"When asked the greatest threat to the country over the next several decades, four times as many citizens cite a moral decline than worry about an economic recession." This was a finding from a survey conducted by The Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal, March 5, 1998 The survey also reported, "It's not so much that standards are being abandoned: they are being redefined or reshaped to reflect contemporary realities. And there are palpable tensions between traditional standards and tolerance." A subheading of that article reads, "Bedrock Morals Coexist Uneasily With Desire to 'Live and Let Live.' "
Why does morality matter? One reason is that its absence is so harmful. Statistics reporting the conditions resulting from a lack of morals are sobering if not heartbreaking. For instance, it's partly because of an explosion of out-of-wedlock births that one out of every four American children will be growing up without a father's supporting love. It is critical that each of us be clear on the importance of a moral standard in our lives, on what it is, and how to adhere to it.
The Bible provides a moral anchor for humanity. Not only does it present a code of conduct that has proved to foster strong families and societies; it also gives us direction on how to abide by this standard.
