By Whose Standards Do We Live?

Recently I had a conversation with a devoted Christian man who took me to task for applying God’s standards too literally. The conversation was in reference to telling lies. I stated that unfortunately Christians lie all the time. He disagreed with me so I gave an example of a simple ‘white’ lie that people do all the time. It was at this point he informed that I was wrong and that I was taking things too literally. But was I?

What does God say?

• ‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. Lev 19:11 NASB

The majority of Christians will answer “it is by God’s standards we should live.” They will look at you as if you are asking a foolish question. But is it?

The word “lie” as defined by The Complete Word Study Dictionary, is “a verb meaning to engage in deceit, to deal falsely.” There is no exception in the Word of God for a ‘small white lie.’ Intent has no bearing on whether it is deceit or not. If one gives false information no matter how insignificant it may appear, it is a lie. God has not provided any exceptions.

Christians have taken God’s standards and lowered them to fit their own standards. This is a dangerous and precarious position to take. If we take a different standard other than God’s standard and apply it to our lives, we will not be in a position to repent of particular sins in our lives for we do not view it as a sin. This does not imply one has no salvation or has lost their salvation but simply means that we have left God’s standard behind and apply our own standard.

Are we able to keep His standard in perfection? Absolutely not. We lack the ability to live a life of perfection. But if Christians do not recognize sin for what it is, then they do not see the need to go before Him and ask for forgiveness for the sin. The view is that it is not a sin or it’s not really that ‘big of a deal.’

God’s standard, His law, is such that no one can apply it to their lives perfectly. Jesus is the only one that has been able to live a life that was in perfection. This means that He was able to live the law in perfection and therefore His righteousness is imputed to us. When the Father looks at His children, He looks at us through the righteousness of Christ. But this does not permit Christians to change the standard of His law to fit our point of view.

Only when we can come to terms with the sheer righteousness of His standard, can we realize how far short we fall and can come before Him in gratitude that He has saved us despite our inability to live a life that is without sin. Not one of us can measure up, but if we recognize sin for what it is, no matter how small by our standard, we can go before our creator and seek His forgiveness.

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isa 64:6 NASB

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