George M. Logsdon
June 4, 1999
The Word of God: Our Standard
The American College dictionary defines the word standard as follows:
Standard -- An authoritative model or measure, a pattern for guidance,by comparison with which the quantity, excellence, correctness etc. of otherthings may be determined.
The fellowship in my home is a communion of believers who are joined togetherby the spirit of God. Believers in that the Bible is Holy and that it isthe Word of God. Believing that God’s Word is God’s will for mankind.We believe that God says what He means and means what He says. It is ouronly rule of faith and practice. God’s Word is our standard.
Why does man need a standard by which to live? Because, thecall of man, from the beginning of time, has always been and always willbe, for help. Since the day of Genesis 3:23 man has sought to return to thegarden. A place of being when all was right in the world and the fellowshipwith our heavenly Father was perfect. Today people search but they know notfor what they search. In the 60’s the saying was “I’ve gotto find myself” The search was to find some meaning for life some purposefor being. Drugs were taken if only for a glimpse of utopia. So called freelove prevailed and man further slid down in the mire of vanity. Then peoplethought they needed to get their “act” together. Once again theydidn’t know how. They searched the occult, they sought peace of mindthrough yoga, they pursued the mental discipline promised by the martialarts, and my personal favorite... they joined the military in hopes of getting“it” together. Others sought aid from the government in the formof social programs, politics, and the united nations. They seek the gardenin their vision of world peace when they can not even find peace in theirown meager existence.
Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mindis stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
How can you trust in someone you don’t know?
Man’s primary purpose is to love God.
Deut. 6:5
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thineheart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Help is not found in science or in philosophy or in religion. Man’shelp can never come from the world. His only hope for help is in God. Hemust turn to the Father and cry unto him.
Psalm 121:1
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whencecometh my help.
Pagan temples built upon hill tops were characteristic of this time. Theywere built on hill tops so that everybody in plains and valleys could lookup and see their temples. If you were to travel to Greece you would see manyof the temples which were built upon hill tops for all the world to see.Perhaps the most famous is the Acropolis in Athens. On the hill tops waswhere they worshipped their false gods. Whereas the King James version reads“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,” this verse should read“Shall I lift up mine eyes unto the hills?” the question askedhere is “From whence cometh my help?” The answer is given in versetwo.
Psalm 121:2
My help cometh from the Lord, which made heavenand earth.
My help does not come from temples, ideology or false gods. My help comesfrom God who created the heavens and the earth.
Jeremiah 2:13
For my people have committed two evils; they haveforsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, brokencisterns, that can hold no water.
Mankind has, with few exceptions, forsaken God’s Word and hewed themout cisterns of religion and philosophy. Cisterns that lead men further intobondage and imprison the mind.
Matthew 15:8-9
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth,and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. [9] Butin vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Mankind would prefer to receive the regurgitation of religious leader’sopinions on godliness (supposing they speak for God) or to listen to theteachings of Plato, Socrates, Emerson or Spock than to spend one minuteconsidering the Word of God. For this error man is in bondage today. Nationshave fallen and lives are destroyed for the lack of knowledge that God’sWord gives.
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thoushalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God,I will also forget thy children.
We can avoid certain destruction in our lives by turning to God’sWord.
2 Peter 1:2-3
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you throughthe knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, [3] According as his divinepower hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
When people turn to the Word of God they’ll find the peace they yearnfor. Their lives will be bathed in the grace of our God and our Lord JesusChrist.
The Word of God has all the answers to all the questions you could everask that pertain to life and godliness. (When does it begin? When doesit end? Where is God and Does He love me?)
Man has, at best, one hundred twenty years on this earth but on averagehis years may be limited to eighty. We don’t have the time tobe wrong about God or about His son Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:2 says that wecan have grace and peace by the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Wehave to be absolutely sure that God is God and that Jesus Christ is the wayto God. There are many religions out there preaching this way and that way.They offer you reincarnation, zen, and Mohammed. There is supposedly goodkarma, bad karma, Hell, death, and at one time purgatory. There're prayerbells and prayer beads, rosaries and incense. Fat bellied Budda’s, sacredcows, and aliens. You name it and there is someone worshipping it. JesusChrist is not just a way among all others; he is the only way.
Acts 4:11-12
This is the stone which was set at nought of youbuilders, which is become the head of the corner. [12] Neither is there salvationin any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men,whereby we must be saved.
How can you ever hope to please a God who you don’t know or understand?How can you ever hope to come to a place that you know that you know howto live if you don’t know God or His son? You know me by the Words thatI speak. You can know God by His Word.
2 Tim. 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workmanthat needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
There you have it. Do you want to know whether or not you stand approvedbefore God then study His Word. Study it and rightly divide it. There aredivisions in the church today because Christians fail to adhere to the accuracyand integrity of the Word of God. Had they kept God’s Word at the centerof their congregations then they would have gone to the Word to settle anydisagreements. Look, if you and I don’t agree on baptism then we sitdown with the Word and we stay with it studying it and working it until wehave the answer.
2 Tim. 4:4
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,and shall be turned unto fables.
When ever we are taught something new we simply hold it up to the lightof the Word and compare it with what God’s Word says. God’s Wordis the standard by which all things are weighed.
Matthew 4:4
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shallnot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouthof God.