GUIDELINES FOR GOOD CHRISTIAN LIVING

PROCLAMATION

“As a prisoner of The Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of The Spirit through the bond of peace.”  Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written in a letter by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Ephesus.  Paul began this fourth chapter with these words, urging them to live a life which was worthy of their call to be Christians.  He told them that Christ had given each one of them sufficient grace to accomplish this according to their needs. (Ephesians 4:7)  Different gifts were given to different individuals but all of them were for the work of the ministry and the edification of the believers. (Ephesians 4:11-12)  Once they were edified, they would no longer be babes in Christ, and no longer easily influenced by the cunning and craftiness of men.  They would be mature believers and be able to speak the truth to those who would attempt to influence them. (Ephesians 4:14-15)  Then he reminded them that they had been changed, they were new creatures with a new mind and a renewed spirit. (Ephesians 4:23-24)  He followed this with specific examples of that which they should not do and that which they should do, including not letting any corrupt communication proceed out of their mouth but speaking only that which is helpful for building up others. (Ephesians 4:25-32)

 

APPLICATION

When someone calls us a Christian, they should not be taking God’s name in vain.  As believers in Christ we are to behave in a “Christ-like” manner.  We are not perfect, but we should clearly be different than we were, and the change should be visible to all of the people who knew us beforehand.  We should walk worthy (Ephesians 4:1) and talk worthy (Ephesians 4:29) of being called a Christian.  We have been blessed by the grace of God with gifts, talents, and abilities which we should use to the glory of God, and to build up the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12)  We should also know, or learn, enough to help the uninformed, and so that we can refute those who present us with false doctrine. (Ephesians 4:14-15)

 

GUIDELINES FOR GOOD CHRISTIAN LIVING

Proclamation:

“As a prisoner of The Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of The Spirit through the bond of peace.”  Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written in a letter by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Ephesus.  Paul began the fourth chapter with these words, urging them to live a life which was worthy of their call to be Christians.  He told them that Christ had given each one of them sufficient grace according to their needs. (Ephesians 4:7)  Different gifts were given to different individuals but all of them were for the work of the ministry and the edification of the believers. (Ephesians 4:11-12)  Once they were edified, they would no longer be babes in Christ, and no longer easily influenced by the cunning and craftiness of men.  They would be mature believers and be able to speak the truth to those who would attempt to influence them. (Ephesians 4:14-15)  Then he reminded them that they had been changed, they were new creatures with a new mind and a renewed spirit. (Ephesians 23-24)  He followed this up with specific examples of that which they should not do and that which they should do, including not letting any corrupt communication proceed out of their mouth but speaking only that which is helpful for building up others. (Ephesians 4:25-32)

Application:

When someone calls us a Christian, they should not be taking his name in vain.  As believers in Christ we are to behave in a “Christ-like” manner.  We are not perfect, but we should clearly be different and the change should be visible to those who knew us beforehand.  We should walk worthy (Ephesians 4:1) and talk worthy (Ephesians 4:29) of being called a Christian.  We have been blessed by the grace of God with gifts, talents, and abilities which we should use to the glory of God and to help build up the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:12)  We should also know, or learn, enough so that we can refute those who present us with false doctrine. (Ephesians 4:14-15)

DO NOT LET ME STRAY FROM YOUR COMMANDS

Proclamation:

“How can a young person stay on the path of purity?  By living according to Your word.  I seek you with all of my heart; do not let me stray from Your commands.”  Psalm 119:9-10 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm, the longest psalm in The Bible, were written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In this the second part, Beth, of the twenty-two part psalm, David appear to be having a conversation with The Lord God.  He begins by asking a rhetorical question, and then he answers it.  His focus was on the young but it applies to the old as well.  Keeping The Word of God in their heart (Psalm 119:11) on their lips and in their mouth (Psalm 119:13) on in their thoughts (Psalm 119:15) is the only way to live a life of purity. David ends this part by saying that he will not neglect God’s Word.

