Biblical Christianity

As we look at the world around us, ungodliness, immorality, wickedness, and evil greatly abound. That is to be expected, but it should not be so among God's people. With those who have been made a new creature and saved by God's grace (and especially those being taught from God's Word) there should be a clear distinction in the life, actions, and appearance. A seemingly popular attitude among many who do believe that salvation is eternal (and it is) is that a biblical christian lifestyle has no importance. Those of us who teach, or believe in and practice, the need of good works and holiness are often assailed with accusations of "legalism," "salvation by works," and other such absurdities.

Proverbs 28:4 says:

They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.

Proverbs 28:9 says:

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

I believe that the Bible teaches that the true christian is to practice good works and holiness, not in order to obtain or to keep salvation, but because of salvation and as fruits and evidence of salvation. Good works can never obtain salvation, but do give evidence of our love for God who first loved us. 1 John 4:19 says, "We love Him because He first loved us." The fact that some men have tried to treat their wives well because of a fear of consequences and penalty does not destroy the truth that I should be good and faithful to my wife because I love her. Neither does the fact that some believe in good works for the obtaining or keeping of salvation destroy the truth that I should perform good works as a result of love for God. And, it does not mean that I do so for fear of losing salvation.

The book of Ephesians was written to the saints at Ephesus "and to the faithful in Christ Jesus" (Eph.1:1) who are the "us," "we," and "ye" that is referred to in the epistle. Ephesians 1:2-14 says:

Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

It is by God's grace and in Christ that we can stand before God justified. Before the world began, God knew all the sins that His elect would commit, both before and after conversion, and Christ died for each of those sins. Christ's death was substitutionary, not merely provisional, but substitutionary. Christ died for every sin (before and after conversion) of every one of God's elect. Acts 15:18 says, "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world." Some display an attitude of presumption that since all of one's sins have been paid for, it is alright to be reckless in christian living. Presumptious sin is a serious matter upon which God does not look lightly. Jesus' blood is precious and must not be "trodden under foot" and counted as "an unholy thing" (Heb. 10:29). Carefully consider what God's Word says in Hebrews 10:23-31:

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more [no other besides Christ] sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

We who have been saved by God's amazing grace are obligated to appear holy and without blame before men also. In Luke 1:6, speaking of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the Bible says:

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Titus 1:7 tells us that "a bishop must be blameless." I think the meaning here of to "be blameless" clearly refers to more than just to possess salvation. Philippians 2:12-15 says:

. . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmerings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

1 Corinthians 7:34 speaks of an unmarried virgin as able to be one who "careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit." Romans 7:12 says:

Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

1 Peter 1:13-19 says:

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

2 Peter 3:11 speaks of "what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness." In Hebrews 10:24 we are instructed to provoke one another unto good works. James 2:20 says:

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

To teach of faith while avoiding or neglecting to teach of holiness is to "deceive you with vain words." The instruction of Ephesians 5:6 to "the faithful" (1:1) is to "Let no man deceive you with vain words." Jude 4 warns of "ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." Jesus is both Saviour and Lord. To accept Him as Saviour but not as Lord is to reject the Lord Jesus Christ. Isn't it so very inconsistent to desire or to profess the righteousness of God while rejecting the holiness of God?

As pointed out before, the book of Ephesians is addressed to "the faithful in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 1:9 says that God has "made known unto us the mystery of his will." Ephesians 2:10 says:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 3:9-11 reveals that it is God's intent that by His churches the manifold wisdom of God be known. Ephesians 3:21 says:

Unto him [God] be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

The next verse, Ephesians 4:1, says:

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, . . . .

The 17th verse of that chapter says:

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind.

In verses 22-24 we are told that if we have heard Christ and have been taught by Him:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Actions can speak louder than words. Members of the Lord's churches are obligated to be ecclesiastically separate from the world's religion and its practices. Members of the Lord's churches are also obligated to be morally separate from the ways of the world. That does not necessarily mean total physical separation from the persons, but separation from the ways, actions, looks, life-styles, and morals of the world.

Following the above verses in Ephesians, the first verse of chapter five says, "Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children." Verse 17 says, "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." 1 Corinthians 11:1 says, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." That verse introduces the ones below it which teach many things about how God's people are to behave and look. In those verses we see that there is a God given divine order of the sexes, with "the man" as "the head of the woman" being symbolic of Christ as head of man. In those verses, we are taught of the symbolism of an artificial headcovering for women when assembled for prayer, preaching, or worship in church capacity. By the use of hair as an illustration from nature we are taught the need for distinction of the sexes in our appearance wherever we are, with length and style of hair being symbolic also. Ephesians 5 leaves no doubt but that the husband and wife and their behaviour towards each other is symbolic of Christ and church. Titus 2:7 teaches that we are to be "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works." "All things" must surely include our behaviour, clothing, appearance, and attitude.