Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Often times Christian's are judged because the world views us as conceited people who look down on the unsaved because our standards make us better. But a Christian sets his own personal standards based on how he believes God wants him to live. These standards are different for every Christian based their maturity and understanding of God's Word.
But why? Why live a certain way, follow a set of standards, come across as different?
Because we have a reason to. Think about it - If we didn't have a hope, or something to believe in, would we choose of our own volition to be good- in many cases, no.
The above verses answer that question better than I can. Because we are redeemed, and God chose us not be condemned but rather to be forgiven. This is why we do what we do. Why you don't take Christian liberty and do what you want because you know you're already forgiven. You put on the armor of God and show his love to others, if that means being criticized because you different, yes. Does that mean you are looking down at those who don't have your standards, no.
We read God's Word and apply it to our lives as we personally understand, we love our neighbors and don't judge them for their choices (yes, admittedly there are Christian's who do judge others, but that is only a minority. Those who truly believe in showing others God's love would not give up on them or worse, not even try, because of their choices.) and yes, we may have some standards for how we live.
Also, we are not defined by our standards, that is not what makes us a Christian. God's loving mercy and forgiveness is what take our definition from being a sinner to be redeemed. Just as our standards don't define us, neither should we let others' standards define them.
Just some thoughts from my Bible reading.
The above verses answer that question better than I can. Because we are redeemed, and God chose us not be condemned but rather to be forgiven. This is why we do what we do. Why you don't take Christian liberty and do what you want because you know you're already forgiven. You put on the armor of God and show his love to others, if that means being criticized because you different, yes. Does that mean you are looking down at those who don't have your standards, no.
We read God's Word and apply it to our lives as we personally understand, we love our neighbors and don't judge them for their choices (yes, admittedly there are Christian's who do judge others, but that is only a minority. Those who truly believe in showing others God's love would not give up on them or worse, not even try, because of their choices.) and yes, we may have some standards for how we live.
Also, we are not defined by our standards, that is not what makes us a Christian. God's loving mercy and forgiveness is what take our definition from being a sinner to be redeemed. Just as our standards don't define us, neither should we let others' standards define them.
Just some thoughts from my Bible reading.
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