Philippians 1:27-28 New American Standard Version
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God
Philippians 1:27-28 The Message Version
Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ. Let nothing in your conduct hang on whether I come or not. Your conduct must be the same whether I show up to see things for myself or hear of it from a distance. Stand united, singular in vision, contending for people's trust in the Message, the good news, not flinching or dodging in the slightest before the opposition. Your courage and unity will show them what they're up against: defeat for them, victory for you - and both because of God
Colossians 4:5Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
1 Timothy 4:12Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
Hebrews 13:18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.
The word
“Conduct” in Greek has two forms -- A Verb (action) and a Noun (a Person).
Strong's Concordance Number: 4176
PoliteuomaiThe Verb Definition -- To act as a citizen -- to behave as a citizen
Word Origin - Middle voice of a derivative of (4177)
Polites - Noun
Definition -- To be a fellow citizen, fellow countryman
In the verb sense – You can behave like the citizen of the country, city, etc., but in the Noun – You are a citizen, you live there, you fellowship there.
So, some people can act like a good, moral, upstanding citizens, but it takes a person to become a citizen to truly know what is expected of their actions.
The same holds true for believers and members of a local church body. Our conduct can be as it was said before, to live in a way that glorifies God.
In the book,
The Purpose Driven Church, Rick Warren explains what our conduct, our responsibility, and our privilege is as a member-in-particular of our local assembly.
My responsibilities as a believer –1
God wants me to be a member of His family – Following Christ is not just a matter of believing – it also includes belonging. Ephesians 2:19 explains, “You are members of God’s very own family and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian.”
2
God wants me to be a model of his character – God wants every believer to grow up to become like Christ in Character (or Conduct) – Spiritual Maturity. Jesus has established a pattern for us to follow – follow in His steps. What has Jesus done?
3
God wants me to be a minister of His grace – God expects us to use the gifts, talents, and opportunities He gives us to benefit others. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each one should use whatever gift they have received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” God intends for every believer to have a ministry. {From changing toilet paper rolls, making meals for shut-ins, visiting the sick, to teaching and witnessing – everyone has a purpose in the body of Christ. Start small … and see where your faith leads you.}
4
God wants me to be a messenger of His love – Once we become born again, we become messengers of the Good News to others.
Rick Warren states, “Have you ever wondered why God leaves us here on earth, with all its pain, sorrow, and sin, after we accept Christ? Why doesn’t He just zap us immediately to heaven and spare us from all this? After all, we can worship, fellowship, pray, sing, hear God’s Word, and even have fun in heaven. In fact, there are only two things you can’t do in heaven that you can do on earth: sin, and witness to unbelievers. Which of these two do you think Christ has left us here to do? We each have a mission on earth, and part of it includes telling others about Christ.”
5
God wants me to be a magnifier of His name – Psalm 34:3 says, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together”. We all have a personal responsibility to worship God. There is an inborn urge in each one of us to worship. If we don’t worship God, we find other things to worship – husbands, job, our family, making money, sports, or even ourselves.
Being members-in-particular of a local assembly provides us with things we can not find anywhere else in the world.
Worship-- Worship helps us focus on God;
Fellowship -- Fellowship helps us face life’s problems,
Discipleship -- Discipleship helps us to build up our faith [and other's faith as well];
Ministry -- Ministry helps us find our talents; and
Evangelism -- Evangelism helps us fulfills our mission of our life, to win souls for Christ.
In our church chapel, these five banners hang - Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry and Evangelism -- Defining our purpose not only as members-in-particular, but also as a church as a whole. The theme says, "Together We Can Make A Difference".
In making a difference -- this is the conduct of Christ and His Body – to follow in His steps, and to conduct ourselves in a way that glorifies God.
by T. Brown
Labels: Christian, conduct, gospel, Jesus Christ
