TITLE: Legislating Morality

TEXT: 1 Timothy 1:8-11

PROPOSITION: We must seek to live by the moral code of God.

QUESTION: Why?

KEY WORD: Reasons

SCRIPTURE READING: Same

INTRODUCTION:

1. Some of the thoughts are quotes are from Legislating Morality, by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek, Bethany House, 1998
2. Moral values on the decline in last 3 decades.
3. People turn to the government for help.
4. 1994 – Religious Right "Moral Majority" began seeking to control congress
5. Answer – "You can't legislate morality."
6. Democrats – Food stamp bill (1995) – lost the fight and said
   Rep. La Garza (TX) "We have a responsibility – a moral responsibility to the people."
   Others called the Republican bill "Immoral and mean-spirited."
7. You can't have it both ways.

Biblical – Examine the text

The law is good.

1. Verse 8 – The law is good – use it lawfully (properly).
2. Laws were not made for good, decent, law-abiding citizens.
3. Laws are passed when there is unfairness, cheating.

 

Define the terms.

1. Lawless – not subject to laws, insubordinate – not obey commands
2. Ungodly – irreverent, sinners – law breaker
3. Unholy – wicked, profane – cross threshold, leave the house of God

Crimes.

1. Murder – willful taking of human life
2. Fornicators – Unfaithful to their spouse
3. Sodomites – Homosexual acts
4. Kidnappers – (Slave-traders) profit in human flesh
5. Liars – speak what you know to be false
6. Perjurers – not keep your promise or oath
7. Contrary to sound doctrine – And such like (Galatians 5:21)

Logical – Think about it

All laws ARE MORAL in nature.

2. Look at the list above
3. Traffic laws – speed, stop, no passing
4. Civil Rights laws, Abortion,
5. Taxes – IRS Code – adjusting to keep it fair
   Marriage penalty, adjust deductions for inflation
6. When you see something that is immoral – "There ought to be a law."
7. Legislating morality is not only constitutional, but unavoidable and necessary.
   The only question is "Whose morality should be legislated?"

Whose morality?

1. Republicans, Democrats, Reform party, Green party?
2. Catholics, Methodists, Baptists?
3. Mine, yours, OR God's morality?