You’re driving down a highway on a sunny day, going the speed limit (or slightly above) when a truck appears and looms on your car’s rear bumper. There’s no traffic, so the driver could pass. Instead, he tries to control your car by pressuring you to go the speed he has chosen.

Stubbornness and pride may prevent us from caving into pressure from a rude driver and going faster than we know is appropriate. And this scenario makes me wonder: Do those of us who are Christians display the same resolve when it comes to our beliefs? Or do demands from people with worldly attitudes influence the way we drive our spiritual cars?

All of us who claim Jesus Christ as our Savior were once dead in our sins and accepted the world’s ideas about right and wrong (Ephesians 2:1-2). We followed our own thoughts and desires (Ephesians 2:3). Because of God’s love and mercy, he sent his son to die on the cross for us while we were sinners (Romans 5:8).  By accepting the gift of salvation, we’re made alive (Ephesians 2:4-5). Salvation doesn’t happen because of the good things we’ve done; it happens because of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

If we remember God has made us alive in Christ, then we should ask ourselves some important questions. Do we allow those who are dead in their sins to influence our decisions about right and wrong? Do we let them dictate how we think about issues God has made clear in his word, manipulate our feelings and behaviors, or influence how we conduct our worship services and preach the gospel?

I hope we don’t.

However, if we do, remember the Lord is compassionate and gracious (Psalm 103:8), but he does not change (Malachi 3:6). The commands he gave in his word do apply today. Time and shifting social attitudes won’t change God’s mind (Numbers 23:19).

Let’s remember to drive our spiritual cars based on what God has said in his word. Be stubborn. And ignore the spiritual tailgaters who want us to do their bidding.