In His Word, God has laid out for all Christians the road map for living our lives. He has given us very detailed instructions on how we should think and behave as His children. As our loving heavenly Father, God’s desire is that we grow and mature in His ways so as to lead joyful and fruitful lives. His instructions to us are meant not to unnecessarily give us restrictions in our lives, but they are meant to enrich our lives. Just as a loving parent will guide their child as they grow in hopes of having them mature into a healthy and well-adjusted adult, so our heavenly Father desires to have us grow into well-grounded and mature Christians. God created us; therefore, it makes sense that He alone knows how to best enable us to achieve true joy in our lives. Thinking of it in another way, God manufactured us, and, after putting us together, He provided an owner’s manual for proper operation of our lives, that being the Bible. Hence, knowing this, it would follow that we should diligently study our owner’s manual for living our lives to properly understand ourselves, and to enable us to lead successful Christian lives.
In this study, we will be discussing some of the behavioral traits and attributes that Christians should possess as children of God. The behavioral topics to be discussed are as follows:
-Love
-Judging
-Pre-Marital Sex
-Encouraging Words
-Tithing
-Telling the Truth
-Pride
-Temptation
-Partaking of Alcohol
-Studying the Bible
-Swearing Oaths
-Fear
-Foregiveness
-Worrying
-Christian Priorities in Life
-Creating Discord in the Church Bod
-Covetousness
The purpose of this study is not to give an exhaustive discussion on each of the above areas, but to lay out the general foundational biblical principles relating to each area of behavior. Let us now begin our study.
Christians Should Show Love To Others
Love is the cornerstone and foundation of the Christian walk. Concerning the act of love, we read in the Bible:
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (NKJ: Matthew 22:36-40)
“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (NKJ: Romans 13:8-9)
“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (NKJ: Galatians 5:13-14)
“And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.” (NKJ: I John 5:5-6)
“But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;…” (NKJ: I Thessalonians 4:9)
In these verses, we are given the foundation upon which all righteous actions should rest, that foundation being love for God and love for each other. In other words, if we have true and genuine love in our hearts for God and other people, then our actions will naturally tend to be in accord with the other commandments of God. It should be well noted that the act of love is portrayed in these verses as a willful act, and not as just some uncontrollable emotion. This is evident in the fact that to love God and one’s neighbor is a commandment to be followed. There will be times in our lives when situations arise where the natural tendency will be to feel and react in an unloving way, such as when we are hurt or slandered by someone. Though we may believe we are justified in our feelings, the Word of God tells us different. We are admonished in the Bible to show love to those who come against us:
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (NKJ: Matthew 5:44-46)
Jesus, in the above verse, makes reference to “tax collectors.” In that day, these men were very hated by the Jews since those who collected taxes were their fellow countrymen who were employed by the Romans to extract taxes from their own people. In saying that even tax collectors love those who love them, Jesus is making an extremely strong point that to love those who love us has no merit. It is natural to show love to those who love us, but it is of God to show love to those who hate and persecute us.
Love is the identification badge by which the world should be able to identify us as Christians. Our love for our Lord should be manifested in our actions towards each other as a witness of our faith, for we read in the book of John, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (NKJ: John 13:34-35) Conversely, we are told in the Bible that if we cannot love others, then we do not love God, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” (NKJ: I John 4:7-21) Furthermore, in reference to showing love for others, in the book of I John we read, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (NKJ: I John 4:7-8) To fully understand this verse, we must first understand that there are two Greeks words used for love in the Bible: “phileo” and “agape.” The Greek word “phileo” refers to more of an emotional or relational love such as for a family member or a dear friend. But the Greek word “agape” refers to a sacrificial and unselfish devotion, much deeper than a “phileo” love. The Greek word being used for love in the above verse is “agape.” Agape love, that is, an unselfish and sacrificial love for others, is manifested in those who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and have become children of God. Do not be confused here, it is not one’s “agape” love that makes one born of God, but it is being born of God that gives one the ability to show true “agape” love towards others.
And finally, our love is not to be merely lip service, but should be evident in how we live our lives. We read in the book of I John, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (NKJ: I John 3:18) Our love should not lie in our words alone, but should manifest itself in our actions. It is very easy to tell someone that we love them, but when our actions bear witness to our words, it is only then that those around us truly know that we love them. As a simple example, what would more tell a little child that you love them, to say the words “I love you” to that child, or to come up to that child and hold them tightly in your arms with a giant bear hug? Of course it would be the latter. There is much truth to the saying, “actions speak louder than words.”
