Christianity is not part of life; it is our life. Everyday living reflects what we believe. The grace God gives should be the only motivation we need to live that extraordinary life God desires for us. God was dedicated to us enough to give his son; we should live as dedicated and consistently. Live for the Lord for our own sake; it is the way to be happy in life.
We gain our freedom when we surrender to God. Christianity is not a burden because God has given us a better alternative that the life we did live. In general living, verse 12 tells us to live soberly, righteously, and godly. Soberly: we voluntarily place limits on our personal freedom. We are not uninhibited. We do not follow Hollywood or the crowd as a model. We allow God to define us. He wants to mold us. Grace gives us the ability to say no and not go along with the world. We are not self-centered but God-centered. We line up our lives with the Lord so that we reflect the sound doctrine of God.
Grace teaches us the standard to live righteously and godly. We have an active relationship with God. We visibly follow him and are known, as Enoch was, by our walk with God. We are spiritual beings and should now show that relationship with God. When do we do this? On Sunday? The verse teaches that we show this in this present world–where we work, where we go to school, where we live. Free to choose? Absolutely we are. But it should be our goal to do what grace teaches us to do.
In the details, the specifics of life, verse 1 speaks of sound doctrine. What we say should reflect God. The next few verses use the word likewise regularly and by that mean that everything said in one place applies to all of us, the young, the old, the male, the female. The standard for one is the same for another. We have the same responsibility to God whether on the playground or the nursing home. Verse 2 says to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in the faith, in charity, in patience. Grave: be serious minded; do not play at Christianity. Be a Christian. Temperate: we have the power through grace to have self control. Sound in faith: be solid in what we believe; by our dedication we show surrender and serenity to and with God. Charity: be a person of love and show it. Patience: give some slack; put up with a little; take your time. Can I? Yes, you can!
Verse 3 talks about being holy not carnal. Do not be a false accuser (do not gossip); we must control our tongue. Verse 4 talks about home life. Home is important. It must be built on love, not lust. We are to be discrete and chaste. These go hand in hand. Discrete means to keep secret things secret. Chaste is how we present ourselves–properly covered, keeping our secret things secret. Grace teaches us to be modest, virtuous, and prudent. We present ourselves differently because we are surrendered to God and do not express ourselves with carnality or sensuality. We must live practically everyday in our words, dress, language, and life style. To live godly is to follow God.
Verse 7 speaks of a pattern of good works in doctrine. This doctrine is not corrupted or legislated by the pattern of the world. Gravity is the center of the universe. It keeps everything together. Showing gravity means to let God be the center of our life. He is the only way we can keep our life together. Sincerity is simply showing you mean what you say and say what you mean when it comes to Christianity, not purloining or putting off God.
How are you doing in your life? In your day? At school? At work? Grace teaches us that we can live godly in this present world. Is there anything that needs to be taken off to make your life better? Is there anything that needs to be put on? Put on the new man. Be a consistent, real Christian.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 