Numbers 2:34
And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.
Each tribe in Israel’s encampment had their standard they were to fly. Their standard was their identity and the flag that they flew. Every person knew where they were to go by looking at the standard. A child knew if they were at the right or wrong place by the standard which was flying. A child could look at the standard and know to which tribe they belonged. This standard identified them, and God made it clear they were only to pitch or abide by their standard.
Sadly, too many are trying to lower the standard and mingle who we are as independent Baptists when God likes the separation. There is nothing wrong with identifying by our standard. What is our standard? Our standard is the King James Bible and our heritage of past preachers who flew our standard. Let me share several thoughts about the importance of pitching toward your standard.
First, everyone does have a standard. Everyone has something by which they identify. Just because one’s standard is more conservative than another does not make them a bad person. We all have our standard, and that identifies us.
Second, to pitch toward something is a direction. The direction of what you choose to do does matter because it tells where you are going. If you are willing to lower your standard, you are telling others that you no longer want to identify with your standard. Direction matters because direction dictates future position.
Third, pitching toward your standard is critical to the next generation knowing to whom they belong. Too many are trying to blend our identity or standard, blurring the lines for the next generation to know who they should be. We must stay who we are for the next generation's sake to know who they need to be.
Fourth, every standard needs to stay in their own standard. Just because someone is different doesn't make them an evil person, but everyone needs to stay by their own standard. Too many are trying to have an ecumenical standard where we all hold hands and sing kumbaya, but God wants each group to stay by their standard. There is nothing wrong with separation, but something is wrong with blurring the lines by breaking down the walls of separation.
Fifth, to mingle standards goes against God’s Word. My friend, mingling the standards or our identity with others only compromises our beliefs. There is nothing wrong with identifying with our standard. Just because the other crowd calls our standard restrictive does not mean we are restrictive. That other crowd needs to fly their flag of who they truly are instead of hiding it so they can lure us over to them. The other crowd always says we are the same, but we are not the same. Every crowd has their standard, and we should keep the lines clear. Just because one calls out someone in our own standard who is trying to lower our standard does not make that person a bad person, but a person who is trying to keep our standard flying high. Let us pitch toward our own standard, for that is what keeps our standard from changing and flying high for generations to come.
Commentaires