Fewer than half (44%) of US adults say clear and absolute standards exist for determining moral decisions of what is right and what is wrong. A majority (55%) believe in circumstantial ethics, saying that whether something is right or wrong often depends on the situation, according to Pew Research Center’s 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study (RLS).
Additionally, only 30% of American adults say it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral and have good values, while 68% say it’s possible to be moral and have good values without believing in God.
The fourth element of the five SemperVerus components is KNOW, which emphasizes the importance of educating yourself throughout your life to take advantage of knowledge in a variety of subjects to become a well-rounded individual contributing to your own well-being and of those around you. The SemperVerus principle reads:
IV. Know: becoming a life-long learner to clearly, and with certainty, apprehend situations from which to benefit personally and others.
That includes the importance of knowing spiritual matters in general—and the lessons of the Bible in particular—to develop and strengthen your soul. Scripture tells us to:
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
Knowing the Bible is foundational to living a meaningful, productive, and positive life:
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
In his book, The God Who is There, Christian philosopher and apologist Francis A. Schaeffer says, “The Christian is the real radical of our generation, for he stands against the monolithic, modern concept of truth as relative. But too often, instead of being the radical, standing against the shifting sands of relativism, he subsides into merely maintaining the status quo. If it is true that evil is evil, that God hates it to the point of the cross, and that there is a moral law fixed in what God is in Himself, then Christians should be the first into the field against what is wrong.”
How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:9-11
The internet offers a multitude of free resources to deepen your knowledge and understanding of the Bible. Here are a few that SemperVerus recommends:
The third practice of the five SemperVerus components is BE, which emphasizes the importance of intentionally reinforcing rectitude in yourself. It’s stated thusly:
III. Be: developing rich personal leadership character of exemplary moral and ethical quality.
In the following brief TED Talk video, volunteer firefighter Mark Bezos shares a life lesson he learned on his first fire emergency:
Stay True to what is right. Stay True to your aim.
Invite SemperVerus® to present its 5 life-changing success-generating components—prepare, aware, be, know, do—to your organization to inspire and motivate your members.
The observable universe is approximately 93 billion light-years (one light-year equals about 5.88 trillion miles) in diameter, containing an estimated 100 billion to 2 trillion galaxies, each comprising an average of 100 million stars, according to calculations based on the Hubble Space and James Webb telescopes and new mathematical models. Voyager 1 is a space probe launched by NASA in 1977 to explore the outer solar system and interstellar space. After 48 years of continuous flight, it is currently over 15 billion miles (22.3 light-hours) from Earth and still going. Our own Milky Way galaxy alone is estimated to be 105,700 light-years in diameter and contains 100–400 billion stars and at least that number of planets.
Our unique planet teems with life, from the microscopic flea to the colossal blue whale. While the exact number is unknown, scientists estimate around 8.7 million animal species are on Earth. Only a small fraction of these have been formally described, with estimates suggesting that 86% of land species and 91% of marine species remain undiscovered. And there are roughly 391,000 known species of plants.
Fewer than half (44%) of US adults say clear and absolute standards exist for determining moral decisions of what is right and what is wrong. A majority (55%) believe in circumstantial ethics, saying that whether something is right or wrong often depends on the situation, according to Pew Research Center’s 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study (RLS).