Live from the
3ABN Worship Center.
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Welcome to the
Pillars Of Our Faith event.
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You just stand when all
your courage seems to fade.
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Stand when it seems
that evil will prevail.
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Stand for He shows us in detail
that His love will never fail
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and He'll stand with us.
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You just stand when you've
said all that you can say.
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Stand and trust
the Lord to make a way.
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Stand and live your
life from day to day,
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trust God to make a way
and then walk through it.
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For God hath not
given us the spirit of fear,
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He's given us love and power,
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the courage to
resist the tempter's snare.
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Be ye not weary in doing
well for only time will tell.
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The work He's begun in you
will help to see you through.
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You know His word is true
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and everything He
promised, He will do.
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So having done
all to stand, stand.
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You just stand when you
feel no one's on your side.
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Stand, defy the
urge to run and hide.
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Stand, though gloom
and darkness override,
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trust God to turn the
tide and pull you through it.
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He'll do it in
the name of Jesus.
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Stand for He is
always there for you.
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Stand and He will lead
you faithfully through.
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Stand, and though
you know not what to do,
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know that He's looking out
for you and He won't fail you.
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For God hath no given
us the spirit of fear,
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He's given us love and power,
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the courage to
resist the tempter's snare.
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Be ye not weary in doing
well for only time will tell.
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The work He's begun in you
will help to see you through.
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You know God's word is true
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and everything He
promised, He will do.
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So having done
all to stand, stand.
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Plant your feet and stand.
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Amen.
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Amen, amen. Praise the Lord.
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Pastor C.A. Murray
bringing us a message; Stand.
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And by God's
grace, we can stand.
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Amen? Amen.
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Welcome to another hour
of blessing from the Lord.
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We are here on 3ABN camp
meeting, Pillars Of Our Faith,
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and it has been a wonderful
blessing from the Lord.
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How many have been
here since the first day?
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Would you raise your hand.
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Praise the Lord, many of you.
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Praise the Lord.
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How many have been
blessed since you came here?
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Would you raise your hand.
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Glory be to God. Amen, amen.
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Well, we have
more blessings coming.
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We have Ladye Love Smith.
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She will be singing,
I Will Give You Rest.
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That in itself is a
message from the Lord.
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And please listen to
the words as she sings this
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beautiful message.
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Afterwards, we have
the opportunity to hear
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Pastor David Shin,
Standards of Christian living.
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I heard the message
he preached last time
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and I was truly blessed.
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I saw God working through
him to bring us closer to Jesus.
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Amen? Amen.
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He is currently the pastor
of the East Lansing Church.
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And he is here with us to
bring us closer to God's grace,
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bringing us that the
standards of Christian living
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still apply today.
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And we need to hear what
these are from God's word.
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So I leave you at this
moment with Ladye Love Smith.
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And the next voice you
hear after her will be that of
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Pastor David Shin.
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May God bless us as
we listen to his words.
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Amen.
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Amen, amen.
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Good morning, happy Sabbath.
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Happy Sabbath.
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It's so good to worship with you
today on this beautiful Sabbath.
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It's such a privilege.
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I'd like to invite you to bow
your heads with me as we pray.
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Father in heaven, we thank You
for this beautiful Sabbath day
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which is a reminder
to us of our Creator God,
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of creation,
redemption, and sanctification.
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We count it a privilege to
come together this morning as
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we reaffirm the pillars of truth
as found in Your holy Word.
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And we pray, Father, as we
open Your Word this morning,
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as we delve into this topic,
this very relevant topic for
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God's people living in the final
moments of earth's history,
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that You would speak to
our hearts and to our minds.
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Hide me behind the
cross, may Jesus be uplifted.
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Many Christ's love be
seen and magnified here today.
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For we ask these
things in Jesus' name, amen.
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The topic of
discussion this morning is
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Standards of Christian Living.
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They told me they wanted a young
person to talk about this topic.
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And I want to tell you
that I did youth ministry for
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a number of years
before I got to the current
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district where I'm at.
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And it seems that any time
you mention the word "standards"
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to young people, and
sometimes even to adults,
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there's almost a
universal visceral reaction.
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Do you find that?
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Any time you mention Christian
standards, it's almost like
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this angst of,
"Oh, here we go. "
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And among young people, there's
this common sentiment of,
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"Why do we need standards?"
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What are standards?
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And I'd like to, for a moments,
kind of give a little bit of an
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introduction before we get into
the heart of our message here
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today and define our terms.
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What are standards?
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What do we mean by
Christian standards?
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And there's two major categories
that I believe that standards
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can fall into.
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One of them is how
it affects our bodies.
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What we put in our
bodies; diet, substances.
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What we put on our bodies...
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Watch out.
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...dress and adornment.
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And what we do with our bodies.
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That's the first category.
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The second category
has to do with our minds.
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Entertainment; what
we read, what we watch,
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and what we listen to.
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Now, I'd like to invite
you, to bring out a beautiful
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illustration of how God deals
with us, I want to invite you
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to turn with me in your
Bibles to John chapter 8.
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That is what we talk about
when we talk about standards,
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how it affects our
bodies and our minds.
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What we do with our bodies,
what we put on our bodies,
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what we put in our bodies.
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And how it affects our mind,
what we put into our minds.
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John chapter 8.
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And here we see a
beautiful illustration of how
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God deals with us and
how God deals with this issue
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of standards.
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John chapter 8, I'll be reading
from the New King James Version.
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John chapter 8 and verse 2.
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"Now early in the
morning He came into the temple,
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and all the people came to Him;
and He sat down and taught them.
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Then the scribes and
the Pharisees brought to Him
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a woman caught in adultery.
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And when they had set her
in the midst, they said to Him,
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'Teacher, this woman
was caught in adultery,
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in the very act. '"
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I want you to
imagine in your mind's eye.
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This woman was caught in
the very act of adultery.
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And we're given a little bit of
background in The Desire of Ages
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that this was actually a trap.
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It was a setup.
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And this woman was
dragged through the streets
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by the religious
leaders and thrown before Jesus.
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And they say, "The law of
Moses says that this woman
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should be stoned.
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What say ye?"
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Now I want to ask you a
question here this morning.
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Were they right that this woman
was caught in the act of sin?
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They were right.
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Were they wrong in the
way that they handled it?
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So, you can see that
you can be very right
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in standing up for something,
but very wrong in the way
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that you carry it out.
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Is everyone
following me here this morning?
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The Bible tells us
that, "They that worship Him
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shall worship Him in
Spirit and in truth. "
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We need to have the truth, and
we need to have the right spirit
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in the same regard.
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I can't tell you how
many times as a young pastor
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I've had different saints
come to me and bring someone,
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not literally but
metaphorically, and say,
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"Pastor, this person
is doing such and such. "
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And I say, "Have
you talked to them?
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Have you gone through the
aspects of biblical Matthew 18?"
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Now we look at this illustration
and we see what Jesus
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does in this story.
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I'd like to go down to
verse 8 for the sake of time.
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"And again He stooped
down and wrote on the ground.
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And those that heard it, being
convicted by their conscience,
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went out one by one
beginning with the oldest
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even unto the last.
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And Jesus was left alone, and
the woman standing in the midst.
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When Jesus had raised Himself
up and saw no one but the woman,
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He said to her... "
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Now the statement of
Jesus illustrates the beauty
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of how God treats the
sinner and the standard.
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Look at what Jesus says.
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"Woman, where
are your accusers?"
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He said, "Has no
one condemned you?
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She said, 'No one, Lord. '
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And Jesus said to her,
'Neither do I condemn you. '"
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And now listen to this
part, "Go and sin no more. "
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Jesus did not
condemn the sinner.
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He had mercy on the sinner,
but He also upheld the standard.
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Amen? Amen.
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And this illustrates to us
the beautiful illustration of
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justice and mercy.
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There's a pendulum that has been
swinging even within our church.
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On the one hand we say,
we need to accept the sinner
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and tear down the standard.
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On the other hand, we have
people that uphold the standard
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and have no mercy on the sinner.
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Are you following me?
00:16:44.74\00:16:45.71
So here you see an
illustration of Jesus saying,
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"Neither do I condemn
you. Go and sin no more. "
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Justice and mercy.
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Jesus pardons the sinner
while upholding the standard.
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And that's the fine line that we
want to walk here this morning
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as we talk about
Christian standards.
