Eight Principles for Standards in the Church

 

Fred Foster

I know you may get tired of having to hold the line against worldliness, but remember the saying of some wise person: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”  I know you may feel you are inadequate for the battle, but remember the wise man again that said, “It’s not the size of the dog in fight that matters; it’s the size of the fight in the dog that counts.”  I know this worldliness battle seems overwhelming at times, but remember, your Lord Jesus said, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matt. 24:13).

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By Fred J. Foster

Let’s remember Pearl Harbor
As we march against the foe.
Let’s remember Pearl Harbor
Wherever we go.

The words of this song were challenging to the people of the United States in World War II. I remember them well and would catch myself, or maybe others, unconsciously humming or singing them from time to time. With it we would remember, and remembering, we would be more determined to fight on. More determined to stick to our duty and win over the enemy who had started WWII by their sneak attack on that fateful Sunday morning December 7, 1941.

For the Christian we have our own songs, and the great theme that weaves its way through all these songs and into all we do is “Remember Calvary!” With this a note is struck in our hearts to fight on. Something says loudly, “We will win! We will persevere! We will see it through!”

One of the great battles we continue to fight is holding the line on holiness and separation standards in the church. It is a battle that is never totally won because of several factors. People are continually coming into the new birth experience and need teaching as they are coming out of the world. Young people in the church are, for the first time, coming to grips with these things on an adult level. Also, new babies constantly are being born to couples in the church, are growing up into adolescence, and then youth. They need to be taught how Christians should live. Another area is that this teaching must over and over be reinforced to all the members of the church. Repetition is the essence of learning. Christians don’t like to be harped on about standards but do appreciate and enjoy hearing them from time to time.

The Eight Principles

There are eight adhering principles I want to mention in holding standards in the church:

1. First and foremost, you must believe that the Bible means what it says.

a. A striking verse to me says, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35) & (Mark 13:31).

b. John 14:15 says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
c. Again in the 23rd verse, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me he will keep my words. . .”

d. The Psalmist seemed to shout, “Forever, 0 Lord, thy word is settled in heaven” (Ps. 119:89).

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