Raising the Standard
All of us have standards. We don’t always live up to them, but we at least try. For Christians, the Bible sets the standard, even with the variations in interpretation. Others set the standard according to their individual ideas or “inner compass.” For all of us, federal and local governments set certain standards by which we’re all expected to live. We call these “laws.”
So what happens – or should happen – when we miss the standard? How should individuals and society as a whole respond to those who repeatedly violate the standards set by others? Is it ever right to impose one’s standards upon another, especially when he or she may not accept the same standard? These are all important questions that must be explored in order for us to live together in a peaceful society.
So let’s start with the purpose of standards. In the case of civil laws, these are, in theory, designed to help us live in harmony with others by protecting individual rights, punishing evil, and pursuing justice for all. Take a clear case such as murder. Our standard is that murder is wrong and, in some states, punishable by death. When someone commits murder, our nation’s commitment to upholding the standard demands that the accused person be held for trial and, if found guilty, punished appropriately. The terms are decided by a jury of his or her peers, yet within predetermined boundaries.
What would happen if a jury suddenly decided that the predetermined boundaries didn’t apply to them? If they said that it was clearly first-degree murder, but declared themselves no longer bound by law and instead of convicting the murderer appointed him as the local sheriff, the appropriate reaction would be one of outrage. The public outcry would not only justified, but entirely righteous. The very foundations of a civilized society would require that jury to conform to the standard. Yet many people live their lives as if constitutional and biblical standards should be adjusted to conform to their practices or preferences.
Granted, some standards need to be refined or even corrected. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, despite the opposing votes of Democrats in Congress, was a proper refinement of our nation’s standards. But as a society, we must uphold standards and insist that individuals conform to them. We must never adjust the biblical or constitutional standard to accommodate anyone’s moral failures or personal preferences.
Spiritually, those who profess Christianity can also be guilty of attempting to adjust or change the standards. Some do not wish to live by certain things in the Bible, so they ignore them or redefine them, often twisting the obvious meaning of Scripture to fit their ungodly desires. Two of the clearest references of altering the standard to the demise of the people is Isaiah’s passage where he says you “call evil good and good evil”…“put darkness for light and light for darkness”…and “put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Is. 5:20)and Romans 1, where the people “changed the truth of God into a lie” in order to accommodate their rebellion. They not only lived out of control, but they lived under the control of unbridled appetites. Such is the case far too often today. As Christians, we must all hold fast to kingdom principles and point all parties and candidates running for office to reliable standards.
Old Testament prophets consistently held up godly standards, calling the nation back to the solid foundation of truth. Jesus himself proclaimed that He was the way, the truth, and the life – the ultimate standard for meaningful life. We must remember that we don’t set the reliable standards –God does. If we confess Him as our God and Father, we must live as clay in the hands of the potter, allowing Him to shape us in Christlikeness.
In this world of clashing standards, we can only persuade people to consider our view when we learn to dialogue with as much grace as we have conviction. Most people can’t have a healthy conversation because they are controlled by a prevailing spirit of destruction and arrogance. As Christians we know the spirit of destruction is the same as the spirit of deception. It’s the enemy—the father of lies, the powers and principalities in the realm of darkness seeking to destroy the essence of life by pitting us against each other and God’s truth.
In this political season, we witness candidates who don’t simply attempt to persuade voters through reason or even out-debate the other candidate; they try to destroy their opponent while manipulating and even bullying the electorate. The same is often true in theological circles. There is not only an attempt to expose a bad belief system but also to destroy those who have been influenced by it rather than trying to help people see more clearly. Remember, it is God who gives us the spirit of understanding and revelation.
For the Christian, we have to understand that we can enter into heated debates and discussions with the desire to prove a point, but never at the expense of destroying the other person. We must maintain a spirit of redemption in an attempt to help others see more clearly. A redemptive spirit helps others see more clearly. This often takes time, but that’s what love does. It gives us graciousness and patience, even when we are determined to effectively explain our position. Love is not cruel, mean, or hateful. There is a place for strong rebukes, but there is still an important line between the spirit of redemption and the spirit of destruction.
