The 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination recently passed. The efforts taken to commemorate the event through television programs, magazines, newspapers, and internet proved successful. The minds of those who lived in that time were taken back to the tragic day. Even those who were not alive in that time period, through these different mediums, were able to get a small taste of the horrific event. I, being one of the youngsters, fall into the group of those who got the small taste. The assassination and the events surrounding it were the focus. However, I was able to glean more from these programs.

In watching the various documentaries, and reading different material, I was able to peer into the past culture. Times were changing, and are changing. There is an obvious difference between today’s culture, and the culture ‘back in the day.’ However, the desire for change is very similar. In the decade previous to the assassination people blushed at immorality. With sin came shame. Of course sin has always been present, and always will be. Yet, there was a tolerance for sin that began to appear through the progression of time. Zero tolerance for sin has never existed, save for the church. It is obvious that, for God’s people, sin should be avoided at all costs. The tolerance for sin has surrounded us. With man’s acceptance of sin today, there is a danger of this tolerance leaking into the church.

Although some of the changes during the 60’s were positive, like the Civil Rights movement, some were not so positive. The desire for morality had flown out the window. Entertainment gave way to a cultural transformation that continues to intensify today. At one time, actors playing husband and wife had separate beds, and were not seen in the same bed without their feet on the floor. However, in the change of culture, womanizing characters like James Bond introduced sex to the world of entertainment. A society that once deemed such behavior as unacceptable forced a change in the moral standard of entertainment.

It is obvious that such changes continue to occur in the present. These changes have developed into a sufferance for immorality that is abominable to the creator of the universe. Abstinence is an important part of a Christian’s life. The term is defined as holding oneself off, or refraining. Abstinence, by nature, is staying away from anything that resembles that from which you are refraining. How can you expect to abstain from something you are tolerating in your entertainment? It is illogical to do such a thing. Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, “This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Sexual immorality is not the only thing Paul tells them to avoid. “Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). Every form of evil suggests not only sexual immorality, but anything that the Lord considers evil.

The Holy Spirit gave the apostles the perfect information to communicate to mankind. Scripture has been revealed in such a way that applications can be made from it regardless of the time or setting. The apostle Paul seems to prognosticate change in culture through time when he writes to the saints in Rome to “not be conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2). The world is constantly trying to conform us to its own standard.  There will always be temptations of things contrary to Christ.

John warns that, “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). This ‘agapao,’ or ‘agape’ love is an action and not a feeling. If anyone partakes in the pleasures of sin he is loving the world. The ‘love of the Father’ is described in 1 John 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” If we love the world, then we are not keeping God’s commandments. The only way to inherit eternal life is by obedience to God. “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). “…he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12). The crown of life is promised only to those who keep the Father’s commandments. The only way this happens is if the love of God abides in us. The only way for the love of God to abide in us is if we abstain from sinful things.

Instead of treading as close to sin as possible through the observance of it in entertainment and media, we should purge these wretched and sinful things from our lives. In doing so there will be an empty space within our minds. Lest the sinful things from which we have abstained creep back in, we should fill the emptiness with those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, and of good report (cf. Philippians 4:8). We must toe the line and never stray from the instruction we have received from the Lord. It is my prayer that Christians everywhere accept the fact that the doctrine of Christ will never change, and in response, abstain from the constant movement of society toward immorality.