A 2025 Department of Defense investigation revealed that both the Army and the Navy had lowered recruitment standards in order to meet recruitment goals. In other words, they “Dumbed-Down” their standard in order to accommodate recruits with lower mental and physical abilities.
It’s not just the Department of Defense; it’s our culture. Since our prisons are overcrowded because of arrests that are drug-related, legalizing the use of drugs would make the overcrowded prison problem disappear. Since a rather large number of pregnant women do not want to give birth to the children in their wombs, legalize the murder of these babies and the problem will disappear. Since students are receiving lower academic scores, lowering the standards, making the questions easier, and the problem will be gone.
Surely, we see through the folly of such proposed “solutions.” We know that this approach doesn’t alleviate the problem. In fact, it makes the problem worse. It is simply a “defining down of deviancy.” Adultery is called an affair. Abortion is the right to choose. Cursing is called colorful language. Suicide and euthanasia are called dying with dignity. And homosexuality is called a gay lifestyle. Instead of decrying these things as sin, we rename them with palatable designations. Our culture has defined down deviancy and learned to accept what is unacceptable.
What concerns me even more is the answer to this question, “Has this trend of ‘defining down deviancy found its way into the church?” Consider the following.
· Has the role of women in the church changed in the past 50 years?
· Has the use of instrumental music in worship changed in the past 50 years?
· Has our stand on the essentiality of baptism changed in the past 50 years?
· Has our fellowship with denominations changed in the past 50 years?
· Has our acceptance of unscriptural divorce and remarriage changed in the past 50 years?
· Has our teaching on dancing, drinking, and modesty changed in the past 50 years?
· Has the church’s role in entertainment changed in the past 50 years?
Either the church and the preachers from 50 years ago were all wrong, or the church of today has “defined down deviancy” to get along and not rock the boat.
Friends, God’s calling is a high calling, and if periodically we fail, as we all will do, make sure you adjust your life, not the standard. Change your ways, not God’s word!