We know in the last days, evil will intensify—but the church and those who profess to know Christ should become more committed to righteous, biblical principles by first living them and then proclaiming them. We so desperately need a spirit of redemption in our country to redeem everything valuable and restore everything important while rebuilding walls of security and protection. May God help us in these serious times. We must have serious discussions concerning important issues—life and death, freedom and bondage, prosperity and poverty, opportunity and responsibility. As believers, we must be controlled by the Spirit of God as we seek to share His truth and raise His standards, all in the spirit of redemptive love.
This article was written by James Robison
8 comments:
In reference to the election, one issue is very clear, the contention of personal and political attacks by each candidate reflects anything but the standard which reflects the Spirit of Christ. The political platforms are vicious, carnal, vindictive, and do not manifest the Holy Spirit nor the fruits of the Spirit. How can Jesus Christ bless this nation or have the preeminence in the midst of such fleshly displays of strife and envy? Each candidate concludes their speeches with “God Bless America” and yet, demonstrates strife and contention. The invocation for “God to Bless America” requires that the standard of God’s blessings be honored, held sacred, and followed.
I fear that the “God Bless America” slogan has fallen into the category of taking the Lord’s name in vain. God said “You will not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.” The use of the Lord’s name in vain is manifested by deceit, emptiness, hypocrisy and void of the character and Spirit of Jesus Christ. This is the highest form of using his name in vain.
James wrote “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we bless God, even the Father; and with the tongue we curse men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brothers, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? So no fountain can both yield salt water and fresh water.
Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, do not glory, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” The power of these scriptures establishes God’s standards while exposing a carnal double standard of hypocrisy.
Jesus said “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men will speak, they will give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you are justified, and by your words you are condemned.”
These standards are infallible. They promise grace and blessing to those that forsake all to follow Jesus Christ. Jesus said “But he will receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.”
These standards likewise, foretell of plagues and cursings by rejecting the leadership of Jesus Christ our Lord. His standard cannot be changed to fit the fleshly rights of people empty and void of a consciousness of things pertaining to life and death.
As James stated above in the last paragraph;
“We know in the last days, evil will intensify—but the church and those who profess to know Christ should become more committed to righteous, biblical principles by first living them and then proclaiming them. We so desperately need a spirit of redemption in our country to redeem everything valuable and restore everything important while rebuilding walls of security and protection. May God help us in these serious times. We must have serious discussions concerning important issues—life and death, freedom and bondage, prosperity and poverty, opportunity and responsibility. As believers, we must be controlled by the Spirit of God as we seek to share His truth and raise His standards, all in the spirit of redemptive love.”
Jesus Christ raised the standard so high and in addition provided the ultimate cautionary grace by stating “For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man will add unto these things, God will add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man will take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
He which testifies these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
MAY YOU BE BLESSED BY YOUR TRUTHFUL MESSAGE. THANK YOU FOR CAPSULIZING WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO BE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS, OUR KING.
Tolerance is the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with …however tolerance now means we must accept everyone’s ideas as equally valid. To be critical of anyone’s ideas is a sign of intolerance …which cannot be tolerated.
Common sense tells us that the tolerance required today toward religious beliefs would be madness if applied to any other issue. Should police be tolerant of crime, doctors tolerant of disease, judges tolerant of false testimony, etc.?
Yet a tolerance is mandated in spiritual matters which in any other context would be lunacy.
Do you know of any predominantly Christian country where your life is in danger because you are of another faith?
However there are plenty of countries such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and many parts of India, where being a Christian often means living very precariously, and where converting to Christianity is equivalent to putting your neck on the line.
So, in the west, people who have never thought the matter through, claim that it is intolerant to state that the beliefs of another person is wrong, but in other countries it is okay to kill a Christian for following his religion.
Many in today’s world believe that culture defines morality since many cultures have widely differing values. However does the variation of beliefs reflect an absence of an absolute moral code? It is unquestionable that every aspect of society would fall into utter chaos unless there were absolutes, which brings up the question of how those absolutes are to be identified? Christianity has answered that question, arguing that there is a standard for morality that hasn’t been set by humans but has been revealed to us by our Creator through the Scriptures.
