Is There Any Power To Transform In Standards?

[Digging4Truth]

I believe in standards. I live standards.

But I don't believe in the laying out of do's & dont's for people. Wear this... do that...

I believe in teaching biblical principles such as modest, holiness, meekness, respect etc coupled with instruction on how to search the mind of God for these things and allowing people to work out their own salvation with fear & trembling.

A thought came to me while typing this and I not only found the though to be interesting but one particular portion really stood out.

First the point...

It is like animals that are raised in captivity. Their meals are prepared for them...they are caged up... they never have an opportunity to learn to eek a living out on their own and are, therefore, unable to cope in the real world they were meant to live in.

The second thing I found intersting...

In the example above... living where standards are laid out for you rather than searching it out on your own....is tantamount to being raised in..... captivity.

Go figure.

[Newman]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I believe in standards. I live standards.

But I don't believe in the laying out of do's & dont's for people. Wear this... do that...

I believe in teaching biblical principles such as modest, holiness, meekness, respect etc coupled with instruction on how to search the mind of God for these things and allowing people to work out their own salvation with fear & trembling.

A thought came to me while typing this and I not only found the though to be interesting but one particular portion really stood out.

First the point...

It is like animals that are raised in captivity. Their meals are prepared for them...they are caged up... they never have an opportunity to learn to eek a living out on their own and are, therefore, unable to cope in the real world they were meant to live in.

The second thing I found intersting...

In the example above... living where standards are laid out for you rather than searching it out on your own....is tantamount to being raised in..... captivity.

Go figure.

Playing devil's advocate....

Standards may not have tranformation power but perhaps they create an environment/hedge that precludes one from mixing with with others who don't have the same standards.

This probably works out very well for new saints coming in from extremely dysfunctional lifestyles. It could be argued that the standards keep them in an environment that is conducive to growing closer to God rather than being drawn back out into the world and their previous lifestyle.

Alternatively, standards may be a stumbling block to those whose initial lifestyle wasn't dysfunctional to start with. It may create issues for people where there doesn't have to be issues.

Just other points of view to ponder...

[rrford]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

Guardrails don't keep drivers from swerving off into a dangerous place, good and attentive driving does! Your car and the guardrails would be in pretty bad shape if that were the case, and not every winding mountain highway even has a guardrail.

The guardrail people have you fooled.

But the guardrail people are smart enough to know that the placement of a guardrail lets one of know of a possible danger.

The guardrail still lets people drive however they want to drive.

[rrford]

Originally Posted by Newman

Playing devil's advocate....

Standards may not have tranformation power but perhaps they create an environment/hedge that precludes one from mixing with with others who don't have the same standards.

This probably works out very well for new saints coming in from extremely dysfunctional lifestyles. It could be argued that the standards keep them in an environment that is conducive to growing closer to God rather than being drawn back out into the world and their previous lifestyle.

Alternatively, standards may be a stumbling block to those whose initial lifestyle wasn't dysfunctional to start with. It may create issues for people where there doesn't have to be issues.

Just other points of view to ponder...

And good points they are...

[HeavenlyOne]

Originally Posted by Malvaro

I've always thought of "standards" as kinda like guard-rails on a road....

they don't improve a person's driving ability, they just keep the driver from swerving off into a dangerous, and perhaps, deadly place.... they are only put in place to protect the driver from whats nearby....

I could willingly choose to smash through a safety guard-rail, but I would end up in a hopeless mess on the bottom of a ravine somewhere.... likewise, I could choose to smash through any "standards" that the scriptures and my pastor have placed in my life, but I would be entering an area that could possibly hurt or destroy me....

What if the guardrails were placed so your car could barely get through? Wouldn't that be a hazard also?

How about guardrails in the middle of the road? Ones that are unevenly placed, depending on where the person in charge of placing them thought they should be?

The latter statement is how I view most standards teachings.

[rrford]

Originally Posted by HeavenlyOne

What if the guardrails were placed so your car could barely get through? Wouldn't that be a hazard also?

How about guardrails in the middle of the road? Ones that are unevenly placed, depending on where the person in charge of placing them thought they should be?

The latter statement is how I view most standards teachings.

That is indeed sad. And indicative that you were not blessed to have ministers in your life who correctly taught standards.

[Scott Hutchinson]

External things do not transform us,The Holy Ghost and the blood of The Lamb does, however the Holy Ghost works from the inside out.It is seen as well as heard.

[HeavenlyOne]

Originally Posted by rrford

That is indeed sad. And indicative that you were not blessed to have ministers in your life who correctly taught standards.

No no. I'm talking about anyone who teaches them, not just pastors I've had.

For instance, there are things you allow that Epley swears will send people to hell and he preaches against them. There are things some allow that you preach against.

That's what I mean by the guardrails being unevenly placed according to where the person placing them thinks they need to be. You place yours in one place, Epley places his in another place, other pastors place theirs in another place.

So, who's right? Everyone thinks they are right and everyone who doesn't believe as they do is wrong....so how is it determined?

[HeavenlyOne]

Originally Posted by Scott Hutchinson

External things do not transform us,The Holy Ghost and the blood of The Lamb does, however the Holy Ghost works from the inside out.It is seen as well as heard.

Great post.

[Malvaro]

Originally Posted by HeavenlyOne

What if the guardrails were placed so your car could barely get through? Wouldn't that be a hazard also?

How about guardrails in the middle of the road? Ones that are unevenly placed, depending on where the person in charge of placing them thought they should be?

You must live in the North.... do you live in WI by chance? That sounds like something they'd do up there....