When do Black and White turn into Gray?

I think its safe to say that Gray is probably my favorite color. I ended up with my Martin guitar because I was looking for a "gray guitar" as said in the song "Mr. Jones" because I wanted to BE Bob Dylan.  In our society however, gray is overtaking the world, sending kind of an overcast on our moral code. The things to think about are how are we as Christians to avoid the gray areas of life, and second how do we do it without seeming like "judgemental bible thumpers" as so many non-christians like to point out.

What got me thinking about this was as I was reading Isaiah 5 tonight. God led me to verse 20 which simply stated:

20 Woe to those who call evil good 
       and good evil, 
       who put darkness for light 
       and light for darkness, 
       who put bitter for sweet 
       and sweet for bitter.

 21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes 
       and clever in their own sight.

 22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine 
       and champions at mixing drinks,

 23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe, 
       but deny justice to the innocent.

 24 Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw 
       and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, 
       so their roots will decay 
       and their flowers blow away like dust; 
       for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty 
       and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel.

So what does this mean exactly? First of all I believe we are learning in verse 20 that Isaiah was almost feeling sorry in a sense for people who start to become lax in their own standards because our standards should be God's standards. When we start to decide what is right and wrong, God definitely shows up. He is saying he feels sorry for those who say evil is good and good is evil...I can relate to that. For a long time I had the "as long as it's not hurting anybody else" or the "to each their own" mentality. I noticed that one drink every now and then became a drink pretty much every day, and the drinking led to other bad choices, I started to accept things around me, pot smoking, tv shows, music, whoever sleeping with whoever...etc...It was all the norm to me. I was learning to live in the gray area. My mind was filled with so much immorality that nothing really seemed wrong to me anymore. I became one of those who would roll my eyes at the "goodie goodies" but what I was finding that my life was empty. Even though I ran from the good, I longed for it. 

I'm not by any means saying I am holier than thou, or better by any means. I sin every day many many times. Its great to be accepted by the world isnt it? It certainly is easier. Thats probably why I let go of my biblical standards. When I was having fun with the world I was avoiding the persecution that I had dealt so much with before in my earlier years. I was having fun with my friends, involved in the drama, screwing up left and right, drinking, smoking, being hungover, depending on others, it was a vicious repetitive cycle,  and in the end, I was pretty much always let down.

Thats why I say I never REALLY knew what it was to have a relationship with Christ until my late 20's when I truly died to self and GAVE my life over to Christ. I'm not saying it was easy to give up my favorite tv shows, but as my mind became more Christ filled, the less interest I had in them. Its not like I just stopped watching things cold turkey because I was super Christian now, no way, I just let the Holy Spirit work in me, and all the sudden, I didn't care about the things I did before. Same with music, drinking, I just...stopped I had no more interest...the Holy Spirit is awesome...

I'm not saying everyone should do this, no-one is going to hell because they watch TV...I would just ask that you look at your moral code. Are we in the black and white? Our standards should be God's standards. What are we filling our minds with? Are we blind to the sex on tv now because its just the norm? What about our movies? Our books? We know what is right and wrong by reading the Word. Immersing ourselves in it. I guarantee that there is not an issue the Bible doesn't deal with. Let the Holy Spirit work in you. Love everybody. You don't have to agree with somebody, but you don't have to judge them either. Let God do the judging, love all, which is the greatest commandment. 

There are also great resources online, if you are struggling with something and you don't know if its right or wrong, or you are wondering God's standpoint. My favorite is www.gotquestions.org which provides Biblical basis for basically any question you can imagine.

 In closing just remember in developing and growing, in keeping our moral code remember to:

Obey God's commands

Stay in God's word

Remember SOLD

and PRAY PRAY PRAY

Die to yourself, and let God work in you because once he is in control its AWESOME. I can absolutely guarantee it because I am living proof.