In Exodus (20:1-17) and in Deuteronomy (5:4-21) we read the Ten Commandments God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. These were commands given to the nation of Israel to provide an ethical foundation for their lives, and their worship of God. They were given so that Israel could maintain their covenant relationship with God. “The commandments were no so much prohibitions as they were statements of what is not done in covenant relations. They give a picture of the way a man would want to live who was in right relation with God.” (God, Man, and Salvation, p. 97).
The biblical law, as exemplified in the Ten Commandments, directly relates religion to morality. Morality is defined as conforming to the rules of right conduct. In other words, virtuous behavior. The Ten Commandments can rightly be seen as the the way to prevent cultural decay. The law was given by God because of His grace; not as a means to gain God’s favor, but as a “means whereby men could show their gratitude for God’s favor.” (G, M, and S, p. 97)
In turn the Ten Commandments allow us to follow the decline of moral behavior that leads to cultural decay. When the principles of morality are weakened, or completely ignored, cultural decline is inevitable. We can therefore juxtapose the principles, broadly set forth in the Ten Commandments, against the apparent acceptance of behaviors in our culture today, to reveal some of the warning signs of our cultural decline.
The opposite of immoral behavior is virtuous behavior. In AD 590 Pope Gregory standardized a list of sins in what we now often refer to as the seven deadly sins. This list defines virtuous behavior by describing exactly the opposite, immoral behavior. These reversely show the value of moral behavior. Therefore we can also reveal some warning signs of our cultural decline by juxtaposing these seven deadly sins against the behavior widely accepted in today culture.
To effectively counteract cultural decay we must first recognize the warning signs. Unfortunately many such warnings have been ignored for so long that it will not be easy for them to be overcome. Therefore it will take a tireless effort to regain the values on which our nation has relied and grown.