The identity of a people called out and sanctified with a divine mandate is not in the structural edifices that are symbols of their presence but in the unity of their faith. The church, the voice and conscience of the society, is faced with emerging trends and issues of a world at a fast pace with globalization and modernization flanked on both sides of the truth. One of these issues as it relates to individuals in the society which includes the church is sexuality. So the church is faced with two inevitable options; conform to the world's global trends or stand on the truth for which its known for.
Etymologically, the term "church" from the greek translated word "ecclesia" simply means "people called out". It implies people separated and united by their faith and belief, different and unique from the rest. Our Lord Jesus paraphrased this meaning in Matt 5:13-14, " You are the salt of the earth....the light of the world" refering to specific people. Irrespective of denomination or sect, the church is a group of people called out from the world, whose lifestyle are different and tasty like the salt and shows the light of the way to the Truth for the world to see. It goes beyond a physical building or structure as beautiful as it may look but a body of people called out. Thus, the church is the light and salt of the society. It is the moral guide and guard to the world, the voice and conscience of the contemporary society.
The contemporary society which is the society of today, has experienced impact of modernization and development at different spheres of life. With advanced science and technology, the society has become "customized", life made easier and more improved. With advanced telecommunication system, transportation, industrialization, banking system, to mention but a few, the contemporary society is such that one would love to enjoy twice. However, as numerous as the advantages are the problems that characterize the contemporary society. One these negative impacts of the contemporary society is moral decadence.
Prior to the days of "Jet age", morality was a strong virtue and chastity used to be pride. Not until contemporary society evolved with promotion of nudity on t.v screens, campus, streets and even church with the invention of micro indecent wears. Morality began to lose its grip on the society, particularly among the younger generation, premarital sex became "fun" and "ok", chastity became scarce, traditional values and orientation on sexuality became forgotten. Seeing bum shots on the street became a trendy fashion, exposure of body became adorable than abominable to behold. Even among Christians, adjectives such as "You look hot, sexy, seductive" became a frequently used vocabulary, things fell apart, moral values became eroded by craze for "trendy and stylish". And so we found ourselves in such a picture of a contemporary society with the church in the middle.
There are church values, these are principles which the church holds strongly as rooted in the scriptures which is the base of the Christian faith. One of these church values is morality. As it pertains to sexuality, sex before marriage is against the church values, that means contrary to the bible. No matter the name given to it by the society such as " making love, having fun" and various slangs, it does not change the stand of the church or the bible towards sex. Although the church, with respect to different denominations, seems to be silent over the issue of sex. Sex is rarely preached against and the society seems to be swallowing the voice of the church on this matter. And so in the contemporary society we see a contemporary church that manifests spiritual and charismatic gifts but sick with the sex-driven syndrome of the society.
Sure, if this were to be a sermon, it does not sound too exciting but that is what the church is meant to be, a voice, a salt and a light to the changing world.
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