Articles with spiritual fitness

Sad News: Minority of American Adults Believe in Absolute Truth When Determining Right and Wrong

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).

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Free Online Educational Resources to Grow Your Spiritual Knowledge ]

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.

Free Online Educational Resources to Grow Your Spiritual Knowledge

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.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The Bible TL;DR? Try The Concise Bible! ]

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

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Spiritual Fitness: How Long Does It Take to Read the Bible? ]

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

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Latest Biblical Archaeology Research ]

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.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Self-Defense In Spiritual Warfare: Know Your Enemies ]

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:

US Federal Workers Are Now Allowed to Express Their Religious Beliefs

US federal agencies are now required to protect religious expression in the government workplace, according to a new wide-ranging memo—marking one of the most sweeping moves in decades to defend faith and freedoms in the civil service, reports Fox News Digital.

The memo is in keeping with President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14202 in February and Executive Order 14291 in May. The former aims to eradicate anti-Christian bias in the United States and announce a task force to review government policies and practices that may discriminate against Christians and to recommend actions to protect religious liberties. The latter establishes the task force to enforce the historic and robust protections for religious freedom enshrined in federal law.

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The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on July 28, 2025, sent the memo, titled Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace, to government agencies, telling federal workers they are now at liberty to display Bibles, crucifixes, or mezuzahs on their desks; pray in groups while off-duty; invite colleagues to church; and speak about their religious beliefs, even to the public, without fear of reprisal.

Captive Nations Week 2025

President Donald Trump proclaims July 20–26, 2025, Captive Nations Week. He calls upon “all Americans to reaffirm our commitment to supporting those around the world striving for liberty, justice, and the rule of law.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Global Persecution of Christians Surges in 2024 ]

In his proclamation, President Trump says, “This Captive Nations Week, I offer my heartfelt support to every person living under a totalitarian regime, and I reaffirm my commitment to advancing a new era of peace where freedom is cherished, sovereignty is respected, and every nation can live without fear of tyranny or oppression.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION ]

“In 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower first proclaimed Captive Nations Week to counter the emerging threat of communism and declare America’s resolve to defend the fundamental rights of free speech, religious liberty, and self-government. As President, I continue that work today, as far too often, oppressive regimes still silence dissent and persecute their own citizens for practicing their faith.