What Standard Should We Use?

Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the 

Son of God, growing into a mature man with a stature 

measured by Christ’s fullness.

—Ephesians 4:13—

THE apostle Paul warned that we should not compare ourselves with others: “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Cor 10:12). The standard that we are to use that will actually help us attain eternal life is Christ Himself. He is what God the Father desires us to become.

Like Jesus, we are to love our enemies: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:43–45).

Or, as the apostle Paul put it: “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. … For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:6–8, 10).

The growth God seeks in us requires a desire to please God and not ourselves (Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 5:8–10). As always, our best example of this is Christ “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to hold, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6–8).

“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me’” (Romans 15:2–3). “Give no occasion for stumbling, either to Jews, or to Greeks, or to the church of God; even as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved” (1 Corinthians 10:32–33).

James offers that we pray for wisdom (James 1:5–8). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ” (Ephesians 1:7–9).

The apostle Paul summarizes succinctly what I’m trying to get at in this article — “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28).

Again, our standard should be Jesus himself! And the more time we spend in reading about him and what he did (and why he did it) in the gospel accounts — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John — the more we’re going to understand and appreciate everything about who he was here on earth. This doesn’t mean that the act of reading is going to accomplish it, but it’s a definite starting point. As Paul urged Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The only way for the word of God to get into us is by our getting into it. We make the time for what we deem valuable. If we’re really wanting to go to heaven, then we need to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

It’s not about just gaining knowledge, because knowing puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1). It’s about gaining love, the love of Christ: “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith — that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:17–19). “We have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16).

Guilty

And out of pity for him, the master of that servant 

released him and forgave him the debt. 

—Matthew 18:27—

JESUS wants us to come to him: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30). We may, however, feel completely unworthy to come near him because of our wretchedness, our sin which we cannot cleanse ourselves from no matter how hard we try.

Guilt is a powerful feeling. And, quite honestly, guilt has its proper place—feeling guilty sometimes is good when we’re guilty and unwilling to change. But if we allow our guilt to consume us—by not recognizing its inherent power and how our adversary, the devil, can use it against us—then we may become useless in service to God and his perfect intentions for us through Jesus Christ. “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:8–11).

Forms of the English word “guilt” are found most in the book of Leviticus; and this isn’t completely surprising since Leviticus is about God’s holiness and his demand (and expectation) for those who follow him to be holy. “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:14–16).

The apostle Peter, through the direction of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20–21), quotes a phrase found in Leviticus 11:44, 19:2, and 20:7. Respectively, God is addressing Israel in these passages about dietary restrictions (and why they were to strictly follow them), general commands they were to follow (concerning treatment of their parents, idolatry, and how to properly offer to God peace offerings), and child sacrifice (as the Gentiles in Canaan had been practicing).

Guilt makes us feel uncomfortable. And maybe we don’t enjoy that feeling, although there are some who probably do because it’s how they feel almost all the time (and this isn’t good). But, again, guilt has its proper place: “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Good grief is when the thief is sorry he’s a thief; bad grief is the thief sorry he got caught. It’s the essential difference between how the apostle Peter dealt with his grief (John 21:15–19) and how the apostle Judas dealt with his (Matthew 27:3–10; Acts 1:18–19). I am convinced that if the apostle Judas had had godly grief then he, too, would, like the apostle Peter, found forgiveness with Jesus. Again, because godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation.

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8–10). Why do we make God to be a liar if we say haven’t sinned? Because God says we all have: “But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe” (Galatians 3:22). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard” (Colossians 1:21–23).

God “will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:8–9).

Are we struggling with guilt? Then we should often remind ourselves of 1 John 3:19–22:

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.