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Christian Behavior
Once a person exercises a decision to place faith alone in (only) Jesus Christ for eternal salvation, thereby becoming a Christian, he should realize that as a member of the family of God he is Gods . . .workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that [he] should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). As such, he is in Christ [and is] a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).
From ones inception into Gods family it is important that Gods behavioral standards now personally apply, standards that may only be secured by a life of faith, which will empower one to properly walk in the good works that have been prepared beforehand such faith that may only come by ones absorption of Gods Word (Ephesians 5:18-29; Colossians 2:6, 7; 3:16).
To this end, the following passages of Scripture are provided for your in-depth consideration, all of which reflect various aspects of proper Christian behavior.
Matthew 5:44 (cf. Luke 6:27, 35; 23:34; Acts 7:60; Romans 12:14, 20; 1 Corinthians 4:12-14; 1 Peter 2:23; 3:9) 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.
Luke 6:27, 28 (cf. v. 35; Exodus 23:4; Proverbs 25:21; Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:35; 23:34; Acts 7:60; Romans 12:20) But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, (28) bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
Matthew 22:37-40 (cf. Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12; 30:6; Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 19:19; Mark 12:30, 31; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8) Jesus said to him, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (40) On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.
John 13:34 (cf. John 15:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 1 John 3:11, 16, 23; 4:21) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
Romans 12:14, 20 (cf. Exodus 23:4-5; Proverbs 25:21-22; Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28; 23:34; Acts 7:60; 1 Corinthians 4:12; 1 Peter 2:23; 3:9) Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. . . . (20) Therefore If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.
Romans 13:8-10 (cf. Exodus 20:13; Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 5:17; Matthew 19:18; 22:39, 40; Mark 12:31; Galatians 5:14; Colossians 3:14; 1 Timothy 1:5; James 2:8) Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. (9) 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. (10) Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:13 (cf. Proverbs 23:20; Luke 21:34; 1 Corinthians 6:9; Ephesians 5:5; Philippians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:12; James 3:14; 1 Peter 2:12; 4:3) Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
Galatians 5:14 (cf. Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 7:12; 22:39, 40; Romans 13:8, 9; James 2:8) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Galatians 6:2 (cf. John 13:14, 15, 34; 15:12; Romans 15:1; Galatians 5:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:14; James 2:8; 1 John 4:21) Bear one anothers burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Philippians 4:5, 6 (cf. Psalm 55:22; Proverbs 16:3; Matthew 6:25; Luke 12:22; Philippians 4:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; Hebrews 10:25; James 5:8, 9; 1 Peter 4:7; 5:7; 2 Peter 3:8, 9) Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
Colossians 4:2 (cf. Luke 18:1; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 2:7; 3:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 18) Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.
Hebrews 10:24, 25 (cf. Acts 2:42; Romans 13:11; Philippians 4:5; 2 Peter 3:9, 11, 14; Jude 1:19) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, (25) not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Ephesians 4:1-3 (cf. Acts 20:19; Ephesians 3:1; Philippians 1:27; Colossians 1:10; 3:12-14; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; Philemon 1:1, 9; Galatians 5:22, 23) I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, (2) with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, (3) endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:25 (cf. Zechariah 8:16; Ephesians 4:15; Colossians 3:9) Therefore, putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
Ephesians 4:29-32 (cf. Matthew 6:14; Mark 11:25; 2 Corinthians 2:10; Ephesians 5:4; Colossians 3:8, 12, 13, 16; 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Titus 3:12) Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (31) Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. (32) And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 5:1-5 (cf. Matthew 5:48; Luke 6:36; John 13:34; 15:12; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 18; 2 Corinthians 2:15; 12:21; Ephesians 4:29; Galatians 5:19, 21; Colossians 3:5; 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 9; 1 John 3:11, 16, 23; 4:21) Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. (2) And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (3) But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; (4) neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. (5) For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Ephesians 5:8-11 (cf. Leviticus 19:17; John 12:35; Romans 12:2; 13:12; 1 Corinthians 5:9, 11; 10:20; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Galatians 5:22; Philippians 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14; 5:21; 1 Timothy 5:20) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (9) (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), (10) finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. (11) And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
Ephesians 5:15-21 (cf. Proverbs 20:1; 23:20, 29, 30; Isaiah 5:11, 22; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 6:13; Colossians 3:16, 17; Philippians 2:3; 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:18; Hebrews 13:15; 1 Peter 5:5) See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, (16) redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (17) Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (18) And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, (19) speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, (20) giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (21) submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Colossians 4:6 (cf. Ecclesiastes 10:12; Proverbs 10:14, 32; 12:13; 18:7; Mark 9:50; Colossians 3:16; 1 Peter 3:15) Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
James 1:19-25 (cf. Proverbs 10:19; 14:7; 16:32; 17:27; Ecclesiastes 5:2; 7:9; Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46, 47; 11:28; John 13:17; Romans 2:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:8; 1 Peter 2:1; James 2:12, 14; 1 John 3:7) So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; (20) for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. (21) Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted Word, which is able to save your souls. (22) But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (23) For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; (24) for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. (25) But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
James 2:1, 8, 9 (cf. Leviticus 19:15, 18; Deuteronomy 1:17; 16:19; Proverbs 24:23; 28:21; Matthew 22:16, 39; Romans 13:8, 9; Galatians 5:14, 6:2; Jude 1:16) My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. . . . (8) If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, You shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well; (9) but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
James 5:7a-9, 12 (cf. Matthew 5:34-37; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a; Philippians 4:5; Hebrews 10:25, 37; 1 Peter 1:13; 4:7; James 4:11; 5:8) Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord . . . (8) You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. (9) Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! . . . (12) 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.
1 Peter 1:13-16 (cf. Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; 20:7; Luke 1:74, 75; 12:35, 17:30; 21:34; Romans 12:2; 13:13; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Ephesians 6:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 7; 5:6, 8; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 4:2, 7; 5:8; 2 Peter 3:11) Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (14) as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; (15) but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (16) because it is written, Be holy, for I am holy.
1 Peter 4:7-11 (cf. Matthew 24:13, 14; 6:41; Luke 21:34; Romans 13:12; Philippians 4:5; Colossians 4:2; Hebrews 10:25; James 5:8; 1 Peter 1:13; 5:8) But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. (8) And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. (9) Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. (10) As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (11) If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:8 (cf. Job 1:7; 2:2; Luke 21:34, 36; 1 Thessalonians 5:6; 1 Peter 4:7) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
2 Peter 1:5-8 (cf. John 15:2; Titus 2:14; 2 Peter 3:8; Galatians 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 5:15; 1 John 4:21) But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, (6) to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, (7) to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. (8) For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. |