From our church covenant: “We engage to walk circumspectly in the world….exemplary in our deportment”
Philippians 2:15 “blameless….without rebuke”
2 Peter 3:14 “be diligent that ye may be found….blameless”
1 Timothy 4:12 “be the example of the believer”
1 Thessalonians 5:21 “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good”
1 Thessalonians 5:22 “abstain from all appearance of evil”
Titus 2:7 “In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works”
A general rule of thumb is, “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck.”
When it comes to health, people know the folly of ignoring the symptoms of disease. When it comes to evaluation what things are, or are not, appearance is the number one consideration. Something that looks bad is not assumed to be good.
In Christianity, especially members of the Body of Christ (the local church), it is each member’s responsibility “to walk circumspectly in the world” and to be “exemplary in their deportment”. Thus, the way we live our lives is to set forth what it is to believe in, and walk in the light of God’s Word.
It is each member’s responsibility to avoid doing things that obviously give the appearance of wrongdoing. We are to be blameless, without rebuke.
Thus, the Christian is charged by God to bear the responsibility of giving evidence that what we are doing is right with God and proper according to God’s laws before men.
It is not someone else’s duty to prove we are doing wrong, but it is our duty to set forth evidence that will keep ourselves in the clear, so that there will be no reasonable cause for blame to come our way.
To not strive for blamelessness, is to compromise our testimony, as well as open the door for reproach upon the cause of Christ, which could very well be a stumblingblock to others.
What do others see–Christianity, or carnality?
Be very sure! The devil will not let indiscretions on the part of those who name the name of Christ to go unnoticed. They will be amplified and magnified! We will be held accountable for the fruit of our doings, thus the effect of what we do on others.
SHARING