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And I want, from the beginning
as we talk about this topic,
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be the first one to admit that
there have been moments in time
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that there have
been abuse of standards.
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I've heard illustrations
or stories of visitors
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that aren't members
that come to the church
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and perhaps they're
not upholding a certain
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standard of dress.
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And a dear well meaning saint
goes to them and corrects them
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in the back of the lobby.
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And you've heard stories like
this before, and illustrations.
00:17:41.27\00:17:44.77
And I think that this is
one of the reasons why people
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have such a
negative view of standards.
00:17:47.66\00:17:50.49
Because they perhaps personally
or someone they know has
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experienced an individual
that has corrected them,
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perhaps in not the best way.
00:17:57.59\00:18:00.51
But I'd like to point out here
this morning that we can never
00:18:01.11\00:18:05.81
judge something by its abuse.
00:18:05.84\00:18:08.79
Just because something
is abused does not mean
00:18:09.91\00:18:13.47
it's no longer valid.
00:18:13.50\00:18:15.23
Let me give you an
illustration of this.
00:18:15.26\00:18:17.00
Water.
00:18:17.03\00:18:18.14
I believe that water
is essential for life.
00:18:18.73\00:18:22.20
Most of our body, our
brain, is mostly water.
00:18:22.23\00:18:25.47
We should drink 6 to 8
glasses of water a day.
00:18:25.50\00:18:28.66
But water can be abused.
00:18:28.69\00:18:30.90
Did you know you can
drink too much water?
00:18:31.89\00:18:33.83
I'm training for a marathon
this year, by the grace of God.
00:18:34.33\00:18:37.59
The Chicago marathon.
00:18:37.62\00:18:38.81
And every year, it seems
like you hear about someone
00:18:38.84\00:18:42.37
that has drank too much water.
00:18:42.40\00:18:44.38
And they flush out all
their electrolytes and it
00:18:45.28\00:18:47.92
literally kills them.
00:18:47.95\00:18:49.20
I heard a story about
one individual that entered
00:18:49.23\00:18:52.45
into a contest that said if you
drink a certain amount of water
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in a short period of time,
you would get a Nintendo Wii.
00:18:56.33\00:18:59.31
And so this mother of a 3
year old drank so much water
00:18:59.34\00:19:02.69
that she died.
00:19:02.72\00:19:04.00
Water can be used for torture.
00:19:05.28\00:19:07.42
We've heard about it
in the news and so forth.
00:19:07.82\00:19:10.47
So water can be abused.
00:19:10.50\00:19:12.41
Does that mean that we now
say, "You know, I'm not going to
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drink any more water anymore.
00:19:15.65\00:19:16.84
I'm just going to drink pop. "
00:19:16.87\00:19:18.11
No. Alright?
00:19:18.14\00:19:19.98
So the illustration and
the point is simply this.
00:19:20.01\00:19:22.66
Just because something
is abused, such in the case
00:19:22.69\00:19:25.85
of standards, does not mean that
standards are no longer valid.
00:19:25.88\00:19:29.63
Another point I'd like to
make is in Ephesians chapter 2
00:19:30.67\00:19:36.49
verse 8 through
10, and we know this.
00:19:36.52\00:19:38.72
"For by grace you have
been saved through faith,
00:19:38.75\00:19:43.46
and this is not from
yourselves; it is a gift of God,
00:19:43.49\00:19:48.41
not by works, so
that no one can boast. "
00:19:48.44\00:19:52.18
Before we get into the heart
of today's message, I'd like to
00:19:52.21\00:19:55.32
establish from the beginning
that standards do not save us.
00:19:55.35\00:20:00.98
Amen? Alright?
00:20:03.36\00:20:05.58
I'm going to qualify this a
little bit later, but I want to
00:20:05.61\00:20:08.63
establish from the beginning
that standards do not save us.
00:20:08.66\00:20:11.72
Standards is not
the means of salvation.
00:20:11.75\00:20:15.13
We are saved by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ.
00:20:15.16\00:20:19.27
I do not believe in
righteousness by vegetarianism.
00:20:19.30\00:20:24.92
Now don't get me
wrong, I'm a vegetarian.
00:20:27.08\00:20:29.50
I believe in our health message.
00:20:29.53\00:20:31.93
But when Christ comes in
the clouds of glory, we're not
00:20:32.53\00:20:35.09
going to say, "Let me
in, I'm a vegetarian. "
00:20:35.12\00:20:36.77
Do you understand me?
00:20:36.80\00:20:37.95
We are saved by grace
through faith in Jesus Christ.
00:20:39.46\00:20:43.50
Now, if the question
is... This is the rub.
00:20:45.67\00:20:49.94
If standards do not save us
if standards is not part of a
00:20:50.98\00:20:57.77
meritorious working out of
our salvation that gives us
00:20:57.80\00:21:01.22
points with God to enter
into the kingdom of heaven,
00:21:01.25\00:21:04.59
then why do we need standards?
00:21:04.62\00:21:08.34
What is the biblical
reasoning for why we should have
00:21:09.18\00:21:13.89
certain guidelines for how we
treat our bodies and our minds?
00:21:13.92\00:21:19.29
I'd like to illustrate for
us, three different reasons
00:21:20.14\00:21:23.48
for standards
from the word of God.
00:21:23.51\00:21:24.94
I believe there's more, but
I'd like to establish these,
00:21:24.97\00:21:27.22
I believe, pivotal
reasons for standards.
00:21:27.25\00:21:30.80
And I believe that a lot
of young people have some
00:21:30.83\00:21:33.16
misunderstandings about this,
and I hope by the grace of God
00:21:33.19\00:21:36.81
that at the end of this study
will have a little bit more
00:21:36.84\00:21:39.26
clarity on this issue.
00:21:39.29\00:21:41.25
Reason number one has to do
with the nature of humanity.
00:21:42.12\00:21:47.20
I'd like to invite you to turn
with me to Romans chapter 7.
00:21:47.60\00:21:51.60
Reason number one,
the nature of humanity.
00:21:51.63\00:21:54.26
Why do we need standards if
standards is not meritorious
00:21:54.29\00:21:58.73
for our salvation?
00:21:58.76\00:22:00.59
The nature of humanity.
00:22:02.87\00:22:04.71
Romans chapter 7 and verse 14.
00:22:05.33\00:22:08.17
Just to give you a little
bit of a background, Romans is
00:22:08.20\00:22:12.33
a book that is illustrating
the nature of the gospel
00:22:12.36\00:22:15.13
and he has just illustrated
the beauty of justification.
00:22:15.16\00:22:19.79
That when we come to God and
ask for forgiveness, instantly
00:22:19.82\00:22:23.34
we can stand before God
as if we have never sinned.
00:22:23.37\00:22:27.01
That's beautiful.
00:22:27.04\00:22:28.01
After justification, he talks
about baptism and he's about
00:22:29.13\00:22:32.88
to make the transition from
justification to sanctification,
00:22:32.91\00:22:37.48
from the imputed to
the imparted gospel.
00:22:37.51\00:22:41.06
And in between
this transition of
00:22:41.47\00:22:44.01
justification to sanctification,
00:22:44.04\00:22:45.92
between what God did for
us and what God does in us,
00:22:45.95\00:22:50.29
we have in Romans chapter 7
this almost autobiographical
00:22:50.32\00:22:56.33
experiential existential
revelation of a struggle
00:22:56.36\00:23:01.31
that I believe Paul was
going through at some point in
00:23:01.34\00:23:03.99
his Christian experience.
00:23:04.02\00:23:05.41
Romans chapter 7 verse 14.
00:23:05.44\00:23:09.04
And notice he
speaks in first person.
00:23:09.07\00:23:11.78
"For we know that the law
is spiritual, but I am carnal,
00:23:12.28\00:23:17.29
sold under sin.
00:23:17.33\00:23:18.62
For what I am
doing, I do not understand.
00:23:18.65\00:23:22.77
For what I will to do,
that I do not practice;
00:23:22.80\00:23:27.51
but what I hate, that I do. "
00:23:27.54\00:23:30.83
This is like a tongue twister.
00:23:30.86\00:23:32.39
"If then I do what I will
not do to, I agree with the law
00:23:32.42\00:23:37.62
that it is good.
00:23:37.65\00:23:38.90
Now it is no longer I who do
it, but sin that dwells in me. "
00:23:38.93\00:23:44.09
He goes on.
