Morality:
Living by the high standards!

Definitions
“Moral has to do with the principles of right and wrong. To be moral means to be virtuous and good” (Oxford Dictionary)
“Morals have to do with principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior”

“Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and morals.”—Wikipedia. A man/woman of integrity is full of good morals. It means that someone is wholesome in their operations. You can expect them to do what is right.

Worldly Standards:
However, in a world where everything goes, the question that one must answer is: who sets the standards of right or wrong? We are living at a time when everything goes. Some have gone to an extent of say that there are no absolutes meaning everyone determines what is right or wrong. I have always wondered, however, when someone says there are no absolutes, is that statement an absolute in itself?
If there are no standards, then everything goes. Man would have no difference absolutely with the world animals that live with the rule of survival for the fittest. And in deed that is the order of the day for some. The other day I saw a matutu branded with the words: it’s a man eat man society. Living by such rules or lack of them for that matter has resulted in:

•   Deaths of innocent
•   Homeless children
•   War-torn countries
•   Poor governance…the list is endless.

Christians as pacesetters in terms of moral standards:
For us to formulate a basis for morality, we have to be coming from somewhere. Our basis in this case is the fact that we are Christians. It is important to note that there various foundations on which morals can be based:
• Man’s traditions
• Community norms
• Rules and regulations

The challenge with these forms of foundations is external and hence need some kind of coercion for man to keep the morals. Some taboos or punishment is required to instill the discipline.
Freedom in Christ:
Galatians 5:1
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.Stand firm,then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Ro 1:1
“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God…”

So, are we free in Christ or are we bound? Both! We are freed from the law of sin and death but we are bound in righteousness. We are denied the opportunity to do what we wish yet we are expected to live by the higher principles of righteousness. We are better off when we live by them because our “bondage” gives us a greater reason to be free!
Daniel is probably the single most profound example in scripture that demonstrates how God has called us to freedom in spite of what may appear like bondage. He was among other Jews that were taken into captivity by king Nebuchadnezzar. The rules of the foreign land (Babylon) were stringent and aimed at pleasing the gods of the Babylonians and by extension displeasing the Lord of Hosts. Daniel chose to be free from the law of man and instead to be bound by the Law of God. He chose, even in a foreign land, to rather die that sin.

Let us see some few principles that helped him stand under pressure:

1. A strong resolve: (Daniel 1:8)—he purposed not to defile himself in spite of the pleasure of the king’s meat. Though the scripture does not state what was wrong with the king’s food, what we are clear with is that it was not right. It would defile the servants of the Lord. This resolve paid dividends. At the end of ten days of trial, him and his friends looked healthier from eating vegetables and drinking water than those that eat the healthy food. Application: how many times have we failed in minor tests because we felt like we are all alone and that the pressure was simply too much? Daniel is a good example that we need to trust the Lord to help us conquer and stand in the principles of the word.
2. A dependence on God: (Daniel 2:17-18)—Daniel and his friends knew one thing; they would not please God by working harder. They needed to have God with them. Application: in our lives, we won’t please God because we try, but we will please him because we trust.
3. A godly routine: (Daniel 6:10)—even when under pressure, in deed in the face of death, Daniel was able to seek the Lord as usual—three times a day. There are times that people have thought that they will be able to stand pressure when it comes. The truth however is that we will not do much more than what we have learnt to do in times of peace.
There are many areas that relate to our morality. God has set certain principles and guidelines in his word and we will only be able to be pleasing to him if we stand by them. How should we carry out ourselves in matters concerning some of these areas?
• Sexuality: we are living in days when the unthinkable happens. Some forms of sexual perversion include:
o Sex before marriage
o Online sex
o Homosexuality
o Masturbation
o Prostitution
o Etc.

God created sex beautifully to be enjoyed in marriage yet every time man abuses this fact, he cannot not go unscathed. The bible is clear on all these issues. 1 Cor. 6:18 commands us to flee sexual immorality. David in Ps. 119:9-12 reminds the young person how he can keep his ways pure—by living by the word.
• Dress codes: what is Christian dress-code? Well, this is probably one issue that has divided the church much more than many others. Paul addressed it with the Corinthians. One thing is clear though, the Bible has not set a “standard” as such on what would be the best dress code. That does not mean that we have no guideline. I consider a number of things as determining factors:
o Culture—what is generally accepted around you? Going against that offends your brother, which is against God’s will.
o Conviction—I believe that every believer should be able to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and at times do something that would even be culturally accepted but deep within their hearts the Holy Spirit says it is wrong. One preacher I listened to once said that he gave up putting on an expensive watch because the Holy Spirit convicted him so.
• Speech: the basic rule from scripture when it comes to speech is speak the truth or shut up! Jeremiah 7:28. Somebody gave the acronym THINK as the determinant of what to say or not to say. He said, before you speak, THINK:
o True—if what you are saying is true
o Honourable—if what you are saying is honourable
o Important—if you need to say it
o Nourishing—if what you are saying is adding value
o Kind—if you are kind to the other person you are talking about
No wonder God gave us two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak!
• Relating to others: God desires that we exemplify his status to those that we live with. Relationships are key to testifying Christ. St. Francis of Asisi said to his disciples: preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words. Though it is important to speak the word of Christ, the message of this saint is strongly clear—that we preach more by how we live than by what we say. Peter admonished women whose husbands are not born again to live their lives in such a way that even without words, they would win them over to Christ.
What governs our relationships with others? Love! See 1 Cor. 13. Paul calls it the most excellent way to live.

Can we be as Christians pacesetters in this life?—this is the wrong question. The question we should rather ask ourselves in: should we not as Christians be pacesetters in this life?

Is it possible to live this kind of life in the light of so much pressure?

Daniel 6:3—4
“Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for chargesagainst Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent…”

With man, this is not possible, but with God all things are possible. Some key things to consider include:
 Guard your heart
 Guard your company
 Be accountable to others
 Pause to check your motives

A life of integrity is NOT a choice. It should be the norm. We need to stand up and be counted, for when we are counted among the many, we will influence others to follow. Daniel influenced his brothers and even caused a change of the constitution without a referendum! God is looking for one! I pray that you and I will be such! The Holy Spirit is our strength.