Have you ever heard of the word Pragmatism? It’s a word that is not often used but it is, however, seriously embedded in our culture today. Pragmatism is defined as someone who sees no difference between fact, truth and values. Pragmatism is known as a broad humanistic reflection where the individual sees no test in morals beyond what absolutely matters to that individual. To try and put it into a different perspective, in 2020, Arizona Christian University published a paper where fundamental research was done on how American’s view God as the basis of truth and morality. The study showed that over 58% of adults surveyed believed that moral truth is strictly up to the individual. While this research reflects a stunning find where God is truly being rejected more fluently than possibly ever before, only 43% of those surveyed embrace an absolute truth in God’s word. According to the article, those under the age of 30 are much less likely to select God as the basis of truth and then to draw their own moral standards to self. While I have no comment on these findings, I will say this, if we hold to our core values, principles and morals above God, we are most certainly doomed. Our world is changing by the moment. This isn’t new! We don’t have to look far to see the results of Pragmatism. What once was immoral is now considered moral and what once was considered sinful is becoming more tolerated. Sin seems to be accepted rather than rejected. So, what changed in our culture? Our core values—not God. No matter how you dish it out friends, if our judicial articles of law in the land are changed to satisfy mankind’s desire, our core values should NOT suffer based upon man’s view. In starting our journey this morning, we are going to dive into our core values and what it means for us and most importantly what Gods words says about them.
I remember my late grandmother told me once that when she was a little girl in school, she never learned about the earth. Which way the sun came up and set, what true north and magnetic north was and so on and she lived out her days without that knowledge. While I cannot really say that knowledge would have benefited her in life, I will tell you that without core values of God to help instruct us in the true and correct ways, out life would be meaningless and without hope. We cannot live without core Godly values. We need direction.
A couple was hiking in the vast wilderness of British Columbia and as they traveled, every so often they would stop, take out their map and verify their location. This went on for several hours as they thoroughly enjoyed the hike, until they realized they were going in circles. The women said to her husband, “Are you using that compass right?” Perplexed he looked at her, “Of course. Whats so hard about using a compass.” They kept traveling on and on and finally the women just got fed up as it was starting to get dark, and she arguably told her husband we are turning around right now. He looked at compass and there in fine printed was the text “Toy’s R Us, made in China.” They were using the wrong type of compass for such an important venture.
Let me ask you this morning. What compass are you steering by? Where did your core values originate from? We are not talking about values like opening the card door for the ladies or showing up to work on time every day, or being courteous in saying hello, please and thank you. We are talking about core values that reign and govern us to the point that we would be willing to die for them; no substitution would take its place. So let us reinvest ourselves this morning and look at Paul’s first epistle to the people of Corinth. As you may recall, this letter was written in such a way to help identify the sin problem with the people. It is even suggested that Corinth was one of the most frustrating and dysfunctional churches in the early church. Starting at verse 18. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the understanding of those who have understanding, I will confound.” 20 Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
When I read this, I find Paul is showing us that people sometimes are just too smart for their breeches. We think we have all the wisdom, knowledge and power we need to rule, be successful and to just live life, when in fact, Proverbs 2 tells us “For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” As well as chapter 9 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. So if what scripture tells us is true, why is the cross of Christ so foolish to some and powerful to others?
Especially in the early church, Christians, that is followers of Jesus the Christ, refused to give any adoration or acknowledgement to any other God except to the great I AM—the one true God. Most romans would be ecstatic to welcome another god to worship, as their philosophy was the more the merrier. It’s almost like people today are saying “Come on Jesus, join the ranks with the rich and famous of the world. Why are you such a spoiled sport in trying to ruin our good times of pleasure? We are not hurting anyone. Pornography is ok, it’s just our imagination. It isn’t like drugs or alcohol really hurt us; didn’t scientist prove that we can do it on occasion without affects? Jesus, I live a good life. I don’t kill no one. I help someone every now and then. I am my own person. I am that I am. Why is that so bad?” And the list goes on and on…I cannot help but to be drawn to the start of the original sin that we find in Genesis. Satan himself tempted Eve to simply throw doubt her way. “Did God really say this and that?” “Are you really sure you heard it right?” Regardless of how mistaken Eve was, both Adam and Eve, like us today, will be held accountable for our sins without excuse! The core values that shine brightly in scripture paves a way to why God gave us the most Holy of all commands to live by which we will be looking at shortly! It’s a real and true principle that is designed for us to not only live a life of Godly value but to always acknowledge, worship and honor the living God of all creation. But you see friends, If Jesus joined the ranks of other worldly gods, then absolutely nothing would be able to save us from our sin!
So why do some people claim the Cross is foolish and others is power? It’s actually very simple. It all comes down to core values of strength versus weakness. Foolishness of the Cross verses the Love of Power. To live is Christ and to die is gain. The foolish friends are about self-whereas the wise are all about God. The foolish are about what is to gain and the wise are all about loving and worshiping the living God. The foolish seek to satisfy whereas the wise seek only to serve. The foolish desire lusts of the flesh whereas the wise seek only to please the one true God. Pragmatism doesn’t fit the life of a Christian. And in closing I want to ensure that you know for sure and for certain what Christ is telling us to do by placing our core values solely on God’s instructions. Jesus himself tells us John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep My commandments.” God’s core values. So let us look at these commandments this morning. In Exodus chapter 20, we see what God gave us from Mount Sinai that His instructions were designed to help mankind grow and not allow sin to rule in our lives. As we go through this, I would like for you to notice two things. 1 These Laws tells us of Gods moral character and 2, These laws reveal the failure of mankind.
You shall have no other gods before Me.
What ever holds the supreme place in a person’s life is a god.
You shall make no idols.
God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit.
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Gospel of Matthew tells us “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
Keep the Sabbath day holy. We seem to always be busy and need physical rest and spiritual rest. We need the Sabbath or God would not have made it for us. Jesus said that it was “made for man” and that He Himself is the Lord of the Sabbath.
Honor your father and your mother.
In Ephesians 6:2, the apostle Paul says that this is “the first commandment with promise” and God will not go back on His promise. Children owe their parents love, obedience, respect, and helpfulness.
You shall not murder.
God forbids murder, the unlawful taking of human life in private vengeance. Life is sacred, no matter how old we are!
You shall not commit adultery.
Do we need a greater regard for the sanctity of the home today? Do we need more honest obedience to marriage vows between a man and women? Do we need more husbands and wives true to each other? What is the answer? You know the answer. It is YES! A thousand times!
You shall not steal.
Thievery is more common than not. What someone else has and you desire to obtain ungodly is the problem. Greed, envy and lust.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
In Revelation 22:15, “whoever loves and practices a lie” will be outside the gates of the New Jerusalem, and in Revelation 21:27 “But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”
You shall not covet.
[NEXT SLIDE] In Romans 7:7 the apostle Paul says that he would not have known what sin was, unless the law had said. God's commandments point out sin.
Now, we are not done yet! Jesus gave us two more commandments. And [NEXT SLIDE] He said to him, ”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Friends, our Godly core values, we each need to cherish. Just like that couple using the wrong compass in the wilderness, we too must be very careful of what compass we use. The world may say it’s ok, but the real and true question should be, what does God say about it? Am I truly in line with His core values that are designed to help us grow in life and love, or are we headed down the wrong path? Let us re-evaluate our core values today friends to ensure we indeed are in line with God’s true message of love. Amen.