The Bible records that Joseph, an upright and faithful servant of God, at one time was involuntarily entangled in a compromising situation with the wife of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt. Though her sinful design was cunning and aggressive, Joseph, well grounded in the moral and spiritual law, unhesitatingly refused her offers and hastily departed from her presence. For this courageous and bold act he seemed to suffer temporary punishment at the hands of his master; but in due time he rose to greater heights and recognition because of his integrity and high moral and spiritual qualities.
In the world today, evil allurements seem rampant, both subtle and blatant, tempting mankind to depart from the basic moral code as set forth by the ancient Hebrews and by Moses in the divinely inspired Ten Commandments. The immoralists of our society would have us believe that the moral law, which has been accepted as a criterion of social behavior throughout the ages, is outdated and of no practical value in this present day. Such thinking would sweep away basic and recognized standards to allow an individual to do without restriction whatever he pleases in his search for personal satisfaction and happiness.
Obedience to God's law has always meant and always will mean security, inner peace, strength, happiness, and true freedom. Moses emphasized this great fact in his admonition to the Israelites regarding the covenant that God had made with them: "Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do." Deut. 29:9; And in proportion to the Israelites' obedience to the covenant of the law they enjoyed great blessings. When they departed from it, they experienced disaster and unhappiness.
