Honest Behavior

#1 · August 31, 2006, 10:42 am

Quote from Forum Archives on August 31, 2006, 10:42 am
Posted by: goodsandgoodies <goodsandgoodies@...>
Honest Behavior

"Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles..." I Peter 2:12

Recently, I had the privilege of spending 18 days in the presence of two worldly-minded, nominal Christians -- one of which was no where near Christian in his life style (part of an apostate old-line church), while the other was more or less a contemporary Christian type (very much in a compromise position between true Christianity and the world), though he was not as blatant in outward sinful living.

Many interesting conversations ensued over this time period, ranging from adultery and homosexuality, through media bias and television corruption, to supposed global warming and end time events (mostly catastrophes, but also including the Rapture and the Millennial Reign of Christ).

Toward the very end, I was still somewhat shocked by these nominal Christian types' idea of honesty. The less blatantly corrupt individual mentioned that it was a fairly common practice for a seller to issue two receipts to a buyer, one with the actual amount paid for an item and the other with a fictitious amount to be presented when paying taxes. He seemed to think that since this was such a common practice AND since he didn't agree with paying so much in taxes to the government, that therefore there is nothing dishonest with such a practice.

I told him that it was lying. If a person presents a receipt for tax purposes that states a different amount than was actually paid for an item it is a deception, a lie. The very idea of excusing this because it would result in something "good" also violates another Biblical principal. The apostle stated in so many words that people are in the wrong when they say, "Let us do evil that good may come" (Romans 3:8). The end DOES NOT justify the means.

So, after having been very emphatic about the fact that God requires honesty and that no "white lie" will escape His judgment, we all packed up in preparation to leave the medical research facility. While packing up, I left an unopened box of soap (provided by the facility) on a table in the room.

The very blatantly worldly "Christian" began to "harass" me (likely only in fun) about leaving things out of order, because of that one box of soap. I stated that I had not used it and I wasn't sure that I should take it with me and I didn't want to throw it away (since it was unopened).

Now, someone might say, "You are taking this honesty business way too far!" I say you cannot be too honest. The other nominal Christian actually told one of the facility workers that I was "too honest". On her way out of the room, the nurse in charge said, "We like it when people are honest." She also said that I could take that box of soap with me, so now I then had permission.

Our "conversation" (biblically, our behavior) is not only what we say, but how we act. We can lie with a look, an action, our words, or even the omission of a word or words.

Remember the Bible still says, "And all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8). It matters not if it is labeled "a little white lie" or "a big, fat, black lie"; a lie is still a lie and a sin in the sight of God. It is, therefore, a sin that we will have to answer for at the judgment if we do not confess and forsake it here in this life.

Note: Lest someone think me legalistic, I would like to mention here that I was given a wonderful opportunity to present to these nominal Christians the simple gospel truth about what Jesus did for all sinners in dying on the cross and rising again from the dead and how that we may repent of our sins and trust God to forgive us for Jesus' sake, and how that He will truly save us from our sins so that we need not suffer in Hell and may enter Heaven to be with Him forever. Anyone who teaches that we must do something to earn our salvation is teaching legalism, but it is not legalist to uphold the clear teachings of right and wrong that we find in God's Word.

Yours in Christ,
Martin Overfield

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Posted by: goodsandgoodies <goodsandgoodies@...>

Honest Behavior

"Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles..." I Peter 2:12

Recently, I had the privilege of spending 18 days in the presence of two worldly-minded, nominal Christians -- one of which was no where near Christian in his life style (part of an apostate old-line church), while the other was more or less a contemporary Christian type (very much in a compromise position between true Christianity and the world), though he was not as blatant in outward sinful living.

Many interesting conversations ensued over this time period, ranging from adultery and homosexuality, through media bias and television corruption, to supposed global warming and end time events (mostly catastrophes, but also including the Rapture and the Millennial Reign of Christ).

Toward the very end, I was still somewhat shocked by these nominal Christian types' idea of honesty. The less blatantly corrupt individual mentioned that it was a fairly common practice for a seller to issue two receipts to a buyer, one with the actual amount paid for an item and the other with a fictitious amount to be presented when paying taxes. He seemed to think that since this was such a common practice AND since he didn't agree with paying so much in taxes to the government, that therefore there is nothing dishonest with such a practice.

I told him that it was lying. If a person presents a receipt for tax purposes that states a different amount than was actually paid for an item it is a deception, a lie. The very idea of excusing this because it would result in something "good" also violates another Biblical principal. The apostle stated in so many words that people are in the wrong when they say, "Let us do evil that good may come" (Romans 3:8). The end DOES NOT justify the means.

So, after having been very emphatic about the fact that God requires honesty and that no "white lie" will escape His judgment, we all packed up in preparation to leave the medical research facility. While packing up, I left an unopened box of soap (provided by the facility) on a table in the room.

The very blatantly worldly "Christian" began to "harass" me (likely only in fun) about leaving things out of order, because of that one box of soap. I stated that I had not used it and I wasn't sure that I should take it with me and I didn't want to throw it away (since it was unopened).

Now, someone might say, "You are taking this honesty business way too far!" I say you cannot be too honest. The other nominal Christian actually told one of the facility workers that I was "too honest". On her way out of the room, the nurse in charge said, "We like it when people are honest." She also said that I could take that box of soap with me, so now I then had permission.

Our "conversation" (biblically, our behavior) is not only what we say, but how we act. We can lie with a look, an action, our words, or even the omission of a word or words.

Remember the Bible still says, "And all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" (Revelation 21:8). It matters not if it is labeled "a little white lie" or "a big, fat, black lie"; a lie is still a lie and a sin in the sight of God. It is, therefore, a sin that we will have to answer for at the judgment if we do not confess and forsake it here in this life.

Note: Lest someone think me legalistic, I would like to mention here that I was given a wonderful opportunity to present to these nominal Christians the simple gospel truth about what Jesus did for all sinners in dying on the cross and rising again from the dead and how that we may repent of our sins and trust God to forgive us for Jesus' sake, and how that He will truly save us from our sins so that we need not suffer in Hell and may enter Heaven to be with Him forever. Anyone who teaches that we must do something to earn our salvation is teaching legalism, but it is not legalist to uphold the clear teachings of right and wrong that we find in God's Word.

Yours in Christ,
Martin Overfield

Please pass this Bible Note along to any who might be interested or helped by it. To SUBSCRIBE to FREE Bible Notes, send an empty email to this address: bible_notes-subscribe@welovegod.org and respond to the confirmation email that will automatically be sent to you.

To read Bible Notes on the Internet and/or search the archives click on the following link:
http://welovegod.org/groups/bible_notes/

"Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:" (Hebrews 12:14) --To unsubscribe, send ANY message to bible_notes-unsubscribe@welovegod.org