Standards
Luke 6:46-49
A standard is an agreed upon level of quality or achievement... it’s a measurement that forms a norm or model.
(Tell story of 5-year-old Maddie giving me a set of measuring cups. "These will help you cook!")
*We use standards in our kitchens every time we reach for a measuring up or a tablespoon.
*Restaurants have to measure up to quality standards.
*We have standard for shoe sizes...
*The PH and chlorine levels in a swimming pool have to meet accepted, safe standards.
*We set standards for all sorts of things... from acceptable speed limits, to the qualifications for doctors, and lawyers, and teachers.
Standards are a necessary part of life.
And when it comes to our faith, our necessary standard, our measure and guide, is God’s Word. SOLA SCRIPTURA... scripture alone is our standard.
Jesus didn’t “beat around the bush” on this. He said to his disciples, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I say?” In other words, “Why do you want to call out to me for blessing, for healing, for salvation... why do you profess faith in me... yet refuse to follow my words?”
“Everyone who comes to me and hears MY WORDS and puts them into practice; I will show you what they are like: They are like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the torrent struck that house, it could not be shaken, for it was built on the rock.” (Lk.6: 47-48).
God’s Word is the Perfect Standard for every believer; it is the deep, firm foundation that supports and guards against the storms of life. The Word of God is meant to play a vital role in our daily lives: not just dusted off when life falls apart!
Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes by hearing (the Word of God).”
2 Corinthians 10:7 says, “we walk (or live) by Faith and not by sight”.
Without God’s Word, there is no faith; and without Faith, there is no walk (or life): Hebrews 10:38 reminds us that “the just shall live by faith.” Matthew 4:4 goes straight to the heart of the matter... as Jesus says, “It is written; man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Faith comes by hearing the word, and we walk by Faith. Therefore, we walk (live our life daily) by the word of God and not by sight (our feelings, not by our emotions).
Yet, here we are, in the 21st Century... and the Word of God seems to be a lower priority, a forgotten and ignored standard, in life today. Lowering the standards helps no one. Lifting high the standard of God’s Truth is the only answer for the confusion and strife and brokeness of our world today.
We have more bibles written in more languages and translations today than at any point in human history. On my TELEPHONE app alone (the Bible App) I have 74 English translations. Yet... it honestly seems few are read, and studied, and applied. When God’s Word sits on a shelf it’s of no use. It cannot do much if it is not opened, read, and applied. That’s why so many individuals are walking by sight and by feelings and struggling to live a life that’s abundant and free in Christ. So very much of the trouble and heartache of this life occurs because choices and decisions are not based on the standard and authority of God’s word but on things like feelings... reason... culture... tradition.
Feelings and Emotions are fluid. “It just feels right.” What does that even mean? When we base our standard on feelings/emotions... there’s no way to draw a base line. All of our emotions and feelings are different, and are subject to changing by the moment. And a standard based on feelings is useless.
Reason is a crumbing foundation, too... The world says, “It seems like the logical thing to do. To the best of my knowledge and understanding we should do it... I cannot fathom any other way of doing it.” Thus, the weakness of reason! It is based on the limited assumptions of logic, science and observations. I don’t possess all knowledge, and all understanding... so my reasoning is limited.
Culture! LOL! Culture’s not just shifting sand... it’s quick sand! To set our standards on culture is to say, “Everyone is doing it. It is the in thing, what’s in vogue, and the most popular thing to do.” Remember; “Wide is the path that leads to destruction...” Following culture leads away from God - and the ultimate separation from God is Hell.
Tradition is an unstable standard. The world says, “We have always done it like this. It is the way I have always been taught.” Sometimes we’re taught wrong... sometimes the way we’ve always done something, isn’t the right way... the holy way... the just way.
All four of these ‘standards’ are imperfect and flawed because their based on us - they’re founded in us. They are not solid and dependable every time. Only the Word of God, the Perfect Standard... that will never lead us in the wrong direction, and is neither flawed nor superficial.
Too often we set standards according to societal norms instead of setting them against the standard of God’s Word. We do well to get into the Word, and allow it to be our ultimate standard for living.
It has been said that there are two ways to meet a standard: live up to it, or lower it.
Society has been lowering the standard of holiness and morality, but God never changed His standards. The church in some instances has lowered the standard of what it takes to be a Christian and in doing so made sin more acceptable, giving it new names, but never getting rid of it. Standing on the God’s Word as our Standard for Living, we’ll never be disappointed!
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