Moral decisions... Spiritual consequences.

Moral obedience is a hallmark of most any world religion. In Hinduism moral obedience ultimately determines your reincarnation level, in Islam it gives hope to (but, no guarantee of) salvation, and in Buddhism it reflects your opinion of the universe and ultimately your level of enlightenment. And while, moral obedience plays a prominent role in Christianity, it is the doctrine of "Salvation by grace." that separates Christianity from all other religions. As Christians we firmly believe that salvation is not earned, it is a gift of God. And that gift, is given to anyone who believes in the divinity and resurrection of Jesus with everything they are (Rom. 10: 8-10). Moral obedience is then a response born out of love to God's grace. And, we are well aware that the commands of God in scripture are simply (by commonsense standards) good for us. There are commands that inform how we are supposed to treat one another in our personal relationships, spend our money, think of other people and their possessions, and even instructions for our political convictions. But, what role (if any) does our moral obedience have in preserving and even, strengthening our spiritual faith?

Simply, can our moral disobedience prove to be a destructive force in our belief and love of God? Or, in other words, can moral disobedience crumble the foundations of a once true and earnest love and commitment for God? The following article dives into the area of sexual obedience, and it's affect on our spiritual faith.

http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/twocities/had-sex-dumped-jesus/


*Remember, legalism is when we make following the rules the solution to our problem. Jesus (throughout the gospels) and Paul (in the book of Romans) are very clear that legalism is never the solution to our problem. It is the product of following Jesus, who is the solution to our problem.  

Some questions to follow the article up with:

1. What is the difference between obedience out of love, and leagalism?
2. How does legalism shape one's thinking on obedience? And, same question for obedience out of love.
3. Why do you think our moral obedience shapes what we believe about God?
4. How can a decision to walk in moral obedience to God, rebuild and strengthen our faith in God?
5. How can I encourage my teen to see the connection between moral obedience out of love, and the resulting spiritual encouragement? Also, how can I model it for them?