Picture a person desires to become a doctor. He or she gets accepted into medical school. But instead of following the medical school professors and their expertise, the person decides that they will cherry pick what they want to study. They ignore the policies and procedures. Saying confidently, “I’ll just treat patients my way. I don’t need to follow all the rules.” Their refusal to follow the protocol will lead to death-not because the person was not smart or capable but because of their refusal to submit to the process.
Isn’t this so true spiritually of those who also want to cherry pick and choose which standards or laws that they will either believe or live by. Some people come to Christ sincerely wanting to be saved, to follow Him. But instead of embracing all of His Word, they begin to select certain scriptures, take them out of context, and ignore God’s commands. But on today, we must remember as I have said many times partial obedience is not obedience at all. God is instructing us to stick to his standards.
In Galatians chapter 1, we have the Apostle Paul using very strong words to the churches of Galatia. In verse 6, He is amazed at how quickly they abandoned Jesus. When you and I choose to go our own way or think like the world, we are actually telling Jesus, “I know better than you.” However, Scripture is very clear about preaching another gospel and forsaking Jesus who gave Himself for our sins. Paul tells us that when we desert the true gospel of Christ for another one we stand under God’s curse as it states in verses 8 and 9. (“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”) Paul is rebuking those who try to distort the gospel to make it more attractive. It’s funny how some of the people in Galatia were compromising the gospel message to avoid persecution or to fit cultural norms. This sounds so familiar of our world today. We try to make the Bible “fit” our preferences, feelings, or societal expectations and when we do this, we stop being true servants of Christ. Paul asked the question in verse 10, “For am I now seeking the favor of people, or of God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” So, our first lesson is this: when we choose what we like about the bible and reject what we don’t that is not faith at all. It has become idolatry of self.
When we “Stick to God’s Standards”, we will avoid what King Solomon was trying to get us to understand. He said in Proverbs chapter 14 verse 12, “There is a way which seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death.” Our way often seems right. However, what feels right, logical, or comfortable to us may be completely opposite of God’s truth. You know the doctor I described at the beginning thought they would carve their own path. Our way leads to destruction when it is not rooted in Jesus. This verse teaches us that human reasoning, apart from God’s truth, can be dangerously deceptive.
Finally, we have James. He warns us in chapter 4 verses 4 to 6 that our friendship with the world is actually an enemy of God. Verse 4 says, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James is speaking boldly here calling out their spiritual compromise. When we try to be liked by the world, cosign on their foolishness, or adopt their ways while still claiming Christ, we become enemies of God. This isn’t a lighthearted matter. As followers of Jesus, we cannot choose the world’s standards over God’s; this is called spiritual adultery. So, our final lesson is this: Saying, “I want Jesus, but I still want to live like the world” is having a divided loyalty or a divided heart that leads to judgment.
Our encouraging takeaway: God’s standards are high, but they are also holy, good, life-giving, and right. The One who calls you to surrender is the same One who will empower you by His Spirit.