We are living in a time when the young people of not only America, but of the world, are advocating a "new morality." It seems that many are turning to alcohol or even drugs and narcotics in an effort to find out more about themselves and the purpose of life. In such an atmosphere, what can members of the New Generation find in something as "old fashioned" and "out of date" as the Church of Christ?

The question is frequently asked, "What's life all about?" But, very few people come up with the answer on their own. According to Ecclesiastes 12:13, the whole duty of man is to fear God and to keep His commandments. So young Christians have the answer spelled out for them in no uncertain terms, and this knowledge should prove invaluable in determining the course of one's life.

Young people, as they attempt to become a part of an adult society, are sometimes bewildered by its rules, its so-called "double standards." But in the Bible, which is the authority for the Church of Christ, there is only one standard and that is the one established by the Creator. The youth of the church only have to follow this standard to be content in the knowledge that they have indeed chosen the right standard.

Today's youth will say they are seeking peace of mind or inner peace. What member of the Church of Christ, young or old, does not have peace of mind knowing that he is doing the will of God?

We are told in I Corinthians 15:33 that "evil companionships corrupt good morals." The company that one keeps in the church should be the most desirable. So, assuming a person wants to maintain a high moral level, what would be a better place for a young person to make friends than in the church?

If the Bible is not accepted as the divine revelation of God, then these benefits do not matter in the first place to the young or to the elderly. (We must always be trying to convince non-Christians of the worth of the Scriptures.) But if it is, then these things (that is, standards, peace of mind, friends) are all secondary. The primary interest of young people in the Church of Christ, as it is of Christians of all ages, is the salvation of their souls. Eternal life should be everyone's goal. And only by earnestly striving to obey the gospel in every point can this goal be attained.

TRUTH MAGAZINE, XVI: 1, pp. 8-9
November 4, 1971