A New Transition

The Standard

All day today I've had a certain topic in mind to write about, but then just a few minutes ago God changed it. What's new, huh?

As I do every night, I was sitting here talking to one of my best friends, KG. I made a comment to KG about how there are few truly holiness churches left and how there are a lot of holiness churches that say holiness on them but don't abide by holiness standards. Finally, we laughed about the irony of me even caring considering I'm not holiness. Then she said something that really got the gears in my head turning. She said, "there's a lot of churches with a name on the billboard, but no standard in the church." Wow. Just let that sink in. There's a lot of churches with a name on the billboard, but no standard in the church.

There are many churches today that say holiness on them, but don't have standards. There are many that say Church of God on them, but don't have standards. There are many that say Pentecostal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Nazarene, ect on them, but don't have standards. What value could the names of those churches hold if they don't have standards backing them up?

When a church doesn't have standards and abide by said standards, it sends a lot of people on the fast track to hell. I'm not talking just inside the church, I'm talking outside. The secular society see these people who call themselves Christians but have no standards, and they think, "why the heck should I become friends with this Jesus guy when His followers don't even have standards." Then that person ends up in hell because that church wasn't a faithful witness. They were a stumbling block rather than a encourager. (Paul talks a lot about Christians being stumbling blocks and I encourage you to study it.)

All of this being said, let's go over some standards we all need to abide by regardless of denomination.

1) Spiritual Example
We need to show our commitment to Christ through our practice of spiritual disciplines (praying, fasting, worshiping, praising, meditating, confessing, and studying.) We need to show our commitment to the body of Christ and the church by being good stewards (coming to church, paying tithes, helping out, submitting to the church and it's authority, eat)

-Spiritual Discipline
We need to pray, praise, fast, worship, meditate, confess, and study. (There are a number of reasons for our Spiritual Disciplines: Matt 6:5-15, Luke 11:1-13, James 5:13-18, Matt 6:16-18, Matt 9:14-17, Acts 14:23, 1 John 1:9-2:2, Galatians 6:2, James 5:16, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2, 2 Timothy 2:15, 23-26)

2) Moral Purity
We need to engage in those activities which glorify God in our body and avoid the fulfillment of the lust of the flesh. We will read, watch and listen to those things which are of positive benefit to our spirit and avoid the practices and activities of the world

3) Personal Integrity
We will live in a manner that inspires trust and confidence, bearing the fruit of the Spirit and seeking to manifest the character of Christ in all our behavior.

4) Family Responsibility
If we're married we need to give priority to fulfilling family responsibilities, to preserving the sanctity of marriage and to maintaining divine order in the home.

5) Behavioral Temperance
We need to avoid offending out fellowmen and activities that lead to addiction or enslavement

6) Modest Appearance
We need to demonstrate the scriptural principle of modesty by appearing and dressing in a manner that will enhance our Christian testimony and will avoid pride, elaborateness or sensuality.

7) Social Obligations
It should be our objective to fulfill our obligations to society by being good citizens, by correcting social injustices, and by protecting the sanctity of life.

With all of this being said, we need to not only follow the standards laid out by the  Bible, but the standards of the church as well, so long as the church standards don't go against the Bible. If a woman's church says women have to wear dresses/skirts and can't wear make up/jewelry, then said woman needs to abide by those standards. If a man's church says he needs to keep his hair cut, stay clean shaved, and always dress in the Sunday's best, then said man needs to abide by those standards. If your church says you can't dance, you can't watch TV, you can't listen to certain music, ect then you must abide by those standards. We are under the authority of the church.

Think on these things. Study all of the standards laid forth by the Bible (there are a lot more than these 7 things.) Study the standards of your church. More importantly than studying the standards that are supposed to dictate your life, abide by those standards.

Heavenly Father, help us to be people of high standard. Help us to follow each of Your standards to the best of our ability day to day. Help us to submit to our church and their authority and abide by their standards also. Forgive us where we fail, Lord.

***I did not provide very much detail in these standards due to how long this part already is. If you desire to know more about the standards of the Bible and/or want scriptural evidence of these standards, feel free to contact me.***