Application

None of us is perfect, all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)  One can only stay on the path of purity by living according to The Word of God, and we need God’s help in order to do that.  We will all be tempted, and we will all occasionally fall into sin.  However, as believers we will not stay down, we will confess our sinful shortcomings, ask to be forgiven, and The Lord God will pick us up, clean us up, and set us back on the right path. (1 John 1:9)  To walk His way, we need His help.  The more time we spend in His Holy Word and in prayer, the more likely we are to stay on the right path.

THE GOLDEN RULE

Proclamation:

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:31 (NIV)  The King James version of The Bible for this verse reads, "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, during His Sermon on The Mount as recorded by Luke, the physician and frequent traveling companion of the Apostle Paul.  Jesus was addressing His disciples and the surrounding crowd.  Near the end of His discourse, He presents this phrase which sums up the essence of His Sermon, the Law of Moses (The Torah), and the teachings of the prophets.  This should be the rule of behavior for all mankind.

Application:
This is "the golden rule", do unto others as you would have them to do unto you.  Treat people as you would like to be treated.  Many people can recite "the golden rule", even if they do not always practice it.   However, rarely, if ever, do the people that say it, tell you that it is a paraphrased quotation which is taken from The Bible.  According to Bible scholar John Mac Arthur, the negatively stated version of this rule existed before the birth of Christ, in the rabbinic writings, in Hinduism, and in Buddhism.  The negative command was "what is hateful to yourself, do not to someone else."  Jesus stated this as a positive command, enriched its meaning.   This is a rule which all believers should live by.  It applies to how we should treat everyone and not just how we ought to treat other believers.

LET'S DO BETTER

Proclamation:

“Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? … The one who is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear The Lord …” Psalm 15:1-5 (NIV)

Explanation:

This psalm was written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Here David answers the question, “Who may live with The Lord?” (Psalm 15:1)  He who is upright, righteous, and tells the truth.  He who does not slander, do wrong to, or slur his neighbor.  He who despises evil, keeps his word, and honors The Lord.  He who does not charge interest when he lends money or accept a bribe.  This person is a believer and doer of God’s Holy Word and will get to live with The Lord in heaven. (Psalm 15:2-5)

Application:

None of us does a perfect job of following The Word of God.  We all have sinned and we fall short of that goal. (Romans 3:10 and 3:23)  It also does not matter how “good” we are, we could all do better.  Part of my prayer is that The Lord would help me to sin less tomorrow than I did today, and that I would do one more thing to please Him tomorrow than I did yesterday.  The point here is to try to be more Christ-like with each passing day.  The Bible is the instruction manual for good Christian living.  Unfortunately, many of us do not read it very often, and most of us who do read it do not follow it, or we follow only parts of it.  This psalm identifies ten ways in which we could be a better Christian.  If you are already doing these things, then there is a more complete list of sins in Romans, chapter one, beginning at verse 21 and through verse 32.  Even judging others who sin is a sin. (Romans 2:1-9)  The question is, “Are you striving to be a better Christian?”  A good Christian exhibits integrity and reliability, respects the people of God and holds himself accountable for his thoughts, words, and actions.  We all have room for improvement.  Let's do better!

CONTINUING IN THE WORD OF GOD

Proclamation:

“Then said Jesus to the Jews which believed on Him, ‘If ye continue in My word, then ye are My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32 (KJV)

Explanation:

These are the words of Jesus, The Christ, which He spoke in the temple courtyards to the crowd of Jews during the Festival of Tabernacles after He had dismissed the woman who was caught in the act of adultery and brought to Him by the Pharisees, as recorded by the Apostle John.  Jesus said that if they hold His word near and dear to their hearts then they were truly His students.  Then He said that His word would set them free from being a slave to sin.

Application:

It is easy for a Christian to “get into” The Word of God.  We can even occasionally behave, speak, and think in a Christ-like manner.  Our problem is not in doing it, our problem is in continuing to do it.  Continuing in The Word of God implies being in it day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second, and moment by moment.  If we continue to be in His Word, then we would always be in it and we would never be out of it.  That sounds like being a perfect Christian, which is a goal well worth striving for even if it is not attainable.  We need to be firmly rooted in The Word of God and not be fickle, falling in and out of it frequently or regularly.  We need to read The Word of God daily.  In a 24 hour day, on tenth of our time should be spent reading, studying, and meditating on The Word of God.  The remainder of the day should be spent try to live up to it as we go about our daily activities.  We all could do a much better job of doing that.  So let us endeavor to spend more time “in The Word of God'” with a goal of being continuously in His Word and living it.

