By: Zach Teasley
Christian conduct is speaking to the way or the manner of life in which a Christian lives. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines conduct as the act or manner, or process of carrying on; a mode or standard of personal behavior especially as based on moral principles. This manner of living or behavior is chosen by each individual person and is influenced and governed by various factors such as how a person is raised, the values and morals they were taught and what a person sees as important or not important such as listening to their parents or obeying the laws of the land. Hopefully, each person who is a child of God understands that God gives them an extra added advantage because they have God’s word to shape and condition the manner of life and the principles that they live by. Ps 119:105 tell us how important His word is to us as a guideline, for it tells us, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” God’s complete and perfect will is available to us all to read and to learn how to live by so that our behavior will be acceptable to God. As Christians we must understand who we are and where we belong and how God expects us to conduct ourselves in His kingdom. 1 Tim 3:15-16, “But if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.”
As Christians, we must learn how to conduct ourselves in God’s kingdom to His honor and glory, an important aspect of our Christian conduct is how we treat our fellow man inside and/or outside the church, Gal 6:10, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” We must not elevate ourselves or anyone else or degrade ourselves or anyone else in the Lord’s body because he or she possesses riches, status, some special talent/skill or because someone holds a particular office or position in the Lord’s body. God emphasizes in many passages of scripture in the New Testament that He is not a respecter of persons and neither should any of us be because we are all the same in God’s eyes and members of the same body. Rom 2:11 tells us “For there is no partiality with God.” Also see James 2:1-4. In connection to the point about not allowing our Christian conduct to show partially because of what a member of the body’s role is or what gifts or talents a member may possess, let’s examine the problem that was occurring in the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 13. In the Corinthian church the apostle wrote this letter to address various problems in the church such as immorality, divisions and disputes about the use of the spiritual gifts and which gifts they considered to be more popular and the most superior. Let’s keep in mind that the purpose of referring to 1 Cor 12 is not to discuss spiritual gifts exhaustively at this time, but to point out how some of the Christians at Corinth had problems with trying to elevate themselves or seeking the preeminence over other members of the body of Christ. There were 9 spiritual gifts which were transferred only by the laying on of the apostles hands; 1 Cor 12:6-10, outlines these gifts, “And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. Now as indicated in 1 Cor 14, speaking in tongues was the more popular or “attractive” gift and there was a problem in the Corinthian congregation with members who had the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues who were speaking out of turn. The Apostle Paul points out in this chapter that prophecy, which is the speaking forth of the mind and counsel of God, is the more superior gift. 1 Cor 14:1-4, 8-9, 11-12. Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. For emphasis sake, the purpose of these gifts of the spirit were to confirm the word and for the growth and development of the church during its infancy stage. 1 Cor 13:8-10 establishes that these spiritual gifts would cease, it says “Love never fails, But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.”
Applying these thoughts from Corinthians to our lesson on Christian conduct, no member of the Lord’s body should elevate another member or themselves because of a talent or a role they are performing in the Lord’s body. 1 Cor 12:12, 18-21, establishes that all members of the Lord’s body are equal and they all play a significant role. “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many are one body, so also is Christ. But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” Additionally, I would like to leave you with this point when we are discussing the subject of Christian conduct. We must love one another fervently with a pure heart, 1 Pet 1:22. God’s word clearly defines how Christian love should behave in 1 Cor 13:4-7, “Love suffers long and is kind love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”