Standards or Convictions?

I have really noticed the world invading our churches and lives recently. It seems to me that people are lowering their standards. I think a big reason for that is that they are lowering "standards". Huh? Duh! Did I just say that? : ) Yes, but the problem is, a lot of the "standards" shouldn't be just standards they should be Convictions! What's the difference? Well, without doing word studies, I think that the difference is that a standard is more a way of life and something "YOU" think is right. Something, you try, in and of yourself to do. Whereas a conviction is a belief. Doesn't really matter if you want to do it, you KNOW it's right and therefore have to do it because GOD says you do.

It's so sad to see so many people back-sliding. And there are sooo many of them, which got me thinking about this. People I really thought had these convictions...ie...not going to the theatre, not wearing pants, not listening to bad music, not using birth control, etc... Are doing those exact things like it's no big deal. Which made me question the why of the way they acted before. If it had been a conviction/belief, they wouldn't be able to do it without feeling guilty. However if it had only been a standard...

It's so sad when you begin to feel like you'd rather go to a church where they dress worldly, use contemporary music and so on, than to go to such hypocritical churches, where so many people are just doing things for show. Having their "standards" just to make people notice them. When in the end it really isn't the outward that pleases God, but the inward. The attitudes, the thought processes, as well as the works that come naturally because of the inward rightness. "John 12:43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."

So, where is your heart? Are you doing things to please the Lord or are you doing them to please men? Are you living "right" so others notice you or so that others notice the Lord IN you?