As we have seen, love is the greatest commandment of all, that is, love of God and love of others. We must always seek to show love towards all those who cross our life’s path. In ending this section, I would like to share an often quoted passage from the book of I Corinthians concerning love and its importance above all else:
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (NKJ: I Corinthians 13:1-13)
Should Christians Judge Other People?
A much-debated question regarding proper Christian behavior is whether Christians should judge others. Many who believe we should never judge others point to a passage in the book of Matthew from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” (NKJ: Matthew 7:1-2) Taking this verse in a vacuum, that is, not looking at the context in which it was said or comparing it to the rest of Scriptures, might lead one to the absolute conclusion that we as Christians are to never judge others. However, by doing so, we would be coming to an incorrect conclusion.
To better understand the context of the above two verses from the book of Matthew, it would serve us well to take a look at the three verses that follow them:
“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (NKJ: Matthew 7:3-5)
The Greek word translated as “plank” in this verse refers to a large beam, similar to one used to build a house. Therefore, the contrast between a plank and speck is astounding. In this verse, Jesus is pointing out the hypocrisy found in many Christians who can easily point to sins in the lives of others, even the smallest of sins, but cannot recognize their own sins, even the largest of sins. In reference to this verse, one writer notes:
“In giving this example, Jesus gives allowance for pointing out the moral failures in others. It is not wrong to rebuke a brother for sin. The problem arises when a person tries to rebuke others but has the larger sin of self-righteousness. Self-righteousness makes the rebuke a hypocritical ‘act’ of showiness instead of a genuine attempt to ensure the well-being of the sinning brother…Proper judgment requires honest assessment, and honest assessment requires accurate appraisal. That is why Jesus said concerning the one who judges, ‘First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye’ (7:3, niv, emphasis added). Once the beam is removed and one can see clearly to make an accurate appraisal, Jesus implies that he is quite free to address the problem with his brother. This suggests that it is not wrong to judge, but rather it is wrong to judge while hypocritically overlooking one’s own sin. If a person can spot the speck in another’s eye, it indicates that the person can see (blépeis). But if that same person removes the beam in his own eye, he can then see clearly (diablépeis). This has two significant implications. First, rightly identifying and addressing our own faults makes us more charitable. Second, when we judge more charitably, we are inclined to judge without a personal bias and thus more accurately. That is, we are more likely to measure others according to divine principle rather than personal preference.” (Josh McDowell, “Knowing Good from Evil”, eBook pages 242-244)
As Christians, we are not to judge others from a self-righteous perspective, or with slanderous intentions. Judgment with slanderous intentions is specifically addressed in the book of James, “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?” (NKJ: James 4:11-12) In this passage, James is addressing judging with slanderous intentions. Judging in such a manner serves no godly purpose, and its motivation is to harm and/or destroy another person rather than to rectify their sinful behavior, and to restore that person to living their life in a godly manner. Furthermore, since love is the greatest commandment (cf. Matthew 22:36-40, Romans 13:8-9), and love seeks to build up and not tear down (cf. I Corinthians 13:4-7), such behavior is contrary to the law.
However, as Christians, we are to address sinful behavior within the church. Such behavior is not to be ignored or tolerated. Sin is like a virus, that is, if left unchecked it will grow and eventually kill the body of the Church. We can find many passages in the Bible regarding the propriety of righteously judging, and the following are some examples of those passages:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” (NKJ: Matthew 7:15-20) Jesus is instructing His disciples to make judgments concerning those individuals who come into the church claiming to be prophets of God. We are to judge their “fruit,” that is, their words and actions to see if they are consistent with God’s Word.
“Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”…. Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (NKJ: Matthew 16:6,12) Jesus warns His disciples to judge the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Jewish religious leaders), and to beware of their false teachings.
”Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (NKJ: Matthew 18:15-17) Jesus lays out the appropriate actions to take when a fellow Christian is acting in a sinful manner. We are to judge if their actions are contrary to God’s Word, and, if their actions are contrary to His Word, then we are to first approach them individually and confront them with their sin. If they repent, and turn from their sin, then the problem is resolved and no further action is to be taken. If they don’t repent, then we are to come to them again with one or two other Christians as witnesses that this person’s actions are sinful, and to bear witness to the conversation. If the person sinning still refuses to repent, then we are to bring the issue to the church leaders. If, after these steps have been taken, and this person still will not turn from their sinful behavior, then they are to be sent out of the church until that time that they decide to truly repent. A strong note should be made that the goal of the dialogues with the person sinning are for repentance and restoration, and in no way is the goal to harm or slander the individual. Furthermore, initial discussions of the sin are first just between two people, that is, publicizing the sin within the church is avoided, and then only with a few additional Christians as witnesses. The motive should never to be to slander or embarrass the sinning individual, which would in itself be sin.
“Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” (NKJ: John 7:24) Jesus here points to the fact that it is permissible to judge, but that it should be done in a righteous manner based on real facts and without personal bias. Mere appearances can be deceiving, and can lead to false accusations.
“Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” (NKJ: Acts 17:10-11) Paul commends the Bereans in that they eagerly listened to his words regarding God, but judged whether they were true by comparing them to the Scriptures. This is an area in which many of us Christians are slack. Just because a person claims to be a servant of God standing in the pulpit, or in other areas of church leadership, does not mean that they are to be followed or that their words are true. We should always take what we learn in church and search the Bible to judge and confirm that what we heard is true. A good biblically-based church leader will encourage such actions; whereas, a false teacher will rebuke and discourage such actions.
“Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.” (NKJ: Acts 20:30-31) Paul warns Christians to judge and use discernment regarding those that would come into the church falsely proclaiming to be teachers of the Word.
”Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” Paul warns here about hypocritical judgment, that is, bringing judgment upon others for sinful actions that we ourselves have been practicing. More generally, though, we should never come to another Christian in a condemning manner, but should come to them as a fellow sinner desiring to assist our brother or sister in Christ to turn and be released from whatever sinful actions they may be practicing.
“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.” (NKJ: I Corinthians 5:1-13) In this passage, Paul instructs the Corinthian church to make judgments regarding sinful behavior, and to exclude from the church all those who will not repent of their sins. In saying, “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump,” he is telling us that unaddressed sin will affect others in the church, and will eventually damage the entire church. This is a strong statement by Paul regarding the ultimate effect of unaddressed sin within the church, and our responsibility to not ignore such sin, under the flag of trying to not judge others, but to quickly address it in a biblical manner.
”But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” (NKJ: Galatians 1:8-9) Paul makes a very strong statement in this passage regarding judging the teachings preached within the church. Some people may come into the church claiming that they have special revelations from God, but, no matter what claims are made, any message that contradicts the Bible is to be considered a false teaching, and the one preaching the false teaching is to be considered a false teach and dealt with accordingly.
”But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” (NKJ: II Thessalonians 3:13-15) Paul instructs the Thessalonians to judge the actions of those who do not follow the teachings of Scriptures. They are not to keep company with them, and are to admonish them, that is, approach them with their sinful actions and rebuke them to turn from those actions and repent.
”Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” (NKJ: II Timothy 4:2) Paul’s exhortation to Timothy in this verse is to preach the Word of God. And in doing so, his preaching will involve reproof of others based on his judgment. Later on in the same chapter, Paul directly identifies a person who is working against the gospel message, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.” (NKJ: II Timothy 4:14-15) Paul identifies Alexander by name, and warns Timothy to beware of him for Paul has judged his actions to be contrary to the gospel.
”But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.” (NKJ: II Peter 2:1-2) Again, we are told in the Bible through the writings of Peter that we are to be on guard and to judge the teachings of those who would claim to preach a gospel message.
”as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked…” (NKJ: II Peter 3:16-17) There will be people who enter the church who will distort the gospel message to their own views. We are to beware of such people.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.” (NKJ: I John 4:1-3) Because there will be false prophets and false teachers that will enter into our churches, we must always be on guard and test, or judge, the words of these supposed men of God against the Scriptures.
” I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.” (NKJ: III John 1:9-11) John specifically identifies Diotrephes by name, and judges his actions as wrong. He then states that he will confront him concerning his sinful actions.
As we have seen, there is a correct and incorrect way for Christians to judge. To judge another with the intent to slander, to hurt, or to self-righteously put oneself above that person is wrong and is never to be done in any circumstance. There are, though, proper circumstances in which we are to judge. As Christians, we are to keep each other accountable, not in a self-righteous way, but from a perspective of one sinner to another. Our motives are always to be to ultimately bring restoration to a fellow Christian who has fallen into sin. We are to watch for those people who would come into the congregation of churches with evil intentions. Finally, we are to be watchful for false teachers who will try to bring in destructive teachings to the church. In these situations, we are to make righteous judgments and to address the offenders in a biblical manner with love, and with a primary goal of bringing repentance and restoration to the individual.
Christians Should Abstain From Pre-Marital Sex
The Bible is very clear on the subject of sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage. Concerning such behavior, we read in the Bible:
“Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (NKJ: I Corinthians 6:18-20)
“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.” (NKJ: I Thessalonians 4:3-8)
“I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.” (NKJ: I Corinthians 5:9-11)
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” (NKJ: I Corinthians 6:9-10)
The Lord has set apart the act of sexual intercourse to be exercised solely within the confines of marriage. Such relations outside the institution of marriage, no matter what the circumstances, is expressly forbidden by the Lord.
