The top three news stories of this past week reveal the unbelievable morality of our present culture. What kind of world is this where the man whose DNA matched the baby of a celebrity jumped with joy as if he just won the lottery, yet it is okay that this woman had sex with so many men that there was even a question as to whose baby it could have been? What kind of world is this where three college students can be acquitted of raping an "exotic dancer," yet it is okay that they were getting drunk and partying with a stripper? What kind of world is this where a radio talk show host gets fired for saying the same words that rap and hip-hop artists have used to win national music awards? These things make absolutely no sense, but such is the inevitable result of a culture that has rejected God (cf. Rom. 1:21-32)!

What is worse, however, is when this lack of moral compass is revealed in the Lord's church. Does it make any sense that some churches of Christ are removing the name "Christ" from the sign in front of their building and opting for a community church name instead? Why would people be ashamed of the name, "Christ"? Do they not know that salvation is in that name (Acts 4:12)? Does it make any sense that some are wanting to merge with denominations? Do they not know that Christ only has one church (Mt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27; Col. 1:18)? Does it make any sense that some are allowing mechanical instruments of music in their worship, women to serve as elders, and a host of other practices unauthorized by God? Do they not know that God has given us a pattern revealed in the Bible (Rom. 6:17; Phil. 3:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17)?

Such foolishness is inevitable when God's people reject Him. God is rejected when we fail to know the Bible. God said, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hos. 4:6). Hosea reveals that this lack of knowledge was not just plain ignorance, but a refusal to want to learn and/or retain what God revealed (cf. Hos. 2:13). We also reject God when we are friends of the world. James wrote, "whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (Jas. 4:4). Not knowing God's will makes it impossible for us to follow Him. Being friends of the world makes it impossible to please Him. Let us learn the will of God, live by it, and forever stand upon it.