“For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” – John 3:20 (NKJV)

I believe that the problem that some people have with the acknowledgement of a Supreme Being, is the concept that logically follows such acknowledgement: Moral accountability. Just as a supreme court establishes the law of the land, a Supreme Being lays down the law of the universe. Although many cases that are heard before supreme courts often do not affect our daily activities, the Law given by the Supreme Law Giver has everything to do with both our motives and actions on a very personal level.

In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court in its decision to ban the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools (Stone v. Graham) wrote,

If the posted copies of the Ten Commandments are to have any effect at all, it will be to induce the schoolchildren to read, mediate upon, perhaps to venerate and obey, the Commandments.

How disastrous it would be for students to obey the Commandments (I speak facetiously)! To their credit, the Court wrote that such an outcome would be “desirable”, but only as a matter of “private devotion.” Essentially, individual autonomy supplants unsolicited moral guidance from any outside party – especially anything with “God” attached to it.

Since many have succeeded – at least in their own imaginations – in absolving themselves from accountability to God, it becomes quite easy to discard any responsibility to their fellow man (inclusive of women). If you had no problem failing to appear in court, it wouldn’t bother you a bit to stand someone up for a lunch appointment. Unfortunately, lack of moral accountability has degenerated (though not surprisingly) into holding others responsible for your own actions. Injured while trespassing? Sue the property owner! Sick from disregarding a health warning? Sue the manufacturer!

The Bible tells us, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” – 1 Timothy 3:1-5a

When men love themselves and their sins more than anything, they will deny their accountability to the Creator. When they have turned away from the Light, they will walk a path of increasing darkness.

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” – John 8:12