Christians Should Always Encourage One Another
A friend once read me the following verse, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (NKJ: Ephesians 4:29) After reading the verse, he told me the following true story. In Africa, there is a tribe of natives who’s main food source is Elephant meat. Now, when the tribe was in need of food, the men of the tribe would gather together into a hunting party. They would go out into the jungle and locate a herd of elephants. Once a herd was located, the men would then select one specific elephant as their target. With primitive little wooden spears they would rush up to the elephant and throw their spears at the strong and massive body of the elephant. The little spears would barely pierce the elephant’s hard-leathery skin. In fact, the elephant would hardly notice the slight pricks caused from the spears. However, though only a slight wound was inflicted, with each hit of a spear a little blood would leach out of the elephant. Time and time again, the men would regather, rush the elephant, and thrust their tiny spears into his body. This routine would last for days. Days later, the elephant would begin to stagger, and appear to lose its sense of balance. After a few more onslaughts by the tribesmen, the elephant would fall to the ground, and then be easily subdued. What had happened? Had one of the many spears finally hit and pierced deep enough to seriously injure the elephant? No, not at all. What had happened is that each time one of the spears hit the elephant a little blood was lost. Each wound alone was insignificant, but the accumulation of all the separate wounds was enough to cause the elephant, over time, to lose enough blood to where it lost most of its strength and fell to the ground.
After telling this story to me, my friend went on to explain how our continued hurtful words to other people can eventually cause them great pain. Whether in seriousness or in jest, negative words and comments can accumulate over time and will eventually cause damage to a person’s feelings.
We read in the book of Colossians, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” (NKJ: Colossians 4:6) Salt has the attributes of being a seasoning to give food more flavor, a preservative in food, and also as a healing agent for wounds. The analogy of our speech being seasoned with salt is illustrating for us the attributes that our words to others should possess. Our words to others should always encourage, build up, and/or bring healing to those that receive them. Even in those times when we have to confront a fellow Christian with sin that is in their lives, our words should have the ultimate goal of restoration and healing from that sin.
As Christians, we should always be looking for ways to build each other up through our words and actions. Those who walk according to the Lord will receive much persecution, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (NKJ: II Timothy 3:12) from the world; therefore, even more, should we uplift each other with our words.
Christians Should Financially Support Their Church (Tithing)
Obviously, churches cannot support themselves, but must depend on contributions from their respective congregations. God, in His Word, instructs us that we should not withhold support from our church:
“’Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,’ Says the LORD of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.’” (NKJ: Malachi 3:8-10)
In this passage, the Bible analogizes not giving to one’s church as actually stealing from God. One important aspect relating to our giving to God is that God, being the creator of the universe, is owner and possessor of all that is created. We have been allowed to use what is God’s, and He has only required of us to return to Him a relatively small amount. Therefore, when it comes to giving to God, we are not the owners giving to God, but are the borrowers returning to the owner, God, what is His.
The passage above refers to giving to the church by two terms: tithes and offerings. The term “tithe” refers to one-tenth, that is, giving one-tenth of one’s earnings to God (cf. Leviticus 27:32). There is some debate as to whether the one-tenth is before or after taxes, i.e. gross or net earnings, but the biblical example and general belief is that the one-tenth refers to gross earnings. The term “offerings” refers to those funds given to the church that are in excess of the one-tenth.
However, it is important to note that God does not want any giving to the church to be done in a begrudging manner, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. “ (NKJ: II Corinthians 9:7) The Lord wants us to give joyfully and willingly. One should not give to the church if they are only giving because they feel a requirement to give, and in their hearts they would prefer to keep their money. By no means does God need our money, but He lovingly allows us the opportunity to be blessed by Him through our giving. Furthermore, it can be interpreted by the following verse in II Corinthians that the generosity of our giving is directly related to the amount of reward that we will receive, “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (NKJ: II Corinthians 9:6)
As a final note on the subject of tithing, I would like to point out one misinterpretation regarding tithing that is connected with the passage above from the book of Malachi. This misinterpretation relates to a belief that giving to the church will always result in God giving to us significant “financial” blessings. This misinterpretation stems from the last part of the passage where God asks the reader to test Him in their tithing in that He will “… open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.” Some people see blessings as synonymous with money when in fact that is not the case. I myself started consistently tithing to the church shortly after becoming a Christian many years ago, and I am definitely not a wealthy person. That is, I am not a wealthy person in terms of money, but as for family, friends, health, and general happiness, I am one of the wealthiest people around. God knows what will truly make us happy, and when He blesses us, He gives us those things that will give us joy in life, and, contrary to popular worldly belief, these things most often do not relate to money.
