April 2, 2023

The Disappearance of Any Moral Compass

In the Epistle of Barnabas, we read of advice, or a warning, for the people to “walk in the ordinances of the Lord.” By doing such a follower would stand to inherit the Kingdom of God. Doing the opposite would result in “death” – both physical and spiritual.

I have written at this website for many years about the decay of our moral compass, i.e. the Ordinances of the Lord. For the decades that I have lived, I have repeatedly been told that “kids aren’t any different today than they used to be,” or that “I have faith in my fellow man that he will do the right thing.” Will he? Does he even know the difference?

Not unlike the boiling frog syndrome, are we actually aware of the direction we have taken as a society? It appears to me that all things have become relative. If you take the time to read the below epistle and the advice contained, then ask yourself how you are doing in regards.

Epistle of Barnabas, Chapter 19: Barnabas 19:1
This then is the way of light, if anyone desiring to travel on the
way to his appointed place would be zealous in his works. The
knowledge then which is given to us whereby we may walk therein is as
follows.
Barnabas 19:2
Thou shalt love Him that made thee, thou shalt fear Him that created
thee, thou shalt glorify Him that redeemed thee from death; thou
shalt be simple in heart and rich in spirit; thou shalt not cleave to
those who walk the way of death; thou shalt hate everything that is
not pleasing to God; thou shalt hate all hypocrisy; thou shalt never
forsake the commandments of the Lord.
Barnabas 19:3
Thou shalt not exalt thyself, but shalt be lowly minded in all
things. Thou shalt not assume glory to thyself. Thou shalt not
entertain a wicked design against thy neighbor; thou shalt not admit
boldness into thy soul.
Barnabas 19:4
Thou shalt not commit fornication, thou shalt not commit
adultery, thou shalt not corrupt boys. The word of God shall not
come forth from thee where any are unclean. Thou shalt not make a
difference in a person to reprove him for a transgression. Thou shalt
be meek, thou shalt be quiet, thou shalt be fearing the words
which thou hast heard. Thou shalt not bear a grudge against thy
brother.
Barnabas 19:5
Thou shalt not doubt whether a thing shall be or not be. Thou shalt
not take the name of the Lord in vain. Thou shalt love thy
neighbor more than thine own soul. Thou shalt not murder a child by
abortion, nor again shalt thou kill it when it is born. Thou shalt
not withhold thy hand from thy son or daughter, but from their youth
thou shalt teach them the fear of God.
Barnabas 19:6
Thou shalt not be found coveting thy neighbors goods; thou shalt not
be found greedy of gain. Neither shalt thou cleave with thy soul to
the lofty, but shalt walk with the humble and righteous. The
accidents that befall thee thou shalt receive as good, knowing that
nothing is done without God. Thou shalt not be double minded nor
double tongued.
Barnabas 19:7
Thou shalt be subject unto thy masters as to a type of God in shame
and fear. Thou shalt not command in bitterness thy bondservant or
thine handmaid who set their hope on the same God, lest haply, they
should cease to fear the God who is over both of you; for He came not
to call with respect of persons, but to call those whom the Spirit
hath prepared.
Barnabas 19:8
Thou shalt make thy neighbor partake in all things, and shalt not say
that anything is thine own. For if ye are fellow partakers in that
which is imperishable, how much rather shall ye be in the things
which are perishable. Thou shalt not be hasty with thine own tongue,
for the mouth is the snare of death. So far as thou art able, thou
shalt be pure for thy soul’s sake.
Barnabas 19:9
Be not thou found holding out thy hands to receive, and drawing
them in to give. Thou shalt love as the apple of thine eye every
one that speaketh unto thee the word of the Lord.
Barnabas 19:10
Thou shalt remember the day of judgment night and day, and thou
shalt seek out day by day the persons of the saints, either laboring
by word and going to exhort them and meditating how thou mayest save
souls by thy word, or thou shalt work with thy hands for a ransom for
thy sins.
Barnabas 19:11
Thou shall not hesitate to give, neither shalt thou murmur when
giving, but thou shalt know who is the good paymaster of thy reward.
Thou shalt keep those things which thou hast received, neither adding
to them nor taking away from them. Thou shalt utterly hate the Evil
One. Thou shalt judge righteously.
Barnabas 19:12
Thou shalt not make a schism, but thou shalt pacify them that contend
by bringing them together. Thou shalt confess thy sins. Thou shalt
not betake thyself to prayer with an evil conscience. This is the
way of light.

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