Title

The Moral Collapse of the Modern Church, Standing Firm in God’s Design

Author, Show, Date

Dave Jenkins | Contending for the Word | Weekly Watch

Show Summary

In this episode of Weekly Watch, Dave Jenkins addresses one of the clearest signs of spiritual crisis in our day, massive confusion about sexual ethics. As cultural pressure rises and biblical clarity is treated as unloving, many churches are drifting on marriage, gender, sexuality, and moral boundaries. This episode calls Christians to stand firm in God’s good design, speak the truth with gentleness and respect, and hold out the gospel that transforms sinners.

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Key Scriptures

• Genesis 1:27
• Genesis 2:24
• Hebrews 13:4
• 1 Corinthians 6:18–20
• Romans 1:24–27
• 1 Corinthians 6:9–10
• Matthew 19:4–6
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3
• 1 Peter 3:15
• 2 Timothy 2:24–25
• Galatians 5:22–23

Episode Highlights

• Why sexual confusion is a clear sign of spiritual crisis in the church.
• The root issue, rejecting God’s authority leads to rejecting God’s design.
• Cultural pressures shaping evangelical thinking (autonomy, expressive individualism, fear of offense).
• God’s design is good, protective, and aimed at human flourishing.
• How to contend with clarity, gentleness, and gospel hope.

Full Article

This December we have been looking at the state of theology and what it reveals about the health of the local church. Today’s topic is one of the clearest signs of spiritual crisis in our times, massive confusion about sexual ethics. The drift is real, it is in our pews, our youth groups, and even in pulpits, and it is driven by a rejection of God’s authority. When you remove God’s authority, you remove God’s design, and people fill that vacuum with whatever they want.

Scripture does not begin with restrictions, it begins with design. God created humanity as male and female (Genesis 1:27), and He established marriage as a covenant union between one man and one woman for life (Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:4–6). God’s boundaries are not barriers to joy, they are pathways to joy, because God’s design protects human flourishing, strengthens families, and reflects the covenant love of Christ and His church.

The Bible is also clear that sexual sin is sin, whether heterosexual or homosexual (Romans 1:24–27; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10), and God’s will for His people is sanctification, that we abstain from sexual immorality (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
If we cannot name sin, we cannot proclaim salvation. But the good news is that Jesus saves sinners, including those caught in sexual sin. We do not mock, we do not minimize, we point people to Christ from the Word of God with compassion and clarity.

In a world that treats truth as offensive and morality as optional, Christians must stand firm in the goodness of God’s design. We must be ready to give an answer for the hope we have with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15),
and we must correct opponents with gentleness (2 Timothy 2:24–25), because biblical clarity is always a kindness.

Takeaways / Reflection Questions

• Where have you noticed cultural assumptions shaping your thinking more than Scripture?
• How can you speak truth with both clarity and compassion this week?
• What passages should you study to strengthen your convictions about God’s good design?

Call to Action

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