Bible Verses As Bible Based Life Lessons

Rev Wendell Wharton is a Christian and an ordained Baptist Minister offering Bible verse blogs at: " revwendell.blogspot.com ".  His blogs share his enlightened thoughts on various Bible verses, or Bible quotes, as daily "Bible Based Life Lessons".  The blogs are three paragraphs featuring 1 The Word of God, proclamation; 2 the context surrounding the Bible verses, explanation; and 3 how the Bible verses relate to our everyday lives, application.  These blogs are part of a Christian Ministry of Bible study on-line, relating the Bible to our daily living in order to provide daily devotional, inspirational, thought provoking scriptures to live by.

May The Peace Of Christ Rule Our Hearts

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as The Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Let The Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of The Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God The Father through Him."  Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul wrote these Holy Spirit inspired Words of God to the believers in The Church at Colosse, that they might enjoy the peace of God in their lives.  He told them to keep their minds on the things of God, and not on the things of this world. (Colossians 3:1-3)  He also told them what things they should not do. (Colossians 3:5-10)  He told them to let Christ  rule their hearts and their lives.  He said that all that they say, and do, should give glory to God. (Colossians 3:17)

These words were, and still are, instructions for Christian living which, if we would follow them, would please The Lord God and give Him glory.  We should live in such a way that the peace of God will rule our hearts and our lives.  We should re-dedicate ourselves to following this example.  These are the things which we should pray that The Good Lord will help us to do in the days to come, in the upcoming year, and in the years to come.

Avoid Evil And The Appearance Of Evil

"Avoid every kind of evil."  1 Thessalonians 5:22 (NIV)  The King James version of The Bible for this verse reads: "Abstain from all appearance of evil."

In his letter to the believers in The Church at Thessaliniki, the Apostle Paul gave them advice regarding guidelines and examples of good Christian behavior.  In this verse Paul told them to avoid every kind of evil.  The Amplified Bible for this verse reads: "Abstain from evil; shrink from it and keep aloof from it, in whatever form or whatever kind it may be."

In order to engage in successful Christian living, one must avoid sinful behavior, as much as is humanly possible.  Believers still sin, but when we fall and sin, we do not stay down.  We ask The Lord God to forgive us and He picks us up and cleans us up. (Psalms 37:24 and 1 John 1:9)  However, as believers are encouraged to avoid any activity which is sinful, and to avoid anything which even appears to be, or might be perceived to be sinful. (1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV)   We are advised to avoid corrupt or evil practices which suggest sinful thoughts or actions, even if they are legal by the laws of man.  We should be very careful regarding that which we place before our sanctified eyes, or in our sanctified ears, because some inappropriate things can lead to sinful thoughts. (Psalms 101:3 and 2 Timothy 4:3)  Listening to false witness reports, or watching sinful acts on television, at the movies, or on the internet, produces sinful thoughts which is sinful behavior.  (Exodus 23:1, Psalms 101:3, Matthew 5:28, and Proverbs 23:7)  So, let us ask God to forgive us of our sinful thoughts, words, and actions.  Let us pray for guidance in our decision making, for help in avoiding sinful activities, and for help avoiding those things which appear evil or sinful.  We do not want to stumble and fall into sin, and we do want to cause someone else to stumble and fall into sin. (Malachi 2:8) 

Live As An Example Of Christ-like Behavior

"... Set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."  1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

These are the words of the Apostle Paul which were spoken to his young protege, Timothy, in order to encourage him.  Paul told Timothy not to let the fact that he was young in years stand in the way of him living a Christ-like life.  He also told him not to let it bother him when the people looked down on him, or criticized him.  He was to devote himself to The Word of God.  He was to live his live as an example for others to see and follow.