Christians Should Always Tell the Truth
Generally understood by the vast majority of Christians, as well as non-Christians, is the fact that we should always tell the truth. Truthfulness, or the lack of telling lies, is very important to the Lord. We read in the book of Proverbs:
“These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.” (NKJ: Proverbs 6:16-19)
In this list of seven things that are abominations to the Lord, two of the acts relate to lying. The Lord is very serious about telling the truth. Abstaining from lying was also one of the Ten Commandments giving to the Jews from God, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (NKJ: Exodus 20:16)
Additionally, we read about lying in the Bible in the following verses:
“Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.” (NKJ: Ephesians 4:25)
“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,…” (NKJ: Colossians 3:9)
“A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish.” (NKJ: Proverbs 19:9)
“A righteous man hates lying,…” (NKJ: Proverbs 13:5)
“Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, but those who deal truthfully are His delight.” (NKJ: Proverbs 12:22)
“The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” (NKJ: Proverbs 12:19)
It is very clear from Scripture that God is serious about not having His children fall into the snare of lying.
Christians Should Not Be Prideful
The Lord hates pride. Pride consists of one looking upon himself with praise, and glorying in their own accomplishments. As Christians, we should realize that we are sinners, and that the only good in us comes through our Lord, Jesus Christ, and His work on the Cross. Only the Lord is worthy of praise, and only His accomplishments deserve any glory. We should be proud, but our pride should be focused on our Lord, and what He has done for us, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…” (NKJ: Galatians 6:14) We read the following in the Bible regarding the sin of pride:
“These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look,….” (NKJ: Proverbs 6:16-19)
“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” (NKJ: Romans 12:3)
“A haughty look, a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked are sin.” (NKJ: Proverbs 21:4)
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” (NKJ: Proverbs 16:18-19)
“’Talk no more so very proudly; let no arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.’” (NKJ: I Samuel 2:3)
“For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (NKJ: I John 2:16-17)
“’What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.’” (NKJ: Mark 7:2-23)
“not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.” (NKJ: I Timothy 3:6)
We are given clear warnings in the Bible not to succumb to prideful actions or thoughts. With one’s eyes clearly focused on our Lord and His awesomeness, it is virtually impossible to be prideful of oneself in comparison. As with all sin, it is only when our eyes drift away from our Lord and onto the world that the sin of pride can gain a foothold in our lives.
Christians Should Always Fight Against and Protect Themselves From Temptation
Temptations will always be a part of a Christian’s life. Our enemy the devil and his demons will always be trying to throw us into situations that will cause us to fall into sin, and to interfere with our relationship with our Lord. Our Lord has promised in His Word to always be there for us when temptations our thrown at us, and to provide a way for us to escape, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (NKJ: I Corinthians 10:13) Therefore, in times where we feel tempted to act in a way that is contrary to God’s Word, we should always look to the Lord for strength and deliverance from that situation.
Are Christians Allowed to Drink Alcohol
The partaking of alcoholic beverages, per se, is not sin. We know this from several examples given in the Bible:
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” (NKJ: Matthew 11:18) Here we have Jesus Himself stating that He drank wine. This is evident from the fact that those who saw Him drink wine negatively refer to Him as a “winebibber” or drunkard.
- “Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, ‘Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.’ And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, ‘Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!’ (NKJ: John 2:6-10) At this wedding, when the wine ran out, Jesus made more wine by miraculously changing water within six large water pots to wine. We know this was wine, and not grape juice as some would misinterpret, in that a reference is made to the habit of when serving wine, first bring out the good stuff when people are sober and can tell the difference, then, once the crowd is adequately inebriated, bring out the cheap stuff since they are so drunk that they will not notice the difference.
- “Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine,…” (NKJ: I Timothy 3:8) Here we have the required characteristics of deacons, which are positions of administrative leadership within the church, including the habit of not being “given to much wine.” Note how this verse does not require abstention from alcohol, just the avoidance of excessive use. The significance of the word “much” is verified in that in several verses prior, the book of Timothy states that one of the requirements for being a bishop, which is one of the top leaders of a church, is to be, “not given to wine.” That is, to never partake of alcoholic drink. Therefore, whereas a bishop cannot have any wine at all, a deacon can drink wine, but just not to excess.
