Living Bulwark

. Helping Youth See the Truth
.
by Michael Shaughnessy,

What is so amazing about Scripture? What was written thousands of years ago continues to speak so clearly today.

Although the passage below was written to the Romans about the culture in which they lived, it could have been written to us about our culture. (It is edited for brevity.)

Paul simply notes that when we fail to honor God (obey him) our minds grow dark. That leads to
wrong behavior, which brings bad consequences, and finally the outright approval of evil.

The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against the ungodliness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Although they knew God they did not obey him as God but became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.

Therefore God gave them up to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error. They were filled with all manner of wickedness. Though they know God's decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but approve those who practice them.

- Paul's Letter to the Romans, Chapter Romans 1

Youth struggle with the desire to fit into the culture of the world around them, especially when that culture speaks strongly but wrongly.

Helping youth to see the truth amid a flood of lies is not easy. Sometimes the “naked” Scripture says it best. When we fail to obey God, the consequences lead from bad to worse.