by: Anonymous
“Standards are ripping our family apart,” sighed a woman to her sister. Being raised in a home to love the Lord, but not always knowing about sanctification and separation, the sister, in her mind’s eye, was brought back to a time when she made a clear decision to follow what God wanted for her life. Living in the world for a time, the sister also remembered what peace and safety sanctification and separation brought to her. What used to be so understandable and easily entreated was now regarded as if it had never been taught or preached to some she loved. What was meant to keep them safe is now detestable. What was meant to allow closer fellowship with God was unwanted. Why she wondered? Was what they once embraced a lie? Why such turmoil over something so simple?
Are standards ripping families apart? Her family certainly loved the Lord and served Him fervently. “Applications change…,” she was told. “Really?” she thought. “It’s all about the heart.” “Allow your conscience to judge you.” The clamor of recent clichés ran through her head. Is what they are saying really true? Has anyone looked into what they are saying? Why did the Holy Spirit prick her heart like a dart saying, “No, there is something very wrong about this.” “What about me?” the Holy Spirit says. “What about who I am?” whispers Jesus.
No, this wasn’t about standards at all. This was about following after one’s own heart, one’s own will, and doing what’s right in one’s own eyes. Did Adam and Eve hold up their fists to God and say that it was God’s fault that their own son was slain by their other son, all because God expected a better sacrifice than what Cain gave? Isn’t the God of holiness more important than what our flesh wants to do? Isn’t the God of our lives, the God of the Universe more important than what this world’s culture wants to do? So who is the judge…God or our conscience? In desperation, the daughter picked up a pen and paper and began to write the following letter.
Dearest loved ones,
I have wanted to share this with you all for some time. I am so grateful for you all and love you all very much. I am grateful for my salvation through Jesus Christ and all the Holy Spirit has taught me and continues to show me. From my experience and through God’s conviction, I have purposed in my heart to share with you what has been so pressing me.
I am what I am because of Christ alone and because of the Holy Spirit living inside of me. I am an imperfect and an ever-changing work in progress. I am grateful for the work Christ has done in me and promises to continue until the day I meet Him. Who I am is no product of one human, institution, or religious movement, but Christ alone. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 With this being said, please prayerfully consider these words:
I will be forever grateful for the applications the Holy Spirit has made in my life at the critical times I was open to His convicting. When I read God’s Word and listened to preaching, the Holy Spirit applied it to me personally. Holy Spirit applications never change. God’s applications are Spirit-led. God, the Holy Spirit and God’s Inerrant Word (Jesus) will always agree and bear record of each other. God does not change. Neither does the Holy Spirit continually convicting and bearing record of the other parts of the Trinity to us personally. We must not confuse Holy Spirit conviction with man’s carnal consciences. Once saved, the Holy Spirit is interwoven in our conscience which is either blessed or quenched by our thoughts and actions.
Our conscience is simply an inner voice that deems what we do as either morally right or wrong. Where does this inner voice come from? When we are saved, and allowing the Holy Spirit to control us, then the voice comes from God. When we are following our flesh and this world’s culture, the voice comes from Satan. As a saved person we can’t be possessed by Satan, but we can certainly be oppressed by him and a type of humanistic, “current culture” mindset. Yes, our conscience can be influenced by the world, but should we allow it to control us? When following this world’s culture, applications to Scripture will always change because the applications themselves are man-oriented and fleshly. Man-oriented applications are always en vogue with the current cultural norms of society. Thus, it is important to base our life decisions, goals, and convictions on a Godward, Holy Spirit applied premise, not a culture controlled or man-oriented lifestyle.
Holy Spirit led lives built upon God’s inerrant Word brings consistency, peace, and blessing in an ever changing culture that shows nothing but disdain for anything or anyone wanting to identify with Christ. A culture driven, man-oriented application to Scripture will always bring confusion to believers because it is continually embracing current culture and pushing the identity of Christ out. Culture can be defined as the beliefs and customs of a particular society, group, place or time. Should we be basing our Christian lives on what this world deems as acceptable? What about God’s beliefs and God’s customs? Well, I do believe that is something we call doctrine. Maybe we should stop turning to the world’s doctrine to determine our Christian culture and our daily walk! “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” Titus 2:2.
A life totally submitted to God and led by the Holy Spirit will always be detestable to the world and Satan who is the prince of it. World Culture is comprised of a belief system with norms and values contrary to Christ and God’s Inerrant, Holy Word. Just as we want God to have the preeminence in our homes and childrearing, and the peace and protection it brings…how much the more we want this in all areas of our lives. I want to have a home that is God oriented with a Christ culture with norms and a belief system built upon the living, infallible, inerrant Word of God. I want my children’s leadership and authorities to be God-driven not culture-driven in the areas of their faith and practice.
“You are just majoring on the minors,” some would say. Since when is Christ’s holiness not a major? Without Christ’s holiness, how would He have gone to a cross to pay for the sins of this world? The Gospel we preach would not be possible without a holy, blameless sacrifice. Because of Christ’s holiness and sinless life, I can have eternal life! “Well, standards are just a form of works salvation.” I am a bit confused because I adopted the separated life after salvation because at salvation Christ came and lived inside me and gave me all the power I need to live a holy life as I yield to Him.
If someone wants to live an unseparated lifestyle and not set up standards, then that is their choice, but why make Christ unholy? If someone wants to deny the power of God in them to live holy, that is their decision, but why dumb down God’s power? Why are people changing God’s Word and using worldly tactics to encourage a worldly lifestyle? Simply put, it is not my conscience that is offended by immoral, worldly activity; it is the person of Christ who is offended. I am reminded, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:5.
Most importantly, I pray that the Holy Spirit be not grieved nor quenched in my life, but that He would control and guide me to be a consistent testimony of grace and truth bringing many to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. “Blessed is the man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” Psalm 40:4
Truly a heart embracing this world’s culture and rejecting the Holy Sprit’s leading in the area of separation is simply a heart of disobedience. Separating from the world is not a personal preference, but a command by God. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” (2 Corinthians 6:17) How good of God to tell us what He expects. But please, if you don’t want to obey it don’t change the holiness of my Saviour!
Just a few, “living” words from God…
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now work in the children of disobedience:” Ephesians 2:2
“Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” Ephesians 5:6
I am grateful for you all and appreciate the time you have taken to consider a piece of my heart. I ask that you pray for me as I want to remain faithful to God. Now you know where I am. I am willing to let people think what they want to think… as long as God gets the glory.
With Love,
Me
“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” 1 Corinthians 3:18
“Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Romans 6:18