Ephesians 4:17-24 This I say therefore,and testify in the Lord,that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk,in the vanity of their mind, (18) Having the understanding darkened,being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them,because of the blindness of their heart: (19) Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness,to work all uncleanness with greediness. (20) But ye have not so learned Christ; (21) If so be that ye have heard him,and have been taught by him,as the truth is in Jesus: (22) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man,which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (24) And that ye put on the new man,which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
If I am not going to be dirtied as I walk through the mud of the world,the first thing I must do,by God’s grace,is not to be conformed to the present form of the world spirit in the world of my thoughts.
We who are Bible believing Christians can say we are not conformed in the areas of doctrine and theology. That is good,but let us move on. Once we understand God’s truth,we must then put it into action. True Bible believing Christians not only affirm the authority of Scripture but must also live on biblical principles. We must accept the doctrines of the Scriptures and then apply them to our lives. James 1:21-24 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness,and receive with meekness the engrafted word,which is able to save your souls. (22) But be ye doers of the word,and not hearers only,deceiving your own selves. (23) For if any be a hearer of the word,and not a doer,he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself,and goeth his way,and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. Note the man centeredness of James’ statement For if any be a hearer of the word,and not a doer,he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: (24) For he beholdeth himself,and goeth his way,and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. When we only hear His Word,but do not live it,then we are really only focused on ourselves. We are supposed to be servants of God. What is a servant? One who sets aside their needs and wants for another’s. When you go to a restaurant,you tell the waiter what you want to a T-Bone steak. If the waiter brings you tuna fish,then he is not serving you properly. Likewise,God wants us to serve Him in His fashion,not our own.
We who are Bible believing Christians must not be contaminated by the world’s standards of morals. Today’s world does not just have false moral standards – it has no moral standards in any absolute sense. There is no standard and everything is judged by the situation rather than judged by God’s Word,which is absolute. When there are no absolutes,there are no true standards.