It's up to each individual believer to keep themselves in check. This means looking into yourself and determining whether you are letting standards drop. Before doing anything that you think may not be to Gods standard, you can ask yourself these questions.
1. Will this activity violate my conscience? Romans 14:22-23. If you feel that something is or maybe below God's standard, don't do it. If you go against your conscience in small matters, it makes it easier to do it over more serious matters.
2. Will my doing this activity cause weaker Christians to doubt or do something against God's will. Or could it set a bad example of Christian behaviour for others? 1 Corinthians 10:23-33. Be an example to new believers, they look up to you because of your experience and potential knowledge of the things of God. If you do something that is against God's word, they may think it is OK simply because you are doing it. In the same way they could turn away from God because they think that all Christians are hypocrites.
3. Is this activity both legal and right? Christians should always respect the rights of others as well as obey the law of the land, Romans 13:1-7. Being under God's grace doesn't mean you are above the law, you should still follow the law (in accordance with God's word) and behave in a moral way towards others.
No one is perfect, we all make mistakes. We will all do something that falls short of God's standard, but recognising when we do this, seeking God for strength and also looking to fellow believers for support and encouragement, means that setting the standard won't be something that you have to strive to achieve. It will become part of who you are, without you having to think about it.
We hope you have enjoyed this series. If it has helped you in anyway or if you have any questions, we would love to hear from you.
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