The Importance of True Standards

“Honest weights and scales are the LORD's; all the weights in the bag are His work.” (Proverb 16:11)

In Israel long before Jesus came from heaven to the earth there were standards of measurement for the weights used in scales. These were kept in the sanctuary in Jerusalem. All the weights used to measure anything in the entire nation were supposed to refer to those standards.

God set that up:

“You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume. You shall have HONEST SCALES, HONEST WEIGHTS, an honest ephah (a measure of grain), and an honest hin (a liquid measure): I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe all My statutes and all My judgments, and perform them: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:35-37 – capitals mine for emphasis)

The Lord wanted His nation, Israel, to reflect and represent Him.

HE is honest. HE is trustworthy. HE IS truth.

The Bible says that all Christians, regardless of which country they live in, have formed a nation (or race).

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, A HOLY NATION, His OWN SPECIAL PEOPLE, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10 – capitals mine for emphasis)

As His people….as a HOLY nation we are to, as today’s proverb says, use God’s honest standards.

Far too many people who claim the name of Jesus use other standards by which they evaluate and, yes, JUDGE the thoughts of their hearts and their actions….and the thoughts and actions of those around us.

Far too many people who call themselves Christians use the standards of the world, which change constantly and are by definition dishonest standards.

Far too many use themselves as their standards. These are mentioned by Paul when he used them as a bad example:

“For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But THEY, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, ARE NOT WISE.” (2 Corinthians 10:12 – capitals mine for emphasis)

Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, says that people who do this are unwise and, it’s sad to see that many people who merely “identify” as Christians for convenience sake live this way.

True Christians are the people of God. We are a HOLY nation. We are walking, talking temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Therefore, the One who set the standards for honesty and truth and a basis for trust and equitable living dwells within our human spirits.

Those standards are inside us, just like they were in the sanctuary in Israel all those years ago.

“Honest weights and scales are the LORD's; all the weights in the bag are His work.” (Proverb 16:11)

We have the unspeakable honor of being able to set the tone for true standards in the world by virtue of WHO we carry about in our spirits.

We MUST honor God by living out HIS standards and not bow to the pressure from the world to use its constantly shifting, dishonest standards.

“Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” (2 Timothy 1:13-14)

The lost people in today’s world desperately hunger to see something real and right and good in this season of shifting standards, situational ethics, blatantly dishonest lifestyles and rampant selfishness. They just cannot identify the source of their desperate hunger.

They are awash in a sea of anxiety and uncertainty.

May we live in such a way as to display to the world trustworthy standards – the honest weights of the world, which are His work according to Proverb 16:11.

“For we are HIS WORKMANSHIP, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 – capitals mine for emphasis)

May we walk in them and may many lost people be drawn to Jesus in us.

May we see the world change…..one saved person at a time.

Pastor Mike McInerney

Mike McInerney Ministries, Inc.

© June 16, 2016

(for use with permission)