What does God expect in my behavior?
1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
I find in talking to young people that they are not quite sure of themselves, when it comes to their behavior in the mist of elders. How are they suppose to act?
But the Bible in 1 Timothy 4:12 tell us: Don't let anyone think that just because you are young what you have to say is not important. Instead, you can be a example to those believers by what you say and how you live, but do it with lot's of love, faith and purity.
"Let no man despise thy youth"
Titus 2:15 says: You must teach these things and encourage your people to do them, correcting them when necessary as one who has every right to do so. Don't let anyone think that what you say is not important.
Here, Paul, was talking to Timothy because he was a young man that had been put in charge of a church that had a lot of elders in the congregation, and I am sure he was afraid that they wouldn't listen to him, because he was a young man. But Paul, told him to teach by example. Paul, told him to make sure he was doing those things he was teaching them.
The second thing that God expect in our behavior is found in:
Romans 12:2 Be not conformed to this world.
In other words, don't copy the behavior and the cusoms of this world, don't act like people of this world.
1 Peter 1:14
Obey God because you are his children; don't slip back into your old ways- doing evil because you knew no better.
Like children who alway obey, don't be controlled by the evil desires you used to have when you didn't know any better.
1 John 2:15
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God.
"but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind"
In other words, be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think, be changed inside by letting your mind be made new again. God expects to transform our behavior.
Ephesians 4:23
We transform our minds by learning to developing a new way of thinking. Your attitudes and thoughts must constantly be changing for the better.
Ephesians 5:10
We need to prove what is acceptable and learn and test to see what pleases the Lord.
Ephesians 5:17
We must have a understanding of what the will of God is. We must not act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants.
1 Thessalonians 4:3
We know that god wants us to be holy and pure, and he wants us to keep clear of all sexual sins so that each of us will marry in holiness and honor.
Romans 13:13
In others words, we should live properly, like people do during the daytime, not with orgies or by getting drunk, not committing sexual sin or having wild sex parties, not with fighting or jealousy.
Philippians 4:8
In other words, fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can Praise God for and be glad about.
James 3:14
In other words, don't be bragging about being wise and good if you are bitter and jealous and selfish; that is the worst lie. Don't make the truth look like a lie.
HOW DOES OUR BEHAVIOR AFFECT OTHERS?
EXAMPLE:
1 Samuel 20:24
So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
In other words, Jonathan left the table in fierce anger and refused to eat all that day, for he was crushed by his father's shameful behavior toward David.
The selfishness of poor behavior often hurts the people we love the most.
WHY IS GODLY BEHAVIOR SO IMPORTANT?
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
1 Peter 2:12
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.
In other words, We should be careful how we behave among our unsaved neighbors; for even, even if they are suspicious of us and talk against us, they will end up praising God for our good works when Christ returns.
We should live good lives among the people of the world. They might say evil things against you, as if you were doing wrong. But when they see your good deeds, they will give glory to God.
Our father in heaven get's glory when we his disciples produce much fruit, because his true disciples produce bountiful harvest.
Colossians 1:22
In other words, he has done this through the death on the cross of his own human body, and now as a result Christ has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are standing there before him with nothing left against you.
We must understand, what really happened when Jesus died on the cross. You must understand the benefits of what was given or brought for us on the cross.
Ephesians 4:32
Tells us how our behavior should be: "And be kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving ne another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Titus 2:12
Tells us: "it trains us to say no to ungodly ways and worldly desires and to live self-control, upright, and godly lives in this world.
When people see godly behavior in us, they will want to know what makes us different. We then have a wonderful opportunity to tell them.
Luke 11:28
But Jesus said, "The people who hear the message of God and keep it are the ones who are truly happy.