00:23:44.12\00:23:45.18
"For I know that in
me, that is, in my flesh,
00:23:45.21\00:23:48.29
nothing good dwells; for
to will is present with me,
00:23:48.32\00:23:51.65
but how to perform
what is good I do not find.
00:23:51.68\00:23:54.81
For the good that I
will to do, I do not do;
00:23:54.84\00:23:57.50
but the evil that I will
not to do, that I practice.
00:23:57.53\00:24:00.48
Now if I do what I will not to
do, it is no longer I who do it,
00:24:00.51\00:24:04.33
but sin that dwells in me. "
00:24:04.36\00:24:07.14
What is Paul talking about?
00:24:07.76\00:24:09.38
It sounds like he almost
has this psychological disorder.
00:24:09.41\00:24:13.08
The things that he
wants to do, he doesn't do.
00:24:14.16\00:24:17.93
And the things that
he hates, that he does.
00:24:17.96\00:24:21.29
Have you ever had
that experience before?
00:24:21.32\00:24:23.21
You want to do something,
you know that conscientiously
00:24:23.82\00:24:27.24
this is the thing
that you should be doing,
00:24:27.27\00:24:29.29
but you do not do it.
00:24:29.32\00:24:30.68
And you have
something else that you hate,
00:24:30.71\00:24:33.99
yet it has a chain on your
life and you just can't stop.
00:24:34.02\00:24:38.62
This is what we call the
battle between what we call our
00:24:38.65\00:24:42.21
carnal nature on one side and
between our spiritual nature.
00:24:42.24\00:24:46.68
And what the Bible illustrates
is that our flesh is at war
00:24:46.71\00:24:50.49
with the spirit, and the
spirit is at war with the flesh.
00:24:50.52\00:24:54.28
They're at odds.
00:24:54.31\00:24:55.31
It seems like we almost
have a split personality.
00:24:55.78\00:24:58.52
I'm not talking about
a psychological disorder.
00:24:58.55\00:25:00.55
But there's this real conflict.
00:25:00.58\00:25:02.18
How many of you have
ever experienced that?
00:25:02.21\00:25:03.70
You have this conflict between
the flesh and the spirit,
00:25:03.73\00:25:07.27
between your spiritual
nature and your carnal nature.
00:25:07.30\00:25:10.27
It's very, very real.
00:25:10.30\00:25:12.55
And if we don't experience it,
we're either dead or not human.
00:25:12.58\00:25:15.94
It's a reality
of human existence.
00:25:15.97\00:25:19.21
Now the question that
arises for us at this point is,
00:25:20.56\00:25:25.49
how do we get the victory
and what is the reality of what
00:25:25.52\00:25:30.92
happens at conversion?
00:25:30.95\00:25:32.13
Before we get into that, I want
to read to you this statement.
00:25:32.16\00:25:34.37
It's from a book that's called,
00:25:34.40\00:25:36.83
Stop Me Because I
Can't Stop Myself.
00:25:36.86\00:25:40.62
Have you ever
experienced that before?
00:25:41.15\00:25:42.90
"I feel guilty because of
what I'm doing but I can't stop.
00:25:42.93\00:25:48.31
When I get these urges,
nothing seems to relieve them
00:25:48.34\00:25:52.30
except for... " and
you fill in the blank.
00:25:52.34\00:25:54.36
"If I don't get out to this
place when I have these urges,
00:25:54.39\00:25:58.94
maybe my wife asks me
what I'm doing or some
00:25:58.97\00:26:01.15
emergency comes up, I
feel incredibly anxious
00:26:01.18\00:26:05.26
and I get very irritable.
00:26:05.29\00:26:07.33
The way I treat my
wife and family is horrible.
00:26:07.36\00:26:10.15
I leave them alone
for hours, I lie to them,
00:26:10.18\00:26:12.51
I cancel family plans.
00:26:12.54\00:26:15.00
And it's all due to this. "
00:26:15.03\00:26:17.72
Perhaps you have a habit,
an addiction in your life that
00:26:18.54\00:26:20.99
you just can't break.
00:26:21.02\00:26:22.66
It's enchained you.
00:26:22.69\00:26:26.15
You just can't get the victory
over this aspect of your life,
00:26:26.18\00:26:29.72
whatever it may be.
00:26:29.75\00:26:31.14
The Bible points out to us
that on one hand we have our
00:26:31.17\00:26:34.67
spiritual nature, on the other
hand we have our carnal nature.
00:26:34.70\00:26:37.39
And what the Bible tells us
is that our will, naturally,
00:26:37.42\00:26:40.72
when we come into this world, is
enslaved to our carnal nature.
00:26:40.75\00:26:45.20
That's why we
can't help ourselves.
00:26:45.23\00:26:47.85
We naturally have this bend
and if left to our own devices
00:26:47.88\00:26:51.49
we will sin.
00:26:51.52\00:26:53.59
We're born into this world
with a warped carnal nature.
00:26:53.62\00:26:57.40
And that's the reality of what
happened because of Adam's sin.
00:26:57.90\00:27:01.89
The question is, what
happens at conversion?
00:27:02.86\00:27:06.56
When I get on my knees
every single day, from the first
00:27:07.06\00:27:11.42
moment a number of
years ago when I said,
00:27:11.45\00:27:13.02
"Lord, take my will. "
00:27:13.05\00:27:14.02
What happens is that our
will, which has been enslaved
00:27:14.05\00:27:17.47
by the flesh, by the
carnal nature, becomes free.
00:27:17.50\00:27:21.05
Now, this is one of the classic
misunderstandings as to what
00:27:22.48\00:27:26.36
happens after conversion.
00:27:26.39\00:27:28.29
I think some people naturally
assume that after conversion
00:27:28.32\00:27:32.08
you no longer have to
deal with the carnal nature.
00:27:32.11\00:27:35.78
I can't tell you how many
people I've baptize and they
00:27:36.61\00:27:38.99
go down into that water.
00:27:39.02\00:27:40.19
And baptism is beautiful,
it's a glorious experience.
00:27:40.22\00:27:42.94
I believe that
heaven is very near.
00:27:42.97\00:27:44.72
And they get up the next
morning and they're like,
00:27:44.75\00:27:46.63
"What's wrong?
00:27:46.66\00:27:47.76
I thought I would no
longer have to deal with these
00:27:47.79\00:27:50.58
passions and these tendencies
and these habits of my life. "
00:27:50.61\00:27:53.67
I want to give you
an illustration of this
00:27:56.14\00:27:58.40
about the carnal nature.
00:27:58.43\00:28:01.03
I was working in south central
Los Angeles as a Bible worker.
00:28:01.06\00:28:04.27
It was a marvelous experience.
00:28:05.38\00:28:06.83
We were going door to
door on a regular basis.
00:28:06.86\00:28:10.08
No mail out, just
door to door evangelism.
00:28:10.11\00:28:12.94
Twenty Bible workers.
00:28:12.97\00:28:14.58
And we pitched a tent
on Florence and Figueroa.
00:28:15.60\00:28:18.74
It was marvelous because
we saw thousands of people
00:28:18.77\00:28:22.11
come through that tent.
00:28:22.14\00:28:23.28
And I was in Watts picking
up some interests in this van
00:28:24.51\00:28:29.26
and there were some
young people on the street.
00:28:29.29\00:28:32.14
And they saw that I
was sitting in this van,
00:28:33.74\00:28:36.41
and for whatever reason
they started saying some things
00:28:36.44\00:28:39.06
about me that I will not repeat.
00:28:39.09\00:28:42.09
And I want to tell you that this
was an ironic situation because
00:28:43.97\00:28:48.90
here I am doing
evangelism for the Lord.
00:28:48.93\00:28:51.57
This is the epitome
of what you would call
00:28:51.60\00:28:55.18
authenticity in Christianity.
00:28:55.21\00:28:57.10
You're doing
evangelism, going door to door.
00:28:57.13\00:28:59.09
I'm out picking
up these contacts.
00:28:59.12\00:29:00.86
And as these individuals
are saying these things at me,
00:29:00.89\00:29:03.50
there was a volcano of negative
emotions that started erupting
00:29:04.20\00:29:11.54
within my heart.
00:29:11.57\00:29:12.54
Can you relate to me?
Anyone else human in this room?
00:29:12.55\00:29:15.37
Have you ever had an instance
when someone has crossed you?
