Biblical standards not up for redefining by man
I say this out of the spirit of love and not out of trying to create division. All faith must have an absolute starting point – and that absolute starting point must be what the Bible teaches about Jesus. The Bible teaches that Jesus was the sinless Son of God, Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10). I know, beyond the shadow of doubt, that there is noting in me that is worth saving in its own right. There’s nothing I can do on my own to earn God’s reward or of entering into Heaven on my own merit: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10); But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah 64:6). My salvation is a gift from God that I could either accept or reject (according to my own free will, which I will discuss in a later post). God remains the final authority on salvation; and as the scriptures state so very clearly: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
(Isaiah 55:8-9), and Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?… And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 18:25; 20:44).
When we approach the Lord, through our faith, it must be according to God’s plan. As the recipients and partakers of the free gift of salvation, we do not have the ability to redefine it or remake it into what we think it should be. We can only approach the Lord through the shed blood of Jesus Christ; Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6) and Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber (John 10:1). Many of the teachings of those who hold to social Christianity are replacing the Biblical standards with artificial standards. While our society remains focused on the debate surrounding homosexuality and how Christianity does or should define it, God’s standards have remained the same, but it is not just about homosexuality. As I shared earlier, God has called us out from among the things that He has defined as sin: Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you (II Corinthians 6:17). He has called us out of gluttony, homosexuality, adultery, fornication, spreading rumors and gossip, taking mind-altering substances, and even from watching those that take part in them [I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me (Psalms 101:3)].
For many, social Christianity is more appealing than scriptural Christianity. Social Christianity is an emotion-based religion that focuses on positive emotional experiences but this can only be accomplished by ignoring the standards that God has set before us. It is not that we should live a life according to the law, but a life that has been redeemed by the grace of God and out of our thankfulness and devotion to Him, we seek to live a life that He will find pleasing.
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