Do Most Christians Understand Biblical Standards?

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Consider the following verses:
“And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” [Exodus 19:6]
“And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.” [Exodus 22:31]
“For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy…ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” [Leviticus 11:44-45]
“Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” [Leviticus 19:2]
“Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God… And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.” [Leviticus 20:7, 26]
“For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” [Deuteronomy 7:6]
“And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.” [Isaiah 62:12]
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” [Matthew 5:48]
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” [Romans 12:1-2]
“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” [1 Corinthians 6:11]
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” [Ephesians 1:4]
“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” [Colossians 1:28]
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” [Colossians 3:12]
“For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” [1 Thessalonians 4:7]
“Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [1 Thessalonians 5:22-23]
“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” [James 1:4]
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” [1 Peter 1:15-16]

These verses bring out three principles that teach Biblical standards:
1. Holiness – The term “holy” merely means separated from sin. This is an attribute of God and should be an attribute in the life of each believer. We need to separate ourselves from sins.
2. Sanctification – The term “sanctify” means to set aside for a specific purpose. For the believer, we need to sanctified for God’s usage.
3. Perfection – The term “perfect” means mature. Our level of spiritual maturity is demonstrated by the lifestyle of the believer.

This is where standards come in. Standards are the tools that we use to separate ourselves from sin and temptation. You are less likely to sin if you separate yourself from temptation. Standards are the tools that we use to set ourselves aside for God’s usage. God will not use us if we do not make ourselves available. Want to demonstrate spiritual maturity? That is demonstrated by how much we live our lives according to God’s Word. We use standards to do that also.
This is summarized in Philippians 2:15 – “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” We are to live without anything that the unsaved world can accuse us of. We may not be sinless perfect, but we should live above rebuke. This is impossible without the usage of standards. 1 Peter 2:12 reinforced this concept, “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” The word “conversation” means lifestyle. It covers your thoughts, words, and actions. Standards are what we use so that our lifestyle or conversation is honest before others.

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What are standards? That is the most common question that people have. I had never even heard of standards until 1997. Remember, I grew up in a church. I was in the nursery from infancy. God placed many good and Godly men in my life as I grew up. And yet, I had never even heard of the concept. The same is true about many sincere Christians today. They have never ever even heard of Biblical standards. They need to be taught them so they can learn to live by them.

But that still does not answer the simple question of what they are. Simply put, standards are rules of conduct. We find standards everywhere in life. There are many stores that put up signs in their front window or on the main door that says, “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service.” Why? That is their standard of conduct for their customers. They expect that their customers will at least wear shoes and shirts, or they will not serve them. And this rule is not done arbitrarily. They normally do this for common courtesy and for general hygiene.

In sports, there are rules of conduct. Could you imagine if I decided to use a stepladder in a basketball game so that I could slam-dunk? There would be no way I would be allowed to do that! The fans, the refs, and other athletes would simply not allow it. Why? There are certain rules that must be followed while playing basketball, and they do not include using a stepladder. The same is true with every single game or sport. There are rules of conduct that must be followed if you want to play officially and win.

Did you know that the FDA sets down certain rules for how your food is supposed to be? There are guidelines for when milk can no longer be sold. That is why a date is stamped on it. Would you be upset if the grocery store took meat that had been setting out for a few weeks, added red dye to it, and repackaged it for sale? Why? It would be illegal and unhealthy. There are certain rules that prevent them from doing that.

Every time I have to go to a doctor, I appreciate seeing the diplomas and degrees hanging off the wall. It gives me a sense of security. Why? It lets me know that this doctor has meet the standards set by the university or college that he or she attended. It lets me know that following certain guidelines has certified this doctor through the American Medical Association. This also lets me know that the doctor will follow certain rules when he or she treats me.

This is what standards are, simply put. Yet, while we generally accept the changing and imperfect standards placed upon us by the world, we also bulk at the unchanging and perfect standards placed upon us by a holy and righteous God. This makes no sense. Christians will even get mad at the very mention of the word.

In this world, you will find two extremes when it comes to Biblical standards. There are some preachers that use standards as a “hobby horse” and almost make it into a form of legalism. Legalism is the means of using good works to earn salvation. While there may be some churches and pastors who falsely use standards as legalism, true Biblical standards are not a form of legalism but merely obedience to God’s Word.

The one extreme is pastors who preach against standards, which become their “hobby horse”. They will decree any attempt to use the Bible to tell people how to talk, act, dress, etc. They tend to believe that each individual should subjectively make the decisions for themselves and ignore the objective commandments in the Word of God. This is one of the reasons that Christians baulk at standards today and are disobedient to them. Just because some preachers teach and preach that we do not have to obey them that does not negate God’s commandments and principles.

The reasons that we should obey true Biblical standards actually fall into a few categories:

1. Sincerely desire to live a holy, separated life unto the Lord Jesus Christ.
· “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” [1 Thessalonians 4:7]
· “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” [1 Peter 1:15-16]
· “Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” [1 Thessalonians 5:22-23]

2. Obedience to God’s Word because of a loving heart
· “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” [Jeremiah 17:9-10]
· “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” [Proverbs 4:23]
· “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” [John 14:15]
· “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” [John 14:22]
· “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.” [John 14:23-24]
· “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” [1 John 2:3-4]
· “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” [1 John 5:2-3]

3. Protecting your personal testimony and the testimony of Christ to win others
· “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” [Proverbs 22:1]

4. Protecting yourself not just from sin, but also from temptation.
· “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil…” [Matthew 6:13]
· “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” [Matthew 26:41]
· “Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” [Mark 13:48]
· “…And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” [Luke 11:4]
· “…Pray that ye enter not into temptation.” [Luke 22:40]
· “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” [James 1:14]

5. Protect weak brethren from being led into temptation by our testimony or example.
· “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” [1 Corinthians 8:9-13]
· “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” [1 Corinthians 10:31-33]
· “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” [Galatians 5:13-14]
· “As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.” [1 Peter 2:16]