00:29:15.40\00:29:17.96
Perhaps you're going to
work one morning and they
00:29:18.06\00:29:19.79
cut in front of you.
00:29:19.82\00:29:20.79
And you have this visceral
reaction within your heart
00:29:20.80\00:29:23.54
and within soul.
00:29:23.57\00:29:24.58
Well that's what was happening.
00:29:24.61\00:29:25.68
There was this visceral
reaction that was coming up
00:29:25.71\00:29:28.23
within my heart.
00:29:28.26\00:29:29.23
It was the flesh
that was crying out.
00:29:29.24\00:29:31.11
Now the question
is, why is that there?
00:29:31.14\00:29:34.45
I've given myself
to the Lord, why is my
00:29:35.54\00:29:37.80
carnal nature still there?
00:29:37.83\00:29:39.72
If you go to Romans chapter
8, Paul illustrates to us the
00:29:40.41\00:29:44.67
nature of what it
means to be a Christian and
00:29:44.70\00:29:47.26
walk this Christian walk.
00:29:47.29\00:29:48.61
And how it relates to this
entity that we call the flesh
00:29:48.64\00:29:51.70
and this other entity
that we call the Spirit.
00:29:51.73\00:29:54.19
In Romans chapter 8, "There
is therefore now no condemnation
00:29:55.79\00:30:03.08
to those that are
in Christ Jesus... "
00:30:03.11\00:30:06.44
Now notice this part,
notice the nuances of verse 1.
00:30:06.47\00:30:10.12
"... who do not walk
according to the flesh,
00:30:10.15\00:30:14.16
but according to the Spirit. "
00:30:14.19\00:30:16.45
Notice that Paul did not
say that there is no longer the
00:30:16.48\00:30:20.28
flesh to deal with.
00:30:20.31\00:30:21.95
He says we have
to make the choice.
00:30:21.98\00:30:24.19
In other words, at
conversion we're freed from
00:30:24.22\00:30:26.17
bondage to the flesh.
00:30:26.20\00:30:27.28
But we still have
these two entities;
00:30:27.31\00:30:29.50
the flesh and the spirit.
00:30:29.53\00:30:30.61
And every day as a Christian
we have to make a decision,
00:30:30.80\00:30:34.67
a choice, to walk in the Spirit
and not walk in the flesh.
00:30:34.70\00:30:40.06
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:30:40.09\00:30:41.99
It does not mean
that the carnal nature is
00:30:42.02\00:30:44.40
no longer in existence.
00:30:44.43\00:30:46.32
It means that now we are
freed by the grace of God to
00:30:46.35\00:30:49.61
make the decision, in
His strength and His power,
00:30:49.64\00:30:52.92
to walk in the
Spirit and not in the flesh.
00:30:52.95\00:30:56.29
And the beauty of it is
that as we make it a habit
00:30:57.18\00:31:01.42
to walk in the Spirit and not
in the flesh, it becomes easier.
00:31:01.45\00:31:06.22
I can remember the
first time I tried to drive a
00:31:07.34\00:31:09.15
stick shift car.
00:31:09.18\00:31:10.65
It was horrendous.
Whiplash, stalling.
00:31:10.68\00:31:14.78
I remember I got to this
one stop light, you've probably
00:31:15.28\00:31:18.03
experienced this,
and it was on an incline.
00:31:18.06\00:31:19.56
It was a horror for a
young stick shift driver.
00:31:19.59\00:31:22.54
And I'm sitting
there, I'm sweating.
00:31:23.04\00:31:25.14
And suddenly, I go and
stall and the light changes and
00:31:25.55\00:31:28.51
the people
behind me are honking.
00:31:28.54\00:31:30.18
And so I just spun
out on the next change.
00:31:30.21\00:31:33.14
But today, by the
grace of God, I've made
00:31:33.17\00:31:36.28
stick shift driving a habit.
00:31:36.31\00:31:39.20
And I don't even
think about it anymore.
00:31:39.99\00:31:41.96
And you just get
in the car and drive.
00:31:41.99\00:31:45.24
You're not thinking
first, second, third.
00:31:45.27\00:31:46.92
It has become a habit.
00:31:46.95\00:31:49.23
And it's the same
way as a Christian.
00:31:49.26\00:31:50.90
When you come to Jesus
and you make it a habit of
00:31:50.93\00:31:53.31
walking in the
Spirit and not in the flesh
00:31:53.34\00:31:55.83
that the flesh becomes weaker.
00:31:55.86\00:31:57.87
And friends, we need make
it a habit to starve the flesh.
00:31:57.90\00:32:02.90
Amen? Amen.
00:32:02.93\00:32:04.37
And feed the Spirit.
00:32:04.40\00:32:06.91
Paul says, "I die daily. "
00:32:10.50\00:32:13.57
We're told in
Ministry Of Healing, page 452,
00:32:14.79\00:32:17.68
"The life of the
apostle Paul was a constant
00:32:18.58\00:32:21.03
conflict with self.
00:32:21.06\00:32:23.47
His will and his desires
every day conflicted with duty
00:32:23.50\00:32:28.40
and the will of God.
00:32:28.43\00:32:30.31
Likewise, for every converted
reborn and justified Christian
00:32:30.34\00:32:37.52
the process of sanctification
involves hard stern
00:32:37.55\00:32:42.37
battles with self. "
00:32:42.40\00:32:44.87
Then the question is, then
where does standards come in?
00:32:46.76\00:32:52.04
Where does standards come in?
00:32:52.07\00:32:53.70
It's right here.
00:32:53.73\00:32:55.21
This is what I believe
to be one of the classic
00:32:55.24\00:32:58.60
reasons for standards.
00:32:58.63\00:33:00.36
It's because after conversion,
we still have to deal with
00:33:00.39\00:33:04.62
the carnal nature.
00:33:04.65\00:33:05.75
And so one reason for standards
is that it forms a boundary,
00:33:06.63\00:33:11.44
a fence, a line,
around our carnal nature
00:33:11.47\00:33:16.01
to keep us from falling.
00:33:16.70\00:33:19.44
Even though
standards do not save us,
00:33:19.95\00:33:23.44
but they do keep
us from being lost.
00:33:23.47\00:33:26.22
Amen? Amen.
00:33:26.25\00:33:27.47
And so as a Christian, because
every single day we have to
00:33:27.50\00:33:30.36
make the decision between
the carnal nature and the
00:33:30.39\00:33:32.32
spiritual nature, we put
some boundaries around our flesh
00:33:32.35\00:33:36.79
to keep us from falling,
to keep our flesh in check.
00:33:36.82\00:33:41.28
I want to tell you about
a personal standard that I
00:33:41.31\00:33:43.74
made for my life.
00:33:43.77\00:33:44.98
I'm a television addict.
00:33:45.01\00:33:48.34
I just can't help myself
when it comes to television.
00:33:49.87\00:33:52.68
I watch 3ABN on the internet.
00:33:53.64\00:33:55.45
Alright?
00:33:55.48\00:33:56.52
But this is the thing, I
have chosen as a standard
00:33:57.24\00:34:00.88
not to have a
television in my home.
00:34:02.03\00:34:04.24
That's a personal standard.
00:34:04.27\00:34:05.84
Are you following me?
00:34:05.87\00:34:07.07
Because I know that
I can't help myself,
00:34:07.10\00:34:09.45
and so I put this
boundary around it and I say
00:34:09.48\00:34:11.77
no television in the home.
00:34:11.80\00:34:13.23
I'm not saying
that having a television
00:34:13.26\00:34:15.01
in your home is a sin.
00:34:15.04\00:34:16.30
Are you following me?
00:34:16.33\00:34:17.32
But I put this
standard, this boundary, because
00:34:17.35\00:34:20.10
I know myself and once I
put a television in the home
00:34:20.13\00:34:23.67
it's a slippery slope.
00:34:23.70\00:34:26.01
By the time I step on the
top, I'm down at the bottom.
00:34:26.04\00:34:29.51
And so I put this
standard around the flesh
00:34:29.54\00:34:33.20
and saying it's a boundary.
00:34:33.23\00:34:34.50
It's kind of like a cliff.
00:34:34.53\00:34:36.63
If you go over the
cliff, that is the area of sin.
00:34:36.66\00:34:40.20
And so what a standard is, it's
like a fence before the cliff
00:34:40.23\00:34:45.04
that tells you that you're
in a boundary, a danger area.
