₦airaland Forum

In this perverse world, there are many standards by which people live. Different cultures on earth all define standards they expect people to live by and try to impose this on anyone that lives under their influence. However, when Jesus came to earth preaching the kingdom of God, He dismissed these worldly standards, replacing them with the standards of God’s kingdom. For example, the world believes that a leader should be lord over his or her followers, but Jesus said it should not be so amongst us Christians. Heaven’s standard of leadership establishes that a leader should serve his or her followers (Luke 22:25-27). Also, the world tells us that it is foolish to receive an insult from someone and keep quiet; the expectation is that you should reply with even more insults. Contrary to this, Jesus says that when someone slaps you on one cheek, you should offer him the other cheek also (Luke 6:29)

The standards you live by indicate the kingdom you belong to. Speaking to God concerning His disciples, Jesus said in John 17:16:
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”
If you live by the world’s standards, then you are of the world. What standards do you apply in your business dealings? By what standards do you relate with your wife or husband? What standards influence your behavior in your workplace? If you don’t live by Christ’s standards, don’t deceive yourself claiming that you are not of this world.

Many times, people live by the standards of the world because they are afraid of being rejected by the world. You must quickly understand as a disciple of Jesus Christ that you cannot expect the world to love you. Jesus explained this to His disciples in John 15:19, saying:
“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
If you are after the love of the world, then you have missed it completely. The One whose love you should be after is Jesus. His approval should be all that you seek. The world can hail you today for giving them bread and fish, then turn around to scream “Crucify Him!” tomorrow. The world is no one’s friend. The only true friend you can have is Jesus Christ. Guard your relationship with Him jealously, and live by His standards rather than those of the world.
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.