Building on the Foundation

  The world around us is full of manmade standards. We’ve got body standards, beauty standards, moral standards, and even food standards, all created by mankind. Depending on what country or even what part of the country you are in, these standards can be wildly different because they are invented by men. It can be pretty confusing to try to keep track of what the current standards or trends are, and they seem to be getting more ridiculous by the day. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a set of standards, especially moral ones, that didn’t change, and that wasn’t subjective based on people’s feelings?  Good thing we were given just such a set of standards from the creator of our universe. Unfortunately, not everyone can see the value of these standards, and most people try to change them to fit their own idea of how the world should work. A lot of God’s standards are contrary to our human nature, and the standard we naturally go to is less than what God’s is. A great example of...

  Hate. Such a dirty word “hate” has become. People hate even to hear the word “hate,” let alone to be accused of “hate” or “hate speech,” or to be described as “hateful.” And yet, King Solomon wrote that there is “a time to love, and a time to hate” (Eccl. 3:8). In fact, God commands us to hate. More on that in a moment. So hate is necessary. But what are we to hate? When is the time to hate? And how do we reconcile this with the fact that God also tells us His whole law is summed up in love (Mat. 22:37-40)? What God Hates The Bible lists a number of things that God hates, so let’s start there. Here’s Prov. 6:16-19: 16 These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. Not only does the Eternal hate these things, but He also describes them as ab...

  How do you know who God’s people are? How do you know who your true brethren in Christ are — and who they are not? Are they members of a specific church or 501(c)(3) organization under the US tax code? Are they people who hold a specific set of beliefs? Are they people who simply believe in Jesus? Fortunately, we don’t have to guess or make up our own standards. We don’t have to lean on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5). God’s Word is the measuring stick. It gives us guidelines. In Mat. 7:15-20, Jesus Christ instructed us, 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 “Therefore by thei...