00:34:45.07\00:34:48.55
It's a positive thing.
00:34:48.58\00:34:50.16
It's not to be a
hammer to beat people up,
00:34:50.19\00:34:52.49
but standards should be
presented as a boundary,
00:34:52.52\00:34:55.13
as a good thing that is there
for our safety and benefit.
00:34:55.16\00:34:58.82
As we walk the Christian
experience, it is there
00:34:58.85\00:35:01.61
to keep our flesh in check.
00:35:01.64\00:35:04.17
In the college that I attended,
it was out in the country
00:35:07.91\00:35:12.38
and there were these hills
that you got to the top of them
00:35:12.41\00:35:18.61
and you had to essentially
get to the top before you could
00:35:18.64\00:35:22.03
see if another car was coming.
00:35:22.06\00:35:24.29
And in the country, there were
not very many police to monitor
00:35:24.79\00:35:28.41
the situation so people
would just fly over this hill
00:35:28.44\00:35:30.98
at incredible speed.
00:35:31.01\00:35:32.41
And there was this one instance
when a school classmate of mine
00:35:33.18\00:35:37.00
was going over this hill
and as fate would have it,
00:35:37.03\00:35:39.53
at the top she met another
car that had crossed over
00:35:39.56\00:35:42.93
and it was a head on collision.
00:35:42.96\00:35:44.59
The child that was in
the passenger seat was
00:35:45.25\00:35:47.80
thrown out of the
car, died immediately.
00:35:47.83\00:35:50.52
The county came in
just a few weeks later.
00:35:51.59\00:35:55.21
And you know what they
did on that country road?
00:35:55.24\00:35:57.81
They put some
doubled yellow lines.
00:35:58.43\00:36:00.38
There were no lines.
00:36:00.86\00:36:02.29
There were no boundaries.
00:36:02.62\00:36:04.18
And so all of us viewed those
lines, not as a negative thing,
00:36:05.07\00:36:09.87
but as a positive entity
that was there for our benefit.
00:36:09.90\00:36:14.41
And that is the
same way with standards.
00:36:14.91\00:36:17.91
Standards do not save us but
they keep us from being lost.
00:36:20.91\00:36:24.76
G.K. Chesterton said this,
"Don't ever take a fence down
00:36:26.05\00:36:31.41
until you know the
reason it was put up. "
00:36:31.44\00:36:35.09
I like that.
00:36:35.12\00:36:36.45
"Don't ever take a
fence down until you know
00:36:36.95\00:36:39.19
the reason it was put up. "
00:36:39.22\00:36:40.37
And I can't tell you how
many people go through this
00:36:40.40\00:36:42.65
methodology of deconstruction.
00:36:42.68\00:36:44.90
They say, "We
don't need these fences.
00:36:44.93\00:36:47.01
We don't need
these boundaries. "
00:36:47.04\00:36:48.35
And they start to take
them down not knowing why
00:36:48.38\00:36:51.33
they were put up
in the first place.
00:36:51.36\00:36:52.96
And what he's saying is stop
before you take the fences down.
00:36:52.99\00:36:56.17
Ask why they were put
there in the first place.
00:36:56.20\00:36:58.88
And one reason for standards
is because of the reality
00:36:58.91\00:37:02.30
of the human nature,
the reality of the flesh.
00:37:02.33\00:37:05.54
Even after conversion.
00:37:05.57\00:37:08.34
How does this
apply to standards,
00:37:10.34\00:37:12.41
what we put in our body?
00:37:12.44\00:37:14.82
You know, there's certain
substances, certain foods,
00:37:15.89\00:37:20.45
that feed our carnal nature
00:37:20.48\00:37:23.28
and that obliterate
our spiritual nature.
00:37:24.62\00:37:28.38
God asks us to avoid
those substances and foods.
00:37:29.02\00:37:33.90
As a child, there were certain
foods my parents found out
00:37:33.93\00:37:37.49
very quickly, I'm very
sensitive to food, that it would
00:37:37.52\00:37:41.12
radically change my behavior.
00:37:41.15\00:37:43.65
And so they started, they said,
"Man, when we feed David this,
00:37:43.68\00:37:47.78
it affects him.
00:37:47.81\00:37:48.81
He becomes very
hyperactive and unmanageable. "
00:37:48.84\00:37:50.90
And they changed my
diet and immediately
00:37:50.93\00:37:53.01
my behavior started to change.
00:37:53.04\00:37:55.06
There's a relation between
what we put into our bodies
00:37:55.09\00:37:58.57
and how it
affects our carnal nature.
00:37:58.60\00:38:00.84
What we put on our bodies.
00:38:02.17\00:38:04.88
Because of the reality of
our carnal nature, there are
00:38:05.45\00:38:07.82
certain things that we
put on our bodies that appeals
00:38:07.85\00:38:10.61
to our carnal nature and also
appeals to the carnal nature
00:38:10.64\00:38:13.82
of other individuals.
00:38:13.85\00:38:15.26
Everyone following
me along these lines?
00:38:15.29\00:38:17.28
And this is where the principle
of modesty comes into play.
00:38:17.31\00:38:20.78
It's because of the
reality of the carnal nature.
00:38:20.81\00:38:24.29
And when we put things on,
or we do not put things on,
00:38:24.32\00:38:27.93
it affects...
00:38:28.96\00:38:30.19
it affects other individuals.
00:38:32.31\00:38:34.34
Have mercy.
00:38:43.52\00:38:45.55
When we talk about this
issue of modesty and adornment,
00:38:52.95\00:38:56.80
in Genesis chapter 35
verses 1 and 2, the Bible says,
00:38:59.09\00:39:01.95
"And God said to Jacob, 'Arise,
go up to Bethel and dwell there
00:39:01.99\00:39:05.47
and make there an altar
unto God that appeared unto thee
00:39:05.50\00:39:09.42
when thou fleddest from
the face of Esau thy brother. '
00:39:09.45\00:39:12.67
Then Jacob said unto his
household and to all that
00:39:12.70\00:39:15.30
were with him, 'Put away the
strange gods that are among you
00:39:15.33\00:39:17.84
and be clean and
change your garments. '"
00:39:17.87\00:39:20.70
Here we have Jacob about to meet
the Lord, and the Lord says,
00:39:20.73\00:39:23.94
"Take away the strange
gods that are among you. "
00:39:23.97\00:39:27.52
You know, we're about to meet
the Lord and it's time that we
00:39:28.52\00:39:31.06
get the strange
gods from among us.
00:39:31.09\00:39:33.07
What strange gods
is he talking about?
00:39:33.10\00:39:35.20
If you look in verse 3 and 4,
"And let us arise and go to up
00:39:35.80\00:39:38.83
to Bethel and I'll
make there an altar unto God
00:39:38.86\00:39:40.70
who answered me in the day
of my distress and was with me
00:39:40.73\00:39:43.26
in the way in which I went.
00:39:43.29\00:39:44.55
And they gave unto Jacob,"
notice this, "all the strange
00:39:44.58\00:39:48.54
gods which were in
their hand and the earrings
00:39:48.57\00:39:51.84
which were in their ears;
and Jacob hid them under the
00:39:51.87\00:39:55.80
oak which was by Shecham. "
00:39:55.83\00:39:58.15
From a Biblical standpoint,
one reason the Lord doesn't
00:39:58.84\00:40:01.29
want us to adorn ourselves
with jewelry and adornment
00:40:01.32\00:40:03.91
is that it appeals to our carnal
desire for the pride of life
00:40:03.94\00:40:07.66
and feeds our carnal nature.
00:40:07.69\00:40:10.00
There's nothing inherently
wrong with gold or silver.
00:40:12.30\00:40:15.94
You know, it's going
to be asphalt in heaven.
00:40:16.91\00:40:19.75
But He knows our carnal nature
and when we put those things
00:40:20.76\00:40:23.43
on us, it's not helping
us in our Christian walk.
00:40:23.46\00:40:25.97
Amen?
00:40:26.00\00:40:26.97
It's feeding our flesh
and not feeding our spirit.
00:40:26.98\00:40:29.69
What we do with our bodies.
00:40:31.01\00:40:32.44
This has to do with
activities that appeal to our
00:40:33.28\00:40:35.50
carnal nature and sensuality.
00:40:35.53\00:40:37.96
Let's talk about the mind.
