Would we agree that all moral decisions we make have consequences? But, there is a crucial problem: Whose moral compass do we use to make moral and ethical decisions?  Do we use the populace’s moral compass, the prevailing moral compass, a religious moral compass, or the moral compass of the Scriptures?

 

Let me illustrate aviation navigation. When pilots are trained to use a compass to navigate, periodic adjustments during the flight are needed to account for the rotation of the earth in order to maintain a true and accurate course. For example, if a pilot flew from New York to Chicago, an error of one degree can have some dire consequences. “An Air Force pilot said that for every one degree, a plane gets off course, you will miss your targeted landing spot by 92 feet for every mile you fly.

From <https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=2f37674a3ad0ce97&sca_upv=1&sxsrf=ACQVn09KKRIFPPf5lHdKRPGh7y_4GDRdfQ:1711997801318&q=If+a+pilot+flew+from+New+York+to+Chicago+and+was+off+course+by+one+degree,+where+would+he+end+up?&spell=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiU27bm2KGFAxUdC3kGHThkCIIQBSgAegQICBAC&biw=1280&bih=607&dpr=1.5>

The flight from New York to Chicago is 700 miles. The pilot will miss his runway by 12.2 miles, which could be catastrophic.

Paul wrote about the catastrophic consequences of veering slightly off course from God’s moral compass. Let’s explore this passage together.