Question 1

What does God expect of my behavior?

Accepted Answer

1 Timothy 4:12Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.God wants each of us to be an example of Christ to others. Paul instructs his young disciple to focus on five areas where modeling takes place: (1) Speech. We must guard not only our teaching but also our words to and about others. (2) Actions. Our lived-out faith should cause us to acknowledge God in everything we do. (3) Love. It is easier for others to follow our example if they know we love them. (4) Faith. Others should see that our confidence in God motivates our efforts in the previous three areas. (5) Purity. Our lives should be characterized by transparency, integrity, and honesty even about our mistakes and failures.Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.If we rely on our own wisdom and efforts, we will likely fall prey to the world’s influences. But if we allow God’s Spirit to literally transform our behavior, he will help us live by a higher standard than those who aren’t yet transformed. God’s will isn’t always easy, convenient, or pain-free, so we must keep reminding ourselves that it is “good and pleasing and perfect.” Ask yourself frequently: “How is following Jesus changing the way I think about everything?”Romans 13:13Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy.God expects his followers to live by a higher standard, reflecting his character and setting an example of behavior—a godly lifestyle—for others to follow. Because we are no longer attempting to earn or deserve God’s love, we have been freed to simply please him with our obedience. The impossibility of perfection once haunted us; now genuine growth in godliness gives us reason to celebrate.

Question 2

How does my behavior affect others?

Accepted Answer

1 Samuel 20:34Jonathan left the table in fierce anger and refused to eat on that second day of the festival, for he was crushed by his father’s shameful behavior toward David.The selfishness of poor behavior often hurts the people we love most. The story of Jonathan reminds us of the complications created by the negative ways we respond to others. Jonathan was caught between a father he honored and served (King Saul) and a friend he deeply admired (David). The fact that David consistently honored Saul as king made it even harder for Jonathan to accept his father’s treachery toward David. It speaks volumes about Jonathan that he never betrayed either his father or his friend as he navigated the conflict between them. He sailed with remarkable loyalty in treacherous waters.Genesis 50:18-21His brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. “Look, we are your slaves!” they said. But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don’t be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children.” So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.Our behavior never happens in a vacuum or without context. Others affect us, we internalize their treatment for better or worse, and then we in turn affect others. We see this process acted out over decades in Joseph’s relationship with his brothers, and we notice the lessons he learned along the way. How long did it take for Joseph to move beyond the hurt of being betrayed to a place where he could see God working in everything that had happened? We don’t know, but we can clearly see that such healing had happened. Where we have been the cause of others’ pain, we must be willing to ask for forgiveness. Where others have hurt us, we must be ready to forgive and willing to see ways God can bring good out of our painful experiences.John 13:34-35“I [Jesus] am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”Jesus told his disciples that the way they treated one another would be powerful proof that they were indeed his followers. It demonstrates that following Jesus really does change our lives. We never know just how many people are watching us as we seek to live for Christ.

Question 3

Why is godly behavior so important?

Accepted Answer

Matthew 5:14-16“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”Whether we realize it or not, others will be affected by our behavior as we follow Jesus. Remember that we don’t let our light shine so that people will be impressed and praise us, but so that people will be influenced to praise God. When people see what God can do in us, they might begin to consider what he could do in them.Ephesians 4:31-32Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.Much of the Christian life is replacement work: eliminating negative behaviors by replacing them with ones that match God’s character. Almost all the negative and positive traits mentioned in these verses are relational, not private: We express them toward others. We are called to take seriously both what God tells us not to do and what he instructs us to do. Paul concludes this thought by reminding us that the way we forgive others—or not—reveals how well we truly understand God’s forgiveness. When we feel like we cannot forgive others, we should remind ourselves how much God has forgiven us.Titus 2:12We are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.When people see godly behavior in us, they will want to know what makes us different. We will then have a wonderful opportunity to tell them.Romans 8:15You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”If we claim to be God’s children, we should behave like God’s children. Our lifestyles clearly display our loyalties. The true people of God will live as God commands.1 Peter 3:15You must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.When we live hopeful lives in a world filled with despair and hopelessness, we will be noticed. We may even be confronted. In either case, we must be prepared to point to Jesus and what he has done for us.

Question 4

Is good behavior necessary if I am a Christian? Isn’t faith enough?

Accepted Answer

James 2:17Faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.Although our good behavior cannot save us, our behavior proves whether our faith is genuine. If our sinful behavior doesn’t change because of our faith, is our confession of faith really genuine? Have we asked God to forgive our sins, enter our lives, and transform us from the inside out? Faith without good deeds is powerless—it has no hands or feet to get anything done. And good deeds without faith are like hands and feet with no brain to give their work any ultimate direction or purpose. Together, God’s truth and our consecrated hands and feet are a dynamic combination that can change the world for him.

Behavior