God's Voice Or Instinct?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding - Proverbs 3:5
I was inspired to write this after watching a commentary video about a particular episode of a popular 70’s sitcom {featuring a single mother, raising two daughters}. The episode was about the younger daughter, age 18, debating whether or not to have sex with her boyfriend. The boyfriend was pressuring her, so she sought the advice of her mom and sister. By the end of the conversation, none of them - most importantly, the mom! - had any clear answers about how her daughter should proceed. The overall dialogue consisted of trying to come up with good reasons for/against having sex, a series of “I don’t know” statements, and “it’s okay if it’s for the right reasons, with the right person” justifications {which does nothing to clear things up}. In a later scene between the daughter and her boyfriend, she’s still unsure, explaining that she “doesn’t feel right” about having sex and that “maybe” she should just go with how she was feeling.
That same conversation, with God’s wisdom, would have gone differently. The problem lies with parents not reading the Bible with their children, teaching them the difference between right and wrong in God’s eyes. There’s nothing to discuss or think about when it comes to having sex before marriage. The answer is “NO.” It doesn’t matter what anyone thinks, or how anyone tries to justify it. God considers sex between two people a lifelong marital convenant.
One thing I want to address is that, although God was not mentioned in the episode’s dialogue, He was not totally absent. The daughter knew that what she was thinking of doing was wrong, otherwise, why would she vacillate? Why would she ask her mother for advice? Why would she voice her reluctance to her boyfriend? If something feels right, you don’t need anyone’s input. You don’t need time to think about it.
All parents dread “that conversation” with their children, but, if handled the right way, “that conversation” becomes unnecessary. I didn’t handle things properly, because I wasn’t taught Scripture. My children knew right from wrong, but not from a biblical standpoint. I didn’t fully understand the importance of applying Scripture to discipline until I read the Bible, and I really I wish I had so that I’d made better choices in my life, and taught my children properly.
Learning the Commandments, and the consequences for breaking them, at an early age is extremely important. Children have to know, from early on, that every thought, word, action will be judged, and that God is the only one we must be right with, when the time comes. Children must also be aware that leading others to sin, and away from God, is a grave sin.
We inherently know when something is wrong. Our instincts set off alarm bells which cause us to hesitate, giving us time to think about and justify what we’re about to do. God put that instinct within us for a reason, but we need His wisdom to help us make the right choice. The only question that matters in such a situation is: When I’m standing alone, in front of God, how will He judge me, according to what I’m about to do?
There’s your answer.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. - 2 Corinthians 5:10