Why Have Standards For Church Workers? (Part 2)

HIGH STANDARDS CHALLENGE CHRISTIANS TO HIGHER LIVING.

One person explained their personal experience this way: "As a new Christian I was happy to find a church which held forth high standards. It was an encouragement to me. I still smoked, had long hair, cussed a little, listened to rock music, went to indecent movies, etc., but I knew instinctively that the church is supposed to practice and preach holiness. I did not look for a church where the people lived like I did as a brand new Christian; I looked for a church where the people were striving to walk in Bible holiness. I was challenged to begin cleaning up my life because the workers in the church held forth a high standard before me. If that had not been the case, I could have been comfortable in my immature worldliness and it is possible that I would not have changed. The pastor challenged me from the pulpit and the workers challenged me with their lives. I also learned that the Bible School I wanted to attend did not allow worldly things, and I was challenged by this to raise my personal standards. I have never regretted this."

Today, though, churches are allowing the bogus and carnal cry of "legalism" to intimidate them into dropping their standards. As a result, new Christians are not challenged to live holier lives, to separate from the world. They can be comfortable with worldliness because that is what they see in some of the workers.