STANDARD BEHAVIOR

Every person has a standard for determining his or her actions and behavior. In the strictest sense religion is a standard for many people, but religion often keeps it’s own kind of standard and may, or may not, form standards for individuals. What many times causes confusion is believing that the standards of religion and scripture are the same thing.

Religion has the ability to adjust scriptures to any level of comfort, culture, lifestyle or behavior that it may choose. It is not legalistic to say that we cannot adjust scripture to fit our behavior. However, it is logical to say that our behavior must fit the scripture if it is our standard. Without this concept there is no real standard, no rock solid foundation, or basically nothing higher than our human thought, behavior, concepts and mandates to form our actions and behaviors. That’s as brittle as TV talk shows.

Scripture helps to form and mold our behavior. “It is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living.” (2 Timothy 3:16) But even so, it is only the “written code,” and if it stands alone as “the law” that regulates us, we can become religious robots. It takes the breath of God blowing on scripture to make it “living and active” and “sharp as a two edged sword.” Our standard is the regulation of the Holy Spirit affecting our behavior, based on the message of scripture. Religion can never do that. Only God, who is Beauty, can standardize us to be beautiful as well.

“And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered.” Jesus