(1 Peter 3:16-17, Titus 2:7-8, Philippians 2:14-15, 2 Corinthians 8:18-22, Matthew 5:16, 1 Peter 2:12, 1 Peter 2:15, Acts 11:26, Romans 14:16-19, Hebrews 12:14)
If we will be God’s children, our being born again must provide good conduct in us. And if truly it is a good conduct, it cannot be hidden as people will see it radiating from within us outward. Not as hypocrite or by compulsion. However, for us to sincerely have good conduct, before God and man, we would need to give the chance to the Holy Spirit to work within us. Without the enablement from the Holy Spirit, a good conduct will look acted or like compulsion. To genuinely portray good conduct, the manifestation would be from inside out. Likewise our good conduct cannot escape the keen eyes of the people around us; who watch our move than we ourselves are mindful of it.
It was all these that was recorded in the early Christians’ lives in Antioch before they were so named in Antioch (Acts 11:26). Our conducts preach the gospel better than our mouth. And if negative, it can destroy opportunities the Holy Spirit brings to us for souls winning. People of the world have been able to draw others to themselves because of this but many Christians have sent many salvation-thirsty souls back to the way of hell because of lack of good conduct. How many people have your conduct and mine drawn to salvation or sent to way to hell? I hope we will not be sending more crowds to hell than we save them.
Even if people gather because they are brainwashed, when they get close to the person the real conduct will naturally diffuse out. Once the discrepancies between the word and action are obviously and significantly seen to differ and they realize that it is a game of deceit and hypocrisy; they scatter. Eventually, this is the attribute of satan and clearly it is contrary to our Lord Jesus’ attribute. We definitely preach whoever we manifest his attribute; Lord Jesus or the devil? If our conducts practically deny the holiness of Christ then He also would deny us before His Father. God forbids that He denies us and God forbids us from denying Him too. We are called to live out what we believe. Betterstill, we are called to live out who we believe. Let this be Jesus as seen in the disciples’ lives in Antioch, that they became named after Christ – Christlike.
We might be of conduct that is acceptable to our contemporary time but denying our Lord Jesus’ reference of good conduct, that is, the gospel of repentance and peace. It can be acceptable to our contemporary generation to dress provocatively or excessively, undermining the purpose of the gospel of holiness hence abusing the grace of God. The love that keeps sinners sinning and unrepentant is not God’s love. God’s love makes sinners repent, leaving his own will to follow Christ’s will. So let us be sure of sinners transforming to Godliness and not we conforming to the pattern of sinners.
When people then become drawn to you, do you teach them personal doctrines, traditions or you teach them Jesus’ lifestyle? Do you teach them to do or follow your own perspective of what is right or what is biblical? Do you continue to give them dosage of your own view and perspective or you pray that the Holy Spirit will teach the truth of Jesus Christ to them through you? We must watch this and be careful of not pulling them close to ourselves and then catapult or launch them straight to hell.
Again brethren, it is not only those who wants light that gather to it. Those darkness lovers assigned to put out light by deceit and manipulation also seek for ways to get closer to it. So beware, be prepared and be at alert against such!
So for us to be Christians indeed we must be Christians in deed. And must let our conduct preach Christ!
Prayer Points
1) Lord Jesus, forgive me for all ways my conduct has taken others away from the way to heaven or has sent them to hell.
2) Father, I receive the grace of good conduct, in Jesus name.
3) Holy Spirit, release Your power to do good into me in Jesus name.
4) Holy Spirit, let the testimony of my good conduct win souls for the kingdom of God, in Jesus name.
5) In Jesus name, I am free from condemnation of wrong conduct.