What moves you, drives you, causes you to change course or positions? Our contemporary culture seems to be changing at an accelerated pace. Nothing stays the same, trends are ever changing, but what moves you to change?

I was recently listening to Christian radio, where the minister was giving statistics at how swiftly we moved as a culture from having very solid beliefs on certain issues that changed drastically just ten years later.

The Apostle Paul expressly warned believers in the book of Ephesians:

So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit]. Ephesians 4:17 AMP

This scripture stands out as a flashing red light for believers to be careful and cautious to not be easily moved by every shift in opinions. The foundation for our beliefs should be on something that doesn’t shift with the times.

I remember when former President Obama was first elected and pretty much during his whole first term, he held firmly to the belief that marriage was between a man and a woman. Just a few years later, he was resoundingly promoting same-sex marriage. In CNN’s May 9, 2012 report of President Obama’s shift, they report:

Obama said in an interview with ABC News, “At a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me, personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think that same-sex couples should be able to get married.”

Obama once opposed such marriages. He later indicated his views were “evolving.” CNN

So, what dictates how we evolve from one position to one that may have been diametrically opposed to what we believed before? Is it public opinion? Is it propaganda?

Does the Bible play a role in how our views evolve? It is my opinion that we should use the Bible as our standard which I posted about a few months ago. A standard doesn’t shift or move.  A standard is used to judge the veracity of an issue, much like a plumb line is used to determine whether something is perfectly straight, upright. In the book of Amos, God uses the plumb line to execute judgment.

And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb line. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people, Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. Amos 7:8 KJV

The Bible is our plumb line, the standard we should use to determine whether an issue is consistent with the Word of God because his Word does not change.

For I am the LORD, I change not. Malachi 3:6a KJV

Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 KJV

And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13 ESV

The same Bible that was written over a span of 1500 years by 40 different writers is still is relevant for living today. It is still relevant for determining truth from error. We must test all new things against the Word of God as I Thessalonians 5:21 states, holding fast to that which is good, to that which does not change.

Thy word is a light unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105 KJV

I suppose we all evolve on issues, especially when we learn that we may be on the wrong side of an issue. The issue, however, is what do we use to determine we move from one position to another. I suggest we use the Word of God as the final arbiter.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8 ESV