00:40:39.24\00:40:40.46
There's certain things
that appeal to our carnal nature
00:40:40.49\00:40:42.63
when it comes to entertainment;
what we read, what we watch,
00:40:42.66\00:40:46.18
and what we listen to.
00:40:46.21\00:40:47.59
We know what those are.
00:40:47.62\00:40:48.99
It's at this point that
we need to say to the Lord,
00:40:50.31\00:40:53.64
when we talk about surrendering
these things to Him,
00:40:53.67\00:40:55.96
putting these
boundaries around our flesh.
00:40:55.99\00:40:58.47
This is found in Christ's
Object Lessons and I pray that
00:40:59.28\00:41:01.72
this is a prayer
of every heart here.
00:41:01.75\00:41:03.99
"Then the language of the soul
will be, 'Lord, take my heart
00:41:04.02\00:41:08.90
for I cannot give it. '
00:41:08.93\00:41:10.85
It is Thy property, keep it pure
for I cannot keep it for Thee.
00:41:11.45\00:41:15.68
Save me in spite of myself,
my weak unchristlike self.
00:41:15.71\00:41:20.80
Mold me, fashion me,
raise me me into a pure and holy
00:41:20.83\00:41:25.20
atmosphere where the
rich current of Thy love can
00:41:25.23\00:41:27.74
flow through my soul. '"
00:41:27.77\00:41:30.01
This should be the
plea of every heart to say,
00:41:31.09\00:41:32.86
every morning when
you get up you say,
00:41:32.89\00:41:35.10
"Lord, I
surrender my life to You.
00:41:35.13\00:41:37.27
Help me by the grace of
God to walk in the Spirit
00:41:37.30\00:41:40.20
and not in the flesh.
00:41:40.23\00:41:41.34
And help me to put up
these fences, these boundaries,
00:41:41.37\00:41:44.31
these guidelines around my
carnal nature that keeps me
00:41:44.34\00:41:47.49
from walking in the
flesh and not in the Spirit. "
00:41:47.52\00:41:50.74
Is that your
desire to do that today?
00:41:50.77\00:41:52.95
So the first reason for
standards is the reality of
00:41:53.25\00:41:57.37
the carnal
nature after conversion.
00:41:57.40\00:42:00.51
And we must endeavor as
Christians to feed the Spirit
00:42:00.54\00:42:05.33
and starve the flesh.
00:42:05.36\00:42:07.53
The second reason is
the nature of salvation.
00:42:09.14\00:42:15.25
First reason, the
nature of humanity.
00:42:16.07\00:42:18.34
The second reason,
the nature of salvation.
00:42:18.37\00:42:21.23
I'd like to read to
you the statement from
00:42:22.00\00:42:23.42
the book Education.
00:42:23.45\00:42:24.87
"By infinite love and
mercy, the plan of salvation
00:42:24.90\00:42:27.99
had been devised and a
life of probation was granted. "
00:42:28.02\00:42:30.99
Notice this, "To restore
in man the image of his Maker,
00:42:31.02\00:42:35.62
to bring him back to
the perfection in which
00:42:35.65\00:42:38.67
he was created, to
promote the development of body,
00:42:38.70\00:42:42.04
mind, and soul, that the
divine purpose of his creation
00:42:42.07\00:42:45.26
might be realized; this was
to be the work of redemption.
00:42:45.29\00:42:49.41
This is the object of education,
the great object of life. "
00:42:49.44\00:42:54.04
Notice that the
operative word within this
00:42:54.07\00:42:56.83
quotation is "restoration".
00:42:56.87\00:42:59.67
In other words, when
we talk about salvation,
00:42:59.75\00:43:03.47
it is not just the forgiveness
of sins from the past.
00:43:03.50\00:43:07.35
That's a part of it.
00:43:07.38\00:43:08.72
But what God does, what
God's end goal is, His talent
00:43:08.75\00:43:13.47
is to bring us back to
Adam's state before the fall.
00:43:13.50\00:43:18.14
That's His intention.
00:43:18.17\00:43:20.16
Justification is a
part of the process.
00:43:20.56\00:43:23.23
And I believe in
the Protestant mantra
00:43:23.26\00:43:25.49
of righteousness by faith.
00:43:25.52\00:43:27.49
How He covers us for
the sins of the past.
00:43:27.52\00:43:30.29
But you'll notice when
you look at the sanctuary,
00:43:30.32\00:43:33.10
it is a process to get to
the place of the Shekinah glory.
00:43:33.13\00:43:38.03
That is the goal.
00:43:38.06\00:43:39.83
When Adam stood in Edenic
perfection, he could stand
00:43:39.86\00:43:42.88
before God in
communion face to face.
00:43:42.91\00:43:46.29
But because of sin,
we have been cut out,
00:43:46.32\00:43:49.17
outside of the sanctuary.
00:43:49.20\00:43:51.18
And what God wants us to do,
He wants to bring us into the
00:43:51.21\00:43:54.00
courtyard
experience of justification.
00:43:54.03\00:43:57.49
He doesn't want
to leave us there.
00:43:57.52\00:43:59.44
He brings us into the
holy place of sanctification,
00:43:59.47\00:44:03.16
and finally glorification.
00:44:03.19\00:44:05.63
Salvation is a process.
00:44:05.66\00:44:08.97
It's a walk.
00:44:09.00\00:44:10.52
It's an endeavor in
which God wants to restore us.
00:44:10.55\00:44:14.85
That is the operative word that
we want to talk about when we
00:44:14.88\00:44:17.39
talk about the
nature of salvation.
00:44:17.42\00:44:20.62
Now we have
these three entities.
00:44:21.62\00:44:23.80
Justification, the beautiful
endeavors of justification.
00:44:23.83\00:44:29.01
That means that I can come to
the Lord just the way that I am.
00:44:29.04\00:44:32.30
And I kneel down and I
say, "Lord, please forgive
00:44:32.33\00:44:34.61
me of my sins.
00:44:34.64\00:44:35.61
I want to be restored into
reinstatement before You. "
00:44:35.62\00:44:38.63
Then I can stand before
God in that instant just as if
00:44:38.66\00:44:42.68
I had never sinned.
00:44:42.71\00:44:43.82
And when God looks at me
He doesn't see David Shin.
00:44:43.85\00:44:47.39
He sees the
righteousness of Jesus Christ.
00:44:47.42\00:44:50.63
How fast is justification?
00:44:52.68\00:44:55.34
Justification, when
you ask for forgiveness,
00:44:56.91\00:44:59.70
I praise the
Lord, instantaneous.
00:44:59.73\00:45:02.41
You're reinstated.
00:45:02.92\00:45:04.54
The next process is
sanctification and it has
00:45:05.31\00:45:08.54
to do with
character development.
00:45:08.57\00:45:10.79
How long does
sanctification take?
00:45:12.67\00:45:15.15
A lifetime.
00:45:16.59\00:45:17.72
Now that is very interesting.
00:45:17.75\00:45:19.67
Justification is instantaneous.
00:45:19.87\00:45:22.60
You can stand before God
as if you have never sinned
00:45:22.63\00:45:24.79
and you are considered saved.
00:45:24.82\00:45:26.23
But sanctification has to
do with character development
00:45:26.26\00:45:29.32
and it takes a lifetime.
00:45:29.35\00:45:31.55
God brings trials,
circumstances, into our lives
00:45:32.84\00:45:36.44
to perfect our
Christian character.
00:45:36.47\00:45:39.08
Now this is an interesting
point when we talk about
00:45:40.70\00:45:44.55
glorification and
we're given immortal bodies.
00:45:44.58\00:45:47.44
So we have
justification, instantaneous.
00:45:47.47\00:45:49.70
Sanctification, a
lifetime. Character development.
00:45:49.73\00:45:52.83
And glorification,
which happens when Jesus comes
00:45:52.86\00:45:56.38
and we're given new bodies.
00:45:56.41\00:45:58.16
Praise the Lord. Amen? Amen.
00:45:58.19\00:46:00.10
I won't be 5 foot 6 anymore.
00:46:00.32\00:46:02.32
I'll be tall, by
the grace of God.
00:46:04.25\00:46:06.41
We'll be given
new bodies, new minds.
00:46:06.44\00:46:09.10
No more chiropractors,
no more health care.
00:46:09.13\00:46:12.11
Praise the Lord.
00:46:12.14\00:46:13.11
No more back aches.
