Over the years, in the world of spelling, grey has turned to gray.  We thought we would cover both American and British English!  Carl Sanburg correctly made the distinction.  In contemporary mores or values, gray deals with "an ill-defined area of activity that does not readily conform to an existing category or set of rules.”  The problem is that we therefore find ourselves living in a post-rule world with no set of rules.

At one time in our culture almost everything was black and white, with, on rare occasions, a thin gray line separating our two moral or ethical poles.  Today black and white becomes two thin, and oftentimes invisible, lines.   However, when we let the Bible speak, we find that God has not, and does not change.  God’s unchangeableness is expressed by James, the brother of the Lord, as "the father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

In other words, that which was an abomination in the first century is still an abomination in the twenty first century.  All the intellectual gainsayers in Hollywood and Academia will not and cannot change this immutable fact.  We will stand before the Christ in the final day "that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).   As the poet Kipling expressed it, "the sins we do two by two we answer for one by one.”

The contemporary cry in the pulpit is, "come as you are.”  The assembly dress code for the worship of Jehovah was never "contemporary casual.”  Traditionally, our forefathers had a "Sunday-go-to-meeting” suit.  If someone was really poor, two rules applied.  (1) It was to be the best he had, and (2) it was to be clean.  Too often Christians, who ought to know better, come to observe the Lord’s Supper to commemorate His death dressed more casually than they would to a funeral commemorating the death of a friend or relative.

The moral drift of our nation is leading to a shipwreck on the rocks of ethical bankruptcy (to mix our metaphors).  Our politicians, including presidents, lie without embarrassment.  Our children are taught white lies are acceptable.  Not that kids have a problem with lying, after all, "the dog did eat my homework,” even though we have no dog.  Character does count.  Speaking (OK - writing) of lying, God points out that, "all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).  In the same verse "the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murders, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters” are included. 

In conclusion, although grey is gray no matter how you spell it, God still operates in black and white.  Come the final Judgment, He will be the judge, and our sentences will be by his laws and not our hope-sos.

Dale I. Royal,

Elk City OK