. No one accepts what anyone says and in Britain in particular everyone’s motives are treated suspiciously.

The laws of the land are re-interpreted to suit our convenience and exceptions are made to the rule. For instance the speed limit can become the starting point of negotiating what speed I drive. Everyone knows that if caught, the police add 10% to the speed limit and then a few more miles per hour to cover error and the speed limit goes up from 70 mph to 80+ mph as I was confidently told by someone the other day. A child when told to eat their food or clean their room immediately begins to open negotiations by which they will start to do as they have been asked. A parent’s word is not accepted until they have explained why something should be done and unfortunately parents too often go along with this procedure.

If a parent’s commands and the laws of the land are open to negotiation, then God’s laws will also become debatable. Of course we live under grace and all sins are forgivable but as we see above, we do not live under grace so we can sin freely but so we can say no to ungodliness.

God gave the children of Israel a comprehensive list of laws and commandments for daily living. They had come out of slavery in Egypt and had no idea how to live as a nation. The laws  must have seemed burdensome at times.  We know there was quite a bit of grumbling and complaining by the Israelites and downright rebellion. However God did not give his laws to be difficult, overbearing or to lord it over them.   The law was given to show what sin is (Romans 7:7) so that God’s precious children could live in right relationship with their heavenly Father and one another.

In the same way parent’s need to get to grips with the rules of the family and instil them so everyone can live together in harmony and love. We also need to respect the laws of the land we live in as good for us and society not as a starting point for personal adjustment. God’s laws are not onerous but there for our benefit which is why Jesus said, ‘If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love’ (John 15: 10).  Let’s help one another live in God’s love by living Godly and upright lives and by doing what he has asked us to do without quibble or negotiation.