- “No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.” (NKJ: I Timothy 5:23) Here, Paul is advising Timothy to drink wine to soothe his stomach ailment. Obviously, if the drinking of alcoholic beverages was a sin, then Paul would never have suggested such a thing to Timothy.
However, when such partaking of alcohol results in a state of drunkenness, then God is very displeased with us. Regarding drunkenness, we read in the Bible:
“And do not be drunk with wine,…” (NKJ: Ephesians 5:18) Note here that we are not told to avoid wine, but to avoid being drunk with wine.
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” (NKJ: Proverbs 20:1) Note that it is not one who drinks wine, but the one who is led astray by wine, that is not wise.
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” (NKJ: I Corinthians 6:9-10)
“Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (NKJ: Romans 13:13-14)
“’Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, pressing him to your bottle, even to make him drunk, that you may look on his nakedness! You are filled with shame instead of glory. You also—drink! And be exposed as uncircumcised! The cup of the LORD’S right hand will be turned against you, and utter shame will be on your glory.’” (NKJ: Habakkuk 2:15-16)
“’But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.’” (NKJ: Luke 21:34)
“Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; who continue until night, till wine inflames them!” (NKJ: Isaiah 5:11)
Based on the foregoing, according to God’s Word, it is permissible to drink alcohol, but not to the point where are senses are dulled from drunkenness. However, there is an exception to the permissibility of drinking alcohol, and that is when our partaking of alcohol will cause a problem for someone else, “Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.” (NKJ: Romans 14:20-21) We should always be cognizant of those around us, and of how our actions may affect them. Even though our actions may be permissible from a biblical standpoint, if they may stumble someone else, we should abstain from such behavior for their benefit. A good example would be drinking around an ex-alcoholic where our actions may cause them to fall off the wagon, or drinking around impressionable children who may want to mimic our actions.
Therefore, though the partaking of alcohol is permissible from a biblical standpoint, we are not to drink to the point of being drunk, and we are not to drink when it may be a poor witness to those around us.
Christians Should be Students of The Bible
We, as Christians, are encouraged to be students of God’s Word. Our heavenly Father inspired the writing of the Bible as His means of communicating directly to us, and to give us guidance in all aspects of our life. The apostle Paul, in writing to Timothy in his second letter to him, wrote, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. “ (KJ: II Timothy 2:15) Paul, in this verse, is encouraging Timothy to be very diligent in his studies of Scriptures, as we ourselves should also.
However, when discussing the study of Scriptures, I always like to point to the passage in Acts where Paul is encouraging and complimenting the Bereans on their study habits, “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” (NKJ: Acts 17:11) In this verse, Paul is complimenting the Bereans in their eagerness to hear and learn God’s word from him, but commends them on the fact that they did not just trust his words on their own, but they went back to their homes and read the Scriptures to confirm that what Paul was teaching them was truly in the Scriptures. This is an area where every new, and also many mature, Christians should take note. To put this in today’s terms, Paul is telling us to not just go to church, listen to our pastor’s sermon, and then take his words face value as scriptural. By no means. We are to take what our pastor teaches us, and compare it to what the Bible says. If our pastor’s words are consistent with the Bible, then we should follow them; however, if his words are contradictory to the Scriptures, then we are to throw out what he said, and believe the Word of God.
The New Testament continually warns about how false teachers will creep into the church to deceive believers, and that we are to be watchful. Being good students of the Bible, and through careful comparison of all that we hear to the Bible, we can always be assured that our understanding of God and His Word is correct.
Christians are Not To Swear Oaths
As Christians, our word should always be able to be taken at face value. When we answer a question or say we will do something, our words should always be trustworthy without requiring some additional assurance such as a promise or the swearing of an oath. We read in the Bible regarding the trustworthiness of our word:
“But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” (NKJ: Matthew 5:37)
“But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your “No,”
“No,” lest you fall into judgment.” (NKJ: James 5:12)
When others require us to give additional assurances on our word through promises or oaths, the implicit insinuation is that our word alone cannot be relied upon. Or if we ourselves give such assurances, it implies that we ourselves do not feel bound to our word unless it is given with such assurances. In either circumstance, our word has been devalued and shown to be something that cannot be trusted. Therefore, as Christians, we should always place high value in our word, and make sure that it is always viewed by others as something that can be trusted.
There is No Reason for Christians to Have Fear
There is no reason for those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior to have fear in their lives, for He has promised to always be with us, to protect us, to guide us, and to give us strength. We read in the Bible regarding fear:
“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (NKJ: Hebrews 13:5-6)
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.’” (NKJ: Psalm 27:1-3)
“’Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” (NKJ: Isaiah 41:10)
“’And he said: “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior, You save me from violence. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.” (NKJ: II Samuel 22:2-3)
We must always realize that nothing happens in our lives that is not under the control of our Lord. Even during those times of trial in our lives, the Lord is there with us, providing us with the needed strength to endure and conquer (for a discussion on the purpose of trials in a Christians life, please read the Bible study on “Trials”). Fear can only creep into our lives when we take our eyes off of our Lord, and focus on ourselves.
