"Teens in Hunterdon County are getting AIDS from drinking alcohol!" a research speaker told us. Well, that's not how she said it. That's how it stuck in my mind. Here's what was said: There's an alarming rise in the number of teens testing HIV positive. They are getting the disease from unprotected sex on first or second dates. They don't intend to do this, but they are. Why? Because of something they did intend to do on dates - get drunk on alcohol or drugs. But, there's never been a generation more informed about AIDS - why aren't they taking precautions? Same reason - drunkenness. Is there any sense in which this dreaded disease is a Divine judgment?
Not every case of AIDS is a judgment from God, but some of them are! "Wait a minute!" I hear a protest "how can you represent a loving God, Who will let a kid get AIDS because they broke His 'no-sex-outside-of-marriage rules' just a few times?" We misunderstand free-will and justice.
Let the same kid appear before the county judge for a speeding violation. Say the teen has a 'good' story as to why the speeding happened. In this case the judge isn't there to decide on the sentence. The law has already decided that! The only option left the judge is whether or not to have mercy. Unless the judge intervenes the law will take its preset course.
Human justice has a 'cause and effect' relationship. We got that from how God's justice works. The Bible says it so well: "The wages of sin is death". Not every AIDS case is in this category, but with the majority of infections - because most people are getting it from unprotected sexual transmission outside of marriage, AIDS is a horrible result of breaking God's rules.
To teens in Hunterdon County and all of us, God says drunkenness is a sin. He also says sex is intended for virgins entering into heterosexual marriage. He gives you the right to reject either or both or all of His laws but be sure, judgment will follow. Not in a fit of divine vindictiveness but in love. It was in love, that He has made these laws. Long before AIDS there were other sexually transmitted diseases (which our speaker indicated have also alarmingly risen in number of transmissions) God wants to protect you from many sorrows. He is merciful, but His laws are also very firm. In mercy He forgives. He is the God of many chances, but there comes a time to carry consequences.
At the end of the talk the speaker and I parted company in a major way! During question & comment time I added that teaching morality; NOT free condoms in school is our FIRST defense against the AIDS epidemic. (It isn't the policy in Hunterdon schools to distribute condoms) I claimed that moral standards are being rejected in increasing measure. She wouldn't have this and recalled that in her schooldays there was moral looseness. She felt that the level of this hasn't changed.
I was angry. My wrath isn't directed at the speaker, who is a fine communicator. I'm peeved by a teaching that spends less time on propagating abstinence than it does on pushing condoms. Indeed our speaker does try to teach abstinence as well. Just because a godless philosophy of Secular Humanism invaded our school and because TV has conditioned a generation into believing that sex outside of marriage is "normal" doesn't mean society should abandon God's time-tested laws for life. Secular Humanism is a perverted "moral democracy" The majority gets to set the norms. The bad news is - you don't get to vote on God's laws. You choose obedience or rebellion and each choice carries a result. Ultimately it's a heaven or hell issue, but even in this life there are results. Here's good news - the Judge of all the earth is exceedingly merciful and patient. Turn back to Him today. Its called repentance - do it! We're not talking about "I'm sorry I was caught." This is about a whole-hearted response to how very much God loves you and how He has a plan for what's best for you.