Christianity is not based upon mere emotion or experience, but upon the historical reality of God acting in this world on our behalf. It is not therefore our job to pick a religion, but to simply respond to this gift of God, noting all the while that repentance, defined as a radical change in one’s attitude toward sin and God, is presented throughout the Scriptures as an absolute requirement for forgiveness.
Jesus Christ did not come into this world to make bad people good. He came into this world to make dead people live. When a heart hungers for Him, God can reach down past the barriers of culture, environment, and beliefs in ways that are beyond our understanding. Jesus Christ is the only way!
From the article:
“For the Christian, we have to understand that we can enter into heated debates and discussions with the desire to prove a point, but never at the expense of destroying the other person. We must maintain a spirit of redemption in an attempt to help others see more clearly. A redemptive spirit helps others see more clearly. This often takes time, but that’s what love does. It gives us graciousness and patience, even when we are determined to effectively explain our position. Love is not cruel, mean, or hateful. There is a place for strong rebukes, but there is still an important line between the spirit of redemption and the spirit of destruction.”
Beautiful. This gave me a lot of clarity with someone I am dealing with. Thank you for that…
James stated:
“For the Christian, we have to understand that we can enter into heated debates and discussions with the desire to prove a point, but never at the expense of destroying the other person. We must maintain a spirit of redemption in an attempt to help others see more clearly. A redemptive spirit helps others see more clearly. This often takes time, but that’s what love does. It gives us graciousness and patience, even when we are determined to effectively explain our position. Love is not cruel, mean, or hateful. There is a place for strong rebukes, but there is still an important line between the spirit of redemption and the spirit of destruction.”
This statement gives us the picture of beauty of the nature and Spirit of Jesus Christ. “No man ever spoke like that man” says the scripture and certainly no man ever rebuked and offered redemption at the same time, like Jesus Christ. We cannot read an inspired word of scripture without seeing and hearing the balance of his precious word. Solomon wrote “For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.”
And again he says “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”
I have found that whenever Satan uses a legalistic and carnal spirit in reference to the scripture, it always is manifested under the spirit of the law, the transgression of the law, and by accusation without redemption. However, the Spirit of Christ causes us to be conscious of our sin by the knowledge of the law and then manifests the fruits of the Spirit to help us through the redemption process, which is the revelation of divine love. Satan is the accuser of God’s people and accuses and condemns us without remedy. On the other hand, Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd and chastens us by his love and “leads us beside still waters and restores our soul.”
As we consider the insanely high standards Jesus set, a favorite paraphrase by Gene Edwards has this to say – the most important lesson I have learned as a Christian is that it (the Christian life) is not hard, it’s impossible.
Without this understanding, many Christians attempt to jump some high bar using their own strength and get discouraged and then unfortunately lower the standard. On the other hand the world scoffs at the standard and ridicules it. Only in Him do the fruit of standards bear, leading to the abundant life we all are designed to enjoy.
Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened.
Another excellent message James. You are right as true Christian believers we must always reflect God’s higher standards. In your coming election, I pray that all Christians will vote for the candidate who best represents that standard.
L.Agius (Sydney, Australia)
Excellent article once again James. I agree, the best way to persuade people to our viewpoint is by setting an example, but never by being hateful or trying to force our beliefs on others. This aligns perfectly with my libertarian beliefs, which I think are totally compatible with my Christian faith. I believe that government should punish crimes, such as murder like you were saying, but I do not believe it is anyone’s place, government or otherwise, to police people’s sins and shortcomings. If we used this standard to condemn others, we end up condemning ourselves in the process. Judge not lest ye be judged….. This is why I believe in the Biblical concept of sowing and reaping. Sometimes the best way of getting somebody to change is not by trying to control them or forcing our viewpoint on them, but rather allowing them to reap what they have sown, be it for better or for worse. Sometimes it’s best to let people go live their life of sin, and let them suffer the consequences of their actions without any outside interference. Trial and error can often be the best teacher. After a person lives sinfully for a period of time, and if no one intervenes in what they are doing, sooner or later they will see that it leads to a dead end and will change their ways by their own free will, much like the prodigal son.