Tradition can be a problem, at least for me. We see things that are now accepted in our society, even ingrained in the society that are not going away and yet are not moral. Tradition and social custom are not necessarily valid guides to the Christian in various matters. As well, the world view is problematic as we are living in a fallen or flawed world. When the laws of man conflict with God’s laws, I think we ought to pay attention to and adhere to God’s laws. His laws are meant to protect us from our own self-destructive tendencies. (In other words, do what is right, even when it is not popular.)

One thing for the Christian to bear in mind, especially in these challenging times, is to make use of the larger ethical principles contained in the Bible. The Bible does not give specific and explicit instructions about every issue we deal with these days. It is distressing to me that not a few Christians seem to assume that if a specific activity (or birth control regimen or device) is not specifically prohibited in the Bible, it is therefore permissible. This is not necessarily so. Sometimes, we have to use our reasoning ability and look at the larger picture. (I addressed this in an essay on my blog back in March.)