Therefore, true Christians are the model character in the world and among the people. According to the word of God Christians are the light of the world. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candle stick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven”.
In the word of God it is stated that Christians are a chosen people, a people belonging to God, that they may declare the praises of God who called them out of darkness into His wonderful light. It is said in the word of God, “Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dear beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the souls; having your conversation honest among the gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation”.
But now we see that most of the Christians in the world, having a form of Christianity, but denying the power thereof, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate”. As it is written, “God's name is blasphemed among the gentiles because of you”. Therefore, Our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ gave us a new commandment, “Ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. (1-Peter 2:15-17) (Matthew 5:14- 16) (1-Peter 2:10-12) (Romans 2:24) (Titus 1:16) (John 13:34-35)
“Let no foul speech come out of your mouth, but only such as will build up where it is necessary, so as to add a blessing to the listeners.” The Lord Jesus said, “But I tell you that for every careless word spoken men shall be answerable in the judgment day.” It is said in detail about the believers in the word of God, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them, but now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him”.
How wonderfully, the word of God leads the believers in the way of righteousness. It is written thus, “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it set on fire of hell. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh”. So Christians must be wise in the way they act toward outsiders; making the most of every opportunity. So let their conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that they know how to answer everyone. (Ephesians 4:29) (Matthew 12:36) Colossians 3:5-10) (James 3:2, 5, 6, 9-12) (Colossians 4:5-6)
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. But food does not bring us near to God, we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the week.
Warning to Gluttonous: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be man given to appetite. And looking, lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. Always remember the Lord's teachings while He taught, “And when the tempter came to him, he said, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But He answered and said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Jesus declared all foods “clean”. In the word of God it also said, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer”. Listen the word of God, “But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean”. Therefore, about drunkard it is written, “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; not for prince's strong drink: Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: And drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags”. How blissful is the word of God where it is said, “Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time for strength and not for drunkenness.” (Romans 14:16-18) (1-Corinthians 8:8-9) (Proverbs 23:2) (Hebrews 12:15-17) (Matthew 4:3-4) (1-Timothy 4:1-5) (Isaiah 28:7-8) (Proverbs 23:21) (Proverbs 31:4-6) (Ecclesiastes 10:17)
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