While this was Paul's advice to a young preacher, it can also serve the rest of us today.  People will look down us, and talk about us for a number of reasons.  Some of them may even know about our past mistakes or our shortcomings.  But their reasons are not important, whatever they are, we should not let them get to us, or cause us to stray from the path that God has for us.  As believers, we need to live our lives as an example of Christ-like behavior for others to see.  Our speech, our behavior, and our faith in God should be examples for others to see, to learn from, and to imitate. (1 Kings 3:14, Proverbs 4:4, John 14:15, and Romans 6:4)  Preachers are not the only ones who should walk the Christ-like walk, all believers should also be examples of Christian behavior. (1 Corinthians 7:17, Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 2:6, and 1 Thessalonians 2:12)  We should all let The Light of Christ which is within us shine forth so that men will see our Christ-like behavior and give glory to God. (Matthew 5:16)

Be Doers Of The Word Of God

"Do not merely listen to The Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."  James 1:22 (NIV)  The King James Versions says: "But be ye doers of The Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

The author, James, the half brother of Jesus, wanted his readers to know that it is not enough to hear The Word of God.  One must believe it, internalize it, and put it into practice in their life.

When we know better, then we ought to do better.  If we hear The Word of God, and if we understand what it is saying, it should change our behavior.  If it goes over our head, or if it goes in one ear and out of the other without making a difference in us, then we may as well not have heard it.  Believers are changed by The Word of God, not perfect, but different.  We no longer get the same pleasure out of our sin because we know that it is not pleasing to God.  We know that we have been changed because some sin no longer appeals to us.  However, we have some sins that we struggle with, and pray to God for help with because they are like an addiction.  The good news is that the more time that we spend talking to God in prayer, and reading His Holy Word, the less time we spend in sinful activities.  So, when we are tempted to sin, we need to pick up our Bible and read it.  Then we need to try to live like it says that we should live.  Be doers of The Word.

Guidelines For Christian Behavior

"And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.  Be joyful always;  pray continually;  give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  1 Thessalonians 5:14-18 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Thessaloniki to encourage them to follow the will of God.  He urged them to warn and admonish those who walk disorderly; to encourage those who were timid, cowardly, and fearful; to help the weak bear their burdens and infirmities; and to be patient, tolerant, and forbear all men, both good and evil.  They were to do good, and they were not to repay the wrong to those who had wronged them.  They were to be positive and count all that happened to them as joy.  They were told to pray, to pray often, and to pray about everything, and to give God thanks for everything.  

These verses represent what could be considered guidelines for good Christian behavior.  They summarize how we ought to act towards one another, and towards the unsaved in the world.  We are to help spread The Word of God. (Matthew 28:19-20)  The strong among us are the help bear the infirmities of the weak. (Romans 15:1)  We are to be kind, patient, and long-suffering with others. (Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 4:2, and Colossians 3:12)  We are to let The Lord get the revenge on those who do us wrong. (Romans 12:19)  We are to love one another. (John 13:34-35)  We are to count everything as joy. (James 1:2-3)  We ought to always pray. (Luke 18:1 and 21:36)  We are to be thankful to God for all things. (2 Corinthians 9:11)

Live In Order To Please God

"Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living.  Now we ask you and urge you in The Lord Jesus to do this more and more."  1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NIV)

In his letter to the Thessalonian believers, the Apostle Paul said that his purpose for teaching them was so that they would know how to live to please God, and so that they would do that more often.

We have to be taught how to walk with God and how to please Him.  Only through The Word of God can we learn how to please Him.  Only by instruction in His Word can we learn how to behave and conduct ourselves in a manner which pleases God.  Living to please God means living according to His Word, hearing it, believing it, reading it, following it, and loving it.  And not just doing this once in a while, but doing it more and more, and more frequently.  No matter how good our Christian walk may be, there is always room for improvement and growing closer to God.  Living to please God is a continuous process which requires a daily devotion and commitment.  As Christians, this is how we ought to live.

Follow The Sayings Of The Wise

"Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.  So that your trust may be in The LORD ..."  Proverbs 22:17-19 (NIV)

The wisest man that ever lived, King Solomon, advised the people to listen to and apply the sayings of the wise.  He said that they should remember his sayings and be prepared to share them with others.  His point was that living by his sayings would keep their trust in The Lord.

