"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;" 1 Peter 1:15
The bar is raised for the minister of the gospel: "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." James 3:1. God will judge His servants by a higher standard, and more severely too.
Don't allow your good be spoken of as evil: "Let not then your good be evil spoken of." Romans 14:16. This man has done what is good, yet, there should be nothing in the way that he did his good that connotes evil. So, we are not only to do good, but in doing good, it should be done in such a way that no evil can be said of it. This is a standard beyond the world's measure of good. It is to this high standard that we are called. What this calls for is that we must seek wisdom in doing our good so that nothing evil can be said of our good.
Flee from every appearance of evil: "Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:22. The Christian walk is such that does not accommodate evil in any way. Not only are we to desist from evil, we are to distance ourselves from it. "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul." 1 Peter 2:11
Our calling is a holy calling, and our abstinence from evil is a mark of a holy walk. It is difficult for anyone to read the Bible and not come to the conclusion that we are called to a high standard of morality. When we bear all of these in mind, though we are not made perfect by so doing, yet, we will not be associated with slander and accusations that trail the path of those who live otherwise. And even when accusations of impropriety are made against, our manner of life will be our answer.
Toni
The bar is raised for the minister of the gospel: "My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation." James 3:1. God will judge His servants by a higher standard, and more severely too.
Don't allow your good be spoken of as evil: "Let not then your good be evil spoken of." Romans 14:16. This man has done what is good, yet, there should be nothing in the way that he did his good that connotes evil. So, we are not only to do good, but in doing good, it should be done in such a way that no evil can be said of it. This is a standard beyond the world's measure of good. It is to this high standard that we are called. What this calls for is that we must seek wisdom in doing our good so that nothing evil can be said of our good.
Flee from every appearance of evil: "Abstain from all appearance of evil." 1 Thessalonians 5:22. The Christian walk is such that does not accommodate evil in any way. Not only are we to desist from evil, we are to distance ourselves from it. "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul." 1 Peter 2:11
Our calling is a holy calling, and our abstinence from evil is a mark of a holy walk. It is difficult for anyone to read the Bible and not come to the conclusion that we are called to a high standard of morality. When we bear all of these in mind, though we are not made perfect by so doing, yet, we will not be associated with slander and accusations that trail the path of those who live otherwise. And even when accusations of impropriety are made against, our manner of life will be our answer.
Toni