Christians Should Show Foregiveness
Throughout one’s life there will be people, both Christian and non-Christian, who will treat them in a wrong manner to various degrees. The world would teach us that we should respond in those situations in a negative manner with some form of retribution whether it be a direct retribution, or a harboring of ill feelings towards that person. However, such is not the case from a biblical standpoint. As Christians, we are to forgive those who trespass against us, that is, not to harbor ill feelings towards them. In discussing forgiveness, we read in the Bible:
“And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (NKJ: Ephesians 4:32)
“Then Peter came to Him and said, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’” (NKJ: Matthew 18:21-35) Note here that the reference here to seventy times seven is not setting an actual specific number of times, but is setting a number that is beyond that for which anyone would actually try to keep track. In other words, we are not to keep track of how many times we forgive someone, but should continually show forgiveness towards others.
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” (NKJ: Colossians 3:12-14)
At the same time, the biblical standard of forgiveness does not require us to become “door mats” for those who would desire to continually trespass against us. Spiritual wisdom, through prayer, should be sought in determining if a relationship should be maintained with an individual who trespasses against us, or if such a relationship should be discontinued. That is, forgiveness should be given to an individual who trespasses against us in all situations; however, it may be deemed necessary to break off whatever relationship exists based on the belief that this individual would continue in their trespasses with no repentance.
It is interesting that the Bible even tells us that a lack of forgiveness for others will cause our Lord to not show forgiveness towards us:
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’” (NKJ: Matthew 6:14-15)
This should not be confused with the forgiveness of sins that we have received through the work of our Savior, Jesus Christ, but relates to us forfeiting certain blessings from the Lord in our lives, and potentially causing us to receive discipline from the Lord. In the book of Proverbs we read, “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” (NKJ: Proverbs 28:9) Though God will never leave us, we can cause Him to ignore our prayers when we ourselves ignore His Word, in this case, if we were to not show forgiveness to others.
Christians Should Not Worry
Worry comes when we are uncertain of a situation, whether it be a current situation, a situation that may happen soon, or even a situation that may occur far into the future. However, when we rest in the Lord and truly trust in Him, there is no room for worry, just joy and contentment. Regarding worry, we read in the Bible:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (NKJ: Philippians 4:6-7)
“’Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble..’” (NKJ: Matthew 6:25-34)
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (NKJ: I Peter 5:6-7)
“Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” (NKJ: Psalm 37:3-5)
Whatever the future holds, as Christians, we can find comfort in the knowledge that our Lord will always be there with us to bring us through any and all situations. Furthermore, nothing can happen in our lives unless our Lord allows it, and as we read in the book of Romans, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (NKJ: Romans 8:28) What comfort we are given in this verse in that nothing will ever befall us that will not ultimately work for our good if we keep our eyes and hearts focused on the Lord.
Christian Priorities in Life
As Christians, we realize that we are only going to be on this earth for a flash of a second compared to our future eternity in heaven. Therefore, when setting priorities for our life while here on earth, we should always be eternally minded and not to focus too heavily on our temporal comfort here on earth. The following verses speak of how we should set our priorities here on earth:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (NKJ: 6:33-34)
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (NKJ: Romans 12:1-2)
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (NKJ: I John 2:15-17)
“’Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’” (NKJ: Matthew 6:19-21)
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (NKJ: Colossians 3:1-2)
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (NKJ: II Corinthians 4:17-18)
Our priorities in life should be to serve our Lord, and to focus on those things that will have eternal value, such as sharing God’s Word with others, and living our lives in a manner that is a witness to the world of our faith in the Lord.
Christians Should Never Create Discord Within the Church
Unfortunately, have you ever noticed that there are those people in this world who appear to enjoy creating disharmony in whatever group they are involved? Whether it be at work, with friends, or in any other social setting, through their actions they bring discord into any group. They create divisiveness through gossip, harsh words, ostracizing certain individuals, or creating “clicks.” Such may be the way of the world, but God’s Word says otherwise for His people. We read in the book of Proverbs:
“These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him:….And one who sows discord among brethren.” (NKJ: Proverbs 6:16,19)
Very strong words are given against those who would create discord within the Church. The Lord considers such actions an abomination, and, accordingly, such actions will most likely bring the Lord’s discipline upon individuals exhibiting such behavior. As Christians, we should always seek to bring harmony into the Lord’s family.
