A FALSE STANDARD

ISAIAH 5:2

A. "WOE UNTO THEM THAT CALL EVIL GOOD, AND GOOD EVIL; THAT PUT DARKNESS FOR LIGHT AND LIGHT FOR DARKNESS; THAT PUT BITTER FOR SWEET FOR BITTER"
  1. Ever since Lucifer rebelled against the standard of God's law:
    1. Satan has set up a standard of his own, in direct opposition to God's will
    2. This opposition by Satan began in heaven - Is. 14:12-17; Ez. 28:12-18
  2. He introduced his standard to Adam and Eve:
    1. By creating doubt in their mind as to the will of the Creator - Gen. 3:1-6
    2. Even Cain, when he brought a sacrifice followed his own concept of worship - Gen. 4:5 B. A FALSE STANDARD
  3. "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter":
    1. God's law is the Divine standard by which man's actions are measured - Is. 8:20; Eccl. 12:13
    2. "For by the law is the knowledge of sin" - Rom. 3:20; 7:7
  4. The thought is that they who set up a false standard:
    1. Set themselves in direct opposition to what God says in His word; Examples: God said unto Adam, "Thou shalt not eat thereof", but Satan said, "God knoweth that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" - Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-6
    2. The religious atmosphere is charged with contradictions and confusion - Is. 60:1-2
    3. "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" - 2 Tim. 4:1-4
    4. It seems incredible that people professing to believe the Bible would set their own imaginary standards to be guided by
    5. Romans 1:21-32 gives a clear picture of what men did; that they called light darkness and darkness light
  5. Setting up a false standard is one of the sins of the last days:
    1. People professing to be deeply religious substitute prophecy, casting out of devils, and many good works for the obedience to God's law - Matt. 7:21-29
    2. They blind themselves to the plain word of the Bible and follow the traditions of men - 2 Thess.. 2:9-11; Mark 7:1-13
  6. Why men's standard is false:
    1. It is the creation of his own imagination which is evil all the way - Gen. 6:5; Jer. 17:9
    2. It voids the standard set up by God - Matt. 15:1-8; Mark 7:11-12-13
    3. It leads men to disregard the law of God - Matt. 5:17-20 C. WHAT A LESSON FOR THE LAST DAYS
  7. There are untold numbers of different standards that men live by:
    1. The religious atmosphere is filled with "Lo here's" until people are at a loss what to believe any more
    2. Great confusion is apparent on all sides because one believes one thing and another believes the opposite, and yet they all claim that they are doing the will of Christ
  8. But false standards are not confined to the world in general:
    1. Even the people that profess to believe present truth differ; one looks at duty to God in one way and another sees it differently
    2. Division and separate standards will weaken the church; thus crippling the efforts of the church to carry out the gospel commission
  9. False standards create false hope:
    1. How often have I heard people say, "I do not go by what the Bible teaches in everything, but I believe I will be saved just the same
    2. What a rude awakening will come to all who call light darkness and darkness light; that call bitter sweet and sweet bitter


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