I had the privilege this year to meet with a group of senior guys on Wednesday evenings. As their graduation quickly approaches, they are getting ready to experience a whole new world of freedom and responsibility. Whether they are going to college or the work force, their faith will be challenged intellectually and morally. I spent a few weeks discussing with them the topic of keeping the faith when you graduate. As you know, a large majority of students drop out of church when they graduate high school. We then discussed 12 questions they need to settle before they graduate. Actually, these are 12 questions all believers need to settle. The world has its answers and so do the Scriptures. It all comes down to how you answer question #1 – what will be your authority?
- What will be the authority in your life? What will guide your decisions and direction?
- How can you keep your life pure and free from regret, greed, lust, pornography, pride, etc.?
- What should be your standard for dating/marriage?
- How should you treat/relate to women?
- What is your goal and ambition in life?
- Is homosexuality a valid alternative lifestyle or is it a sexually immoral sin just like adultery and fornication?
- Should we pursue our fleshly desires (heart) because that’s who “God created us to be” or should we submit our desires to the Lordship of Christ and only pursue what pleases Him and leads to life?
- Is gender fluid? On a spectrum? Non-binary? Do we choose our gender? Or is gender binary and determined by God our Creator?
- Is marriage defined by man or decided upon based on a sense or feeling of “love” or does God define marriage and love?
- How should believers work toward racial harmony and justice? Utilizing/adopting categories from CRT and intersectionality? Or utilizing/adopting biblical categories for the human condition and gospel living?
- How do you fight against anxiety and worry?
- How do you resist becoming an angry, frustrated, bitter person?
The Bible has THE answers for all of the questions our culture asks and our students face!