00:46:13.12\00:46:15.65
We'll be given immortal
minds and immortal bodies
00:46:15.68\00:46:18.52
and our sinful
nature will be taken away
00:46:18.55\00:46:21.91
at the second
coming of Jesus Christ.
00:46:21.94\00:46:24.05
That's glorification.
00:46:24.08\00:46:25.92
Now when we talk about
sanctification, we say that
00:46:27.92\00:46:31.03
it takes a lifetime.
00:46:31.06\00:46:32.55
And in Proverbs
chapter 4 verse 18 it says,
00:46:32.58\00:46:35.56
"But the path of the just is
as a shining light that shineth
00:46:35.59\00:46:38.56
more and more
unto the perfect day. "
00:46:38.59\00:46:41.30
Notice that this
metaphor is used of the sun,
00:46:41.80\00:46:44.90
talking about this
process of sanctification.
00:46:44.93\00:46:47.81
And notice that
when the sun comes up,
00:46:47.84\00:46:50.03
it is a gradual process.
00:46:50.06\00:46:52.76
It gets more and more
perfect until the perfect day.
00:46:53.54\00:46:57.11
Imagine if you'd been a
room of darkness for 5 years and
00:46:57.14\00:47:00.79
someone comes
suddenly and shines a 5000 watt
00:47:00.82\00:47:03.78
spotlight on you.
00:47:03.81\00:47:05.19
It would be unbearable.
00:47:05.22\00:47:06.80
And so what God does is
He shines a little light
00:47:06.83\00:47:10.05
on your path and
says, "Walk in it. "
00:47:10.08\00:47:13.07
And as you take that step, He
shines a little bit more light
00:47:13.10\00:47:16.51
and then you
walk in that as well.
00:47:16.54\00:47:18.33
And it's a walk of
Christian experience.
00:47:18.36\00:47:20.65
God only shows you as
much light as you can walk in.
00:47:20.68\00:47:24.19
But it's a walk, it's a journey.
00:47:24.22\00:47:26.37
And what God does is He
takes you from the depths of sin
00:47:26.40\00:47:30.11
and brings you step
by step to the ideal.
00:47:30.14\00:47:33.57
Did you hear that?
00:47:34.98\00:47:35.98
God take you from the depths
of sin and moment by moment
00:47:36.01\00:47:39.87
as you walk the
Christian walk, He brings you
00:47:39.90\00:47:42.39
to the ideal.
00:47:42.42\00:47:44.46
Now this is the beauty of it.
00:47:45.77\00:47:47.29
Christ's Object
Lessons, again, page 65.
00:47:49.51\00:47:52.00
"At every stage of development,"
talking about the Christian life
00:47:53.02\00:47:57.09
and Christian experience,
"our life may be perfect;
00:47:57.12\00:48:01.27
yet if God's purpose for
us is fulfilled, there will be
00:48:02.24\00:48:05.87
continual advancement.
00:48:05.90\00:48:07.92
Sanctification is
the work of a lifetime. "
00:48:07.95\00:48:10.64
Now I want you to notice this.
00:48:10.67\00:48:11.75
At every stage of this walk,
as long as God is showing me
00:48:11.78\00:48:15.24
the light and I'm walking
in the light, God says you are
00:48:15.27\00:48:18.14
perfect at every stage.
00:48:18.17\00:48:20.23
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:48:20.26\00:48:21.65
In other words, our idea
of perfection is dynamic.
00:48:21.68\00:48:24.34
It's not static.
00:48:24.37\00:48:25.56
In other words, as long as
you're always doing what God
00:48:25.59\00:48:28.13
entitles you to do
and walking in the light,
00:48:28.16\00:48:30.55
you are considered perfect.
00:48:30.58\00:48:32.72
You are considered
justified and sanctified.
00:48:32.75\00:48:36.01
And by the grace of God,
some day you will be sanctified.
00:48:36.04\00:48:40.05
And this brings
us to our element.
00:48:40.08\00:48:43.10
Standards shows us God's ideals
and where He desires to take us.
00:48:43.13\00:48:50.04
So you have on one
entity; you have sin,
00:48:51.32\00:48:54.04
you have what is permitted,
and you have the ideal.
00:48:54.07\00:48:59.70
And God wants to bring
you from sin to the ideal.
00:48:59.73\00:49:03.85
And it's a walk of
Christian experience.
00:49:03.88\00:49:06.86
Now let me illustrate this.
00:49:06.89\00:49:09.13
You have sin, just to
use the illustration of diet.
00:49:09.16\00:49:12.21
There are certain things that
are not permitted in the Bible.
00:49:12.24\00:49:14.71
Alright?
00:49:14.74\00:49:15.78
Leviticus chapter 11,
no camel sandwiches, ok?
00:49:15.81\00:49:19.05
So you have certain things that
are not permitted in the Bible.
00:49:19.08\00:49:23.77
Then you have those
things that are permitted.
00:49:23.80\00:49:26.38
There are certain flesh
foods that are considered clean.
00:49:26.41\00:49:29.99
Then God has the ideal.
00:49:30.02\00:49:32.64
You know, in heaven
there won't be any steak.
00:49:33.85\00:49:36.35
Alright?
00:49:36.38\00:49:37.53
So God wants to
bring us to the ideal.
00:49:38.45\00:49:40.67
Now, the
permitted area is not sin.
00:49:41.93\00:49:45.54
But it's not the ideal.
00:49:45.57\00:49:47.17
It's not forbidden, but
God is bring us in our walk.
00:49:47.20\00:49:49.93
And as long as you keep
walking in the light, in your
00:49:49.96\00:49:53.13
Christian experience
where you are in your growth
00:49:53.16\00:49:55.39
of sanctification, you are
considered perfect in His eyes.
00:49:55.42\00:49:59.52
The key is, just keep walking.
00:49:59.55\00:50:03.05
Just keep walking.
00:50:04.58\00:50:05.97
Whatever God shows you in
your Christian experience,
00:50:06.00\00:50:08.11
no matter how small
it may be, walk in it.
00:50:08.14\00:50:11.59
Live it. Believe it.
00:50:12.53\00:50:15.35
Don't worry about what
so and so is going through,
00:50:15.38\00:50:18.17
what so and so is doing.
00:50:18.20\00:50:19.19
Remember Peter
said, "What about John?"
00:50:19.22\00:50:21.27
Jesus said, "Don't worry
about him, just focus on you. "
00:50:21.30\00:50:25.62
So whatever light God
has shown you, walk in it.
00:50:25.65\00:50:29.07
Live it.
00:50:29.67\00:50:30.84
John chapter 12 verse 35 says,
"Walk while ye have the light,
00:50:32.44\00:50:36.82
lest darkness come upon you. "
00:50:36.85\00:50:40.44
Reason number one, the
reality of human nature.
00:50:41.45\00:50:44.50
Reason number two,
the nature of salvation.
00:50:45.40\00:50:49.25
It's a process.
00:50:49.28\00:50:50.84
And standards shows us
God's ideal and where He
00:50:50.87\00:50:54.49
desires to take us.
00:50:54.52\00:50:56.11
And reason number
three is the nature of our
00:50:56.14\00:51:01.21
relationship to God.
00:51:01.24\00:51:03.20
The Bible says, "If you
love Me, keep My commandments. "
00:51:03.23\00:51:08.66
We have this concept in
the Bible of loving the truth.
00:51:09.95\00:51:14.37
You know, we don't
think of loving truth.
00:51:14.67\00:51:18.00
We think of understanding truth.
00:51:18.03\00:51:19.61
But the Bible gives
this interesting word,
00:51:19.64\00:51:22.21
a relational word,
when it comes to truth.
00:51:22.24\00:51:25.03
In 1 John chapter 3
verse 22, the Bibles says,
00:51:25.86\00:51:29.40
"And we receive from
Him anything we ask because
00:51:29.43\00:51:31.71
we obey His commandments,"
and it doesn't end there.
00:51:31.74\00:51:34.66
And it says, "and we
do what pleases Him. "
00:51:34.69\00:51:38.25
That is a relational word.
00:51:38.85\00:51:40.92
In other words, we
don't only do what He commands
00:51:40.95\00:51:43.51
but we also do what pleases Him.
00:51:43.54\00:51:45.69
This is the other
angle on Christian standards.
00:51:45.72\00:51:49.29
Now I've heard this
statement before thrown around
00:51:50.28\00:51:53.72
and I will agree that
there's certain things that
00:51:53.75\00:51:56.72
aren't salvational issues.