Following the advice of wise counselling is always a good thing to do.  This is especially true when the advise is based upon The Word of God.  We should keep the wise saying in The Word of God within our hearts and we should live by them.  The Bible says that we are to be doers of The Word and not just hearers of The Word. (James 1:22) 

Those Who Preach The Gospel Should Live By It

"Even so hath The Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." 1 Corinthians 9:14 (KJV)

Thus saith the Apostle Paul about the people taking the care of preachers after saying, " For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn . Doth God take care for oxen?"

The Bible Scholars and the Bible commentaries all agree that this verse should be interpreted that those who preach the gospel should make their living by preaching the gospel. However, when I read this verse, I read it as those who preach the gospel should live by the gospel, and I was instantly convicted by The Holy Spirit. This verse has been on my mind for all of last week. Even though all of my research points to the contrary, I still cannot get my reading of it out of my mind. The way that I read it helped me so I decided to share this with the hope that maybe my thoughts might help someone else.

While We Wait For The Blessed Hope

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope; the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:11-14 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul is writing to Titus to give personal encouragement to the young pastor that he was to pass on to the leaders of the church, and to the people, regarding Christian living.

While we wait for the blessed hope, the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we are to live a Christ-like, godly lives in this present sinful age. We are to exercise self-control, walk upright, and deny ungodly worldly passions and pleasures. We should be eager to do that which is good and we should avoid that which is not good. Remember that we are in this world, but not of this world. Jesus is coming back for His Church, and we should live like we want to go with Him when He leaves the next time.

Be Hearers And Doers Of God's Word

"As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, 'Come and hear the message that has come from The Lord.' My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice." Ezekiel 33:30-32 (NIV)

After the prophet Ezekiel called for the people to repent, God revealed to him that the people hear his words but they do not put what they hear into practice. They continue in their sinful ways. They treat his words as a performance to be appreciated for the moment and then forgotten because it had not effect upon them.

The preacher is supposed to tell us what "thus saith The Lord." It is up to us to hear what he says and then to act accordingly. If he tells us and we do not put what he says in to practice, the he will not be held accountable for us. God will only hold him accountable for us if he does not tell us what God tell him to say. We go to church to hear the Word of God, but if we do not put what we hear into practice in our lives, then attending church did nothing for us. Exposure to the Word of God should produce a change in us, if it does not, then we should question our salvation. We need to put the Word of God word into practice in our lives.

May Your Light Shine Like Stars

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed ... continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life ..." Philippians 2:12-16 (NIV)

To the Philippian Christians the Apostle Paul here writes to encourage them to continue in their Christian ways so that God can use them according to His purpose. They should not complain about their situation but should continue in a Christ-like manner so that they can be like light and shine like stars in a a dark and depraved world.

We should also behave in such a way as to let the light of Jesus Christ, that is within us, shine. We are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:14-16) When we act according to the will of God, we allow Him to control our lives and to use us according to His good purpose. We need to live so that we may become useful to God to spread the word in this sin sick world in which we live.

Make Every Effort To Live In Peace

"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see The Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God ..." Hebrews 12:14-15 (NIV)

The writer is encouraging the people to renew their spiritual vitality. They are to pursue peace and holiness. They are also to help their fellow man who is unsaved to understand and appreciate the benefits of holiness and God's peace.

While it is not possible for us not to sin, we are to endeavor to live holy. We are to seriously attempt to live in peace with all men. We are to love our neighbor and treat him kindly, even if he does not treat us that way. We should encourage all men to be Christians and live holy. Our lives should be an example to others of Christ-like living

Submit To God And Resist The Devil

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you..." James 4:7-8 (NIV)

Here James provides instruction on Christian living by encouraging the people to first submit themselves to God, and then to stand firm against the devil. Only those closely aligned with God will the devil flee from.

We frequently hear this verse partially quoted saying, "resist the devil and he will flee from you." What is frequently omitted is the beginning of the verse which states "submit yourselves to God." Because of our sinful nature, we do not have the power or the desire to resist the devil without God in our lives. The devil will only flee from us when we are close to God. Satan cannot force us to do anything against our will, when we sin we simply give in to his temptations. God gave us the free will to choose to follow Him or choose to follow Satan. If we choose to follow God and submit ourselves to Him, the we will have the victory over sin, the devil, and death.