Consider this, it might be worthwhile.
I was thinking about the importance of a Biblical Standard for moral behavior. Remember, a STANDARD is the flag that represents a Governor (Ruler) or a Government; it is the ensign around which the troops rally for battle.
I have known men who maintained a high moral standard (whether they were saved or not), and usually their children, who were not as morally responsible as the parent, chose to honor that standard, at least while in the presence of the parent, though the child's own standard was not as noble.
I have known men who maintained a high moral standard (whether they were saved or not), and usually their children, who were not as morally responsible as the parent, chose to honor that standard, at least while in the presence of the parent, though the child's own standard was not as noble.
When the moral standard is lowered in one generation it is eventually lowered even more in the following generations. Things that would be unthinkable to a first generation become the practiced standard of the second generation. Each succeeding generation looks with disdain on their forefathers as they lower standards even further.
THIS IS WHY we need to honor Biblical standards, God's standards. In the midst of a deteriorating world, God's standards do not change. Also, God's standards are not unreachable, but they are livable, because God provides His grace to His people to live by His standards.
Unsaved, uncommitted people live by worldly, social, tribal, cultic, deteriorating standards, through their own natural inability, but those who are born of God's Spirit, live in His Spirit and walk in His Spirit.
CONSIDER THESE PASSAGES...
Isaiah 55:6-9
(6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
(7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
(8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
(9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
1 Kings 8:58-61
(58) That he (God) may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
(59) And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
(60) That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
(61) Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
Psalms 119:9-16
(9) BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
(10) With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
(11) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
(12) Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
(13) With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
(14) I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
(15) I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
(16) I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
1 John 2:3-9
(3) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
(4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
(5) But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
(6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
(7) Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
(8) Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
(9) He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1 John 5:2-4
(2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
(3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
(4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
THIS IS WHY we need to honor Biblical standards, God's standards. In the midst of a deteriorating world, God's standards do not change. Also, God's standards are not unreachable, but they are livable, because God provides His grace to His people to live by His standards.
Unsaved, uncommitted people live by worldly, social, tribal, cultic, deteriorating standards, through their own natural inability, but those who are born of God's Spirit, live in His Spirit and walk in His Spirit.
CONSIDER THESE PASSAGES...
Isaiah 55:6-9
(6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
(7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
(8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
(9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
1 Kings 8:58-61
(58) That he (God) may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
(59) And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
(60) That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.
(61) Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
Psalms 119:9-16
(9) BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
(10) With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
(11) Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
(12) Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
(13) With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.
(14) I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
(15) I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.
(16) I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
1 John 2:3-9
(3) And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
(4) He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
(5) But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
(6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
(7) Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
(8) Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
(9) He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
1 John 5:2-4
(2) By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
(3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
(4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
