What are examples of calling "evil good and good evil" in modern culture? Key Verse “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.” Isaiah 5:20 Seeing the Ancient Warning in Today’s Headlines Isaiah’s charge is not locked in the past. Each culture that drifts from God repeats the same pattern of inverting His standards. Where Culture Labels Evil as Good • Redefining marriage and sexuality – God defines marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4-6). – Culture applauds relationships Scripture calls immoral (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10), branding them “progress” or “love.” • Abortion framed as healthcare and empowerment – Psalm 139:13-16 celebrates God’s workmanship in the womb. – Modern rhetoric casts the ending of that life as a right and a moral good. • Gender self-identification hailed as authenticity – Genesis 1:27 affirms God created us “male and female.” – Society celebrates the rejection of biological sex as courageous and virtuous. • Pornography and sexualized entertainment treated as normal leisure – Jesus warns that lust in the heart violates God’s design (Matthew 5:27-28). – Mainstream media markets lust as healthy, harmless recreation. • Euthanasia promoted as compassion – Exodus 20:13 safeguards life; God alone holds the right to give and take life (Job 1:21). – Assisted suicide is celebrated as dignified mercy. • Greed and materialism branded as success – Luke 12:15 cautions, “life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” – Unchecked consumerism is praised as ambition and prosperity. • Occult practices repackaged as harmless spirituality – Deuteronomy 18:10-12 condemns witchcraft and divination. – Horoscopes, tarot, and witch-tok trends are marketed as fun self-care. Where Culture Labels Good as Evil • Public expression of biblical convictions called “hate speech” – John 15:18-19 anticipates this hostility. • Protecting unborn life portrayed as oppression – Proverbs 24:11-12 commands rescuing those being led to slaughter. • Upholding chastity mocked as “repression” – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 sets holiness as God’s will; culture ridicules purity. • Parental authority and discipline criticized as abuse – Proverbs 13:24 affirms loving correction. • Evangelism dismissed as intolerance – Acts 4:12 states salvation is only in Christ; society brands exclusive truth claims as bigotry. Why These Inversions Happen • Rejection of God’s authority (Romans 1:21-25) • Darkened understanding (Ephesians 4:17-19) • Itching ears seeking affirmation rather than truth (2 Timothy 4:3-4) Guarding Our Own Hearts • Stay anchored in Scripture’s definitions (Psalm 119:105). • Test every cultural message (1 John 4:1). • Speak truth in love, refusing to compromise (Ephesians 4:15). • Live as light in the darkness (Philippians 2:15). |
    |