Christians Should Not Be Covetous
To covet or to be covetous is to possess a strong desire or need to possess something. From a biblical perspective, the act of coveting is viewed in very negative way. In the Bible, we are warned not to covet possessions of others, or to covet material things beyond our basic needs. The following are a selection of verses in the Bible concerning coveting:
“’You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.’” (NKJ: Exodus 20:17) In chapter 20 of the book of Exodus we are given the Ten Commandments. The tenth commandment, noted above, specifically addresses and forbids the act of coveting. God is underlining the serious nature of this sin by including it as one of His primary commandments.
“Incline my heart to Your testimonies, and not to covetousness.” (NKJ: Psalm 119:36) To have our hearts focused on the Lord and His ways precludes a covetousness nature.
“The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. He covets greedily all day long, but the righteous gives and does not spare” (NKJ: Proverbs 21:25-26) The underlying foundation of covetousness is greed. A covetous person looks to increase their wealth, and is not inclined to give to others.
“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” (NKJ: Mark 7:21-23) Covetousness is listed as one of the evil things that will corrupt us.
“And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’” (NKJ: Luke 12:15) Jesus warns for us to beware of the sin of covetousness, which causes a person to focus on increasing their possessions rather than following the Lord.
“Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (NKJ: I Corinthians 6:9-11) (cf. Ephesians 5:1-5) Though Christians will struggle with sin, their hearts have been renewed to a new nature. It is one thing to struggle with sin, it is by far another thing to feel comfortable with sin. As with all the other sins noted in this verse, one who has a covetous nature, and practices this sin without guilt or remorse, is one who’s heart has not been renewed through a true saving belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. And without such a regeneration through faith in Jesus Christ, one cannot inherit the kingdom of God, that is, to receive eternal life in heaven.
“Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (NKJ: Colossians 3:5) This verse gives us a lot of insight into the sin of covetousness for we read in this verse, “and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Idolatry is the worship of anything other than the one true God of the Bible. Most people associate idolatry with the worship of another god, but that is only one aspect of idolatry. In a larger sense, from the biblical perspective, idolatry is the act of having anything in our lives that takes precedence over the Lord. Those things that take our eyes off of the Lord, or that we believe we must possess to achieve true joy in life, are things that lead us into idolatry. Examples could be career, money, possessions, or fame. To be clear, all of the previously mentioned things that could be idols in one’s life are not wrong per se. It is only when the obtaining and possessing of these or any other thing becomes a dominant driving force in one’s life above the Lord that a person becomes guilty of covetousness.
“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have.” (NKJ: Hebrews 13:5) The opposite of being covetous is being content with that which God has given to us. Our absolute trust should be in the Lord, and in the fact that He will provide to us all that we need. To covet is to not trust in and be content with that which the Lord has given to us.
As Christians, we should aspire to always be content with that which the Lord has chosen to give to us in our lives. We have already received the most precious gift in the universe, that being the gift of eternal life through our faith in Jesus Christ. Our eternity is certain, and our life here on earth is but for a relative moment. The only covetousness that should be found in us is that we covet God’s will for our lives.
Final Comments
Have you ever heard the saying, “you may be the only Bible that someone may read”? Well, this saying is actually very true from a biblical standpoint, for we read in the book of II Corinthians, “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ.” (NKJ: II Corinthians 3:2-3) An “epistle” is another word for a “letter.” What Paul is saying here to the Corinthians is that there will be those people who would never pick up a Bible and begin to read it, but who will study the actions of Christians as they lead their lives to determine if there is any merit to their words relating to their God. They will scrutinize their actions day to day, and will look to see if they find anything different than what the world has to offer. If these people see something different, in a good way, in the Christian(s) they are observing, then they may seek to find out more about this God in which they believe. Then a ministry opportunity has been born.
As Christians, we profess that we believe and trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We point to His death on the Cross, a voluntary death motivated completely and solely by His love for us, as paving the way for our forgiveness from God, and our eternal salvation. What a debt of gratitude we owe to our Savior. How much we should love and adore Him for what He did for us. How we should kneel at His feet and say, “Lord, our lives are yours, may we live them every day to glorify you.” So, how are each of us living our lives? If a nonbeliever were to follow us around for a week, observing how we live our lives, would they be drawn to know our God by what they saw, or would they turn away saying, “I see nothing different in this person’s life than that of everyone else”? May each of us examine our lives, take account of our actions, and seek to live a lifestyle that is glorifying to our Lord.
God Bless
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