Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse
you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify
God on the day he visits us. I Peter 2:12 (NIV)
How do we live in such a way so as to glorify God?
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. (emphasis mine) Titus 2:3-5 (NIV)
You can read this verse in context on Bible Study Tools.
The word malign is translated slandered in the HCSB, dishonored in the NASB, and blasphemed in the KJV. According to Strong’s concordance, the Greek word is blasphemeo and means “speak evil against, blaspheme, use abusive or scurrilous language about (God or men)”.
Before anyone gets up in arms about what it means for women to be submissive or the idea of women being homemakers, let’s focus on this point: the author is encouraging Christians to live in a way that would not dishonor the gospel.
If the above matters raise our hackles, go to God and pray about it. But for the purpose of this blog post, I hope we can agree on one thing: the way we live will either honor God, or dishonor Him.
The way we live will either honor God,
or dishonor Him. Click to Tweet
Consider Christians suffering persecution from Bible times to our current day. They lived in such a way that others chose to follow Jesus EVEN IF it meant they would also suffer persecution.
What was it about their living that had such an impact? I am going out on a limb and say that if those Christians’ lives were no different than the pagans, the pagans would have had no interest in dying for Jesus.
If following Jesus doesn’t give a person hope in the face of suffering, if following Jesus doesn’t make a difference in how we respond to authority, if following Jesus doesn’t bring freedom from bondage, if following Jesus doesn’t, by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, change lives, then what would draw them to follow someone they had never met themselves?
Scripture is full of instructions for living such a life. Now keep in mind, that our salvation is by grace. By our faith in Jesus Christ. However, the Bible is also clear, that if we are saved, we will live a life that is different. To many, that looks too much like works. But it is clearly in scripture. The problem arises when we start trusting in those works to get us into heaven. Think of living life differently as a response of gratitude for all that God has done for us! A way to bring God honor and glory!
I leave you with two questions and ask myself the same.
Would those watching you be willing to die for the same thing you believe in? If not, what do you need to do differently?
By the power of the Holy Spirit we can!
Today, I’m linking up at:
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