00:51:56.75\00:51:58.63
But I'm talking
more about the attitude.
00:51:58.66\00:52:01.30
Have you ever heard someone say,
00:52:01.33\00:52:02.64
"You know, that's not
a salvational issue. "
00:52:02.67\00:52:04.24
What if, husbands, your
wife was about to leave the home
00:52:05.97\00:52:11.06
and she says, "Honey,
before I leave the home,
00:52:11.66\00:52:14.00
can you give me a kiss?"
00:52:14.03\00:52:15.23
And you say to her, "Um, are you
going to divorce me if I don't?"
00:52:17.65\00:52:21.47
And she says, "No, of
course I won't divorce you
00:52:25.59\00:52:30.70
but I'd really like a
kiss before I go on my day.
00:52:30.73\00:52:33.72
It would really
make me happy today. "
00:52:33.75\00:52:35.06
"Well, I don't want to.
00:52:35.09\00:52:36.20
If you're not going to
divorce me because I don't,
00:52:36.23\00:52:38.07
I don't want to. "
00:52:38.10\00:52:39.27
Imagine if your wife
comes to you and says,
00:52:40.01\00:52:41.43
"Honey, can you do the dishes?
I'm kind of busy right now. "
00:52:41.46\00:52:43.42
"Well, are you going
to divorce me if I don't?"
00:52:43.45\00:52:46.38
You know, that would
be a horrendous situation
00:52:47.22\00:52:50.34
and a horrendous marriage.
00:52:50.37\00:52:51.85
You know, I've been
married two years and you know
00:52:51.88\00:52:54.72
the little things matter.
00:52:54.75\00:52:56.44
And in a relationship
with Jesus, that's the way
00:52:56.47\00:52:59.15
many people treat Him.
00:52:59.18\00:53:00.20
You say, "Am I going to be
lost, are You going to keep me
00:53:00.23\00:53:02.65
out of the kingdom
because I don't do this?"
00:53:02.68\00:53:04.80
The Bible uses this
relational word, and when you
00:53:05.81\00:53:09.14
love the Lord, you
desire to do what pleases Him.
00:53:09.17\00:53:13.57
It's not your desire to get as
close to the edge as possible.
00:53:13.60\00:53:18.90
You want to be far
away from that edge.
00:53:18.93\00:53:22.34
You want to do those
things that pleases Him.
00:53:22.37\00:53:27.17
The little things matter.
00:53:28.15\00:53:31.30
I give Bible studies to
individuals and it seems like
00:53:32.95\00:53:39.08
at every point in our Bible
studies, we get to this point
00:53:39.11\00:53:42.02
of Christian
lifestyle and standards.
00:53:42.05\00:53:45.48
And our discussion can get
pretty dynamic and engaging
00:53:45.51\00:53:50.74
at certain points.
00:53:50.77\00:53:52.07
And I remember this one
gentleman I was talking to
00:53:53.17\00:53:55.41
and we were talking
about Christian standards
00:53:55.44\00:53:57.02
and we were going about this.
00:53:57.05\00:53:58.63
And it usually comes from the
angle of what the church wants
00:53:58.66\00:54:02.50
or what the church prescribes.
00:54:02.53\00:54:04.26
And I say to him,
"This is not the church. "
00:54:04.29\00:54:07.48
And to make this a
little bit more real, I say,
00:54:09.33\00:54:11.98
"Brother or sister, if
Jesus were sitting in this chair
00:54:12.01\00:54:16.51
right now and He
asked you to do something,
00:54:16.54\00:54:22.03
would you do it?"
00:54:22.98\00:54:24.35
If He asked you not to eat
certain foods, would you do it?
00:54:25.15\00:54:29.41
If He asked you to dress
modestly, would you do it?
00:54:30.01\00:54:35.46
You know what the
answer is 100% of the time?
00:54:36.34\00:54:39.45
Yes. Yes.
00:54:39.48\00:54:41.93
It puts it in perspective
when suddenly they think of
00:54:41.96\00:54:44.12
Jesus sitting in
that chair and Jesus says,
00:54:44.15\00:54:46.05
"Would you do this for Me?"
00:54:46.08\00:54:48.42
It crystallizes it.
00:54:48.86\00:54:50.40
It makes it from an
angle of a relationship.
00:54:50.43\00:54:52.60
And the answer is
always, "Yes, I will do it. "
00:54:52.63\00:54:57.11
And so we need to look at
this from the angle of our
00:54:58.03\00:55:01.24
relationship with God.
00:55:01.27\00:55:02.51
When we're in a relationship
with our husband and wife,
00:55:02.54\00:55:04.99
we don't do the minimum.
00:55:05.02\00:55:06.84
We do the maximum.
00:55:08.13\00:55:09.86
We do the above and beyond.
00:55:10.81\00:55:13.26
You know, there are
certain things that your husband
00:55:13.29\00:55:15.48
or wife would
not like you to do.
00:55:15.51\00:55:17.74
Not that it's
wrong, but it bugs them.
00:55:17.77\00:55:20.58
And so you don't do
it because you love them.
00:55:20.61\00:55:23.79
And what God is saying in our
dynamic relationship with Him,
00:55:23.82\00:55:27.79
there are certain
things that please Him.
00:55:27.82\00:55:30.50
He wants us to do these things.
00:55:30.53\00:55:33.92
Our standards have to do
with what we put in our bodies.
00:55:37.63\00:55:42.40
The Bible tells
us in 1 Corinthians
00:55:42.43\00:55:44.64
chapter 6 verse 20, "Do you
not know that your body is the
00:55:44.84\00:55:49.15
temple of the Holy Spirit who is
in you, whom you have received
00:55:49.18\00:55:54.41
from God, and
you are not your own?
00:55:54.44\00:55:57.12
You were bought at a price.
00:55:57.15\00:55:59.78
Therefore honor
God with your body. "
00:55:59.81\00:56:04.06
I've heard so many times,
"You know, it's my body. "
00:56:04.09\00:56:06.32
When you accept the
Lord Jesus Christ, He says,
00:56:06.35\00:56:09.96
"It's My body. It's My temple.
00:56:09.99\00:56:13.40
I want you to take care of it.
00:56:13.43\00:56:15.32
I want you to be careful
what you put into your bodies
00:56:15.35\00:56:18.27
and into your minds. "
00:56:18.30\00:56:20.77
So this morning, we have
gone through the three aspects
00:56:21.82\00:56:24.77
of Christian standards.
00:56:24.80\00:56:26.27
Number one, the
reality of human nature.
00:56:26.30\00:56:30.37
God wants us to put some
boundaries around our flesh.
00:56:30.40\00:56:34.58
Amen?
00:56:34.61\00:56:35.58
To keep our flesh in
check because after conversion
00:56:35.59\00:56:37.89
we still have to deal
with our carnal nature.
00:56:37.92\00:56:39.65
Number two is the
nature of salvation.
00:56:39.68\00:56:42.89
That salvation is not
only about justification,
00:56:42.92\00:56:45.78
it's about restoration.
00:56:45.81\00:56:47.36
God's intention is to bring
us back to the image of God.
00:56:47.39\00:56:51.06
And number three is
our relational angle,
00:56:51.09\00:56:54.23
it's the nature of
our relationship with God.
00:56:54.26\00:56:58.16
I'd like to read to you
this statement as we close.
00:56:58.82\00:57:01.29
"Then the language
of the soul will be,
00:57:01.32\00:57:03.96
'Lord, take my heart
for I cannot give it.
00:57:03.99\00:57:07.32
It is thy property, keep it pure
for I cannot keep it for Thee.
00:57:07.35\00:57:11.26
Save me in spite of myself,
my weak, unchristlike self.
00:57:11.29\00:57:16.89
Mold me, fashion me, raise me
into a pure and holy atmosphere,
00:57:16.92\00:57:22.16
where the rich
current of Thy love
00:57:22.19\00:57:24.46
can flow through my soul. '"
00:57:24.49\00:57:27.68
Is that your desire here today?
00:57:27.71\00:57:29.54
I'd like to invite you to raise
your hand if that's your desire,
00:57:29.57\00:57:32.37
to walk in the light
as Jesus is in the light.
00:57:32.40\00:57:36.08
I'd like to invite you to bow
your heads with me as we pray.
00:57:36.11\00:57:38.22