The permissiveness of modern society in respect to morals and social conduct gives rise to a disease that may be called moral paralysis. The preponderance of attention given to the body and to sensual discussion presents a challenge to spiritual advances and spiritual education. It would keep one's attention on matter and material sense evidence and stifle one's spiritual development.
The belief of mind in matter is the underlying error. To come free from the mesmerism of sensual suggestion one must be willing to obey the Biblical admonition "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."James 4:7. To learn of the spiritual nature of man as the image and likeness of God is to take a large step toward breaking the paralysis of thought that supports any bondage, either to sin or to disease. Instead of avoiding the topic of sin, let's be willing to face it and to stir ourselves to see its unreality. The real man, made in God's likeness, is not a sinner, and he's not under any condemnation to suffer.
Moral paralysis comes under many guises. The popular mode today is to diagnose all ills from a strictly material standpoint, estimate all conduct from a medical analysis, and project the future in terms of physical theories. There's an obvious lack of willingness to connect one's misfortunes or suffering with one's sinful behavior or lack of moral integrity. And yet the Bible plainly explains that "as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he."Prov. 23:7.
