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OCTOBER 5
AS BECOMETH SAINTS
“That you receive her in the
Lord, as becometh saints.”
(Rom. 16:2)
There is a manner of
behavior which is becoming
to, or, worthy of those who
are truly His saints, His
separated ones. Holiness is
a dual work, it is FROM
self, and UNTO GOD. Set
apart from our own will, and
set apart unto His will. If
it is His will we desire in
all things, then when one
comes our way, we will
“receive them” in a manner
which properly reveals that
we accept the will of God in
their coming to us. If we
are grumpy, uncommunicative,
wishing they hadn’t come,
etc., such conduct is not
worthy, or becoming to one
who claims to desire only
the will of God, yet will
not accept what God does.
Thus we see that the proper
attitude and action is the
result of HIS INWORKING,
when He has so purged us of
our own will and desires,
that we are free to LIVE
JOYFULLY IN HIS WILL.
“Only let your conversation
be as it becometh the gospel
of Christ.” (Phil. 1:27).
This word “conversation” is
from a Greek word that
literally means: manner of
behaviour. The saying,
“actions speak louder than
words,” conveys the same
idea as Paul gives here. Our
manner of behaviour is
conveying a message - and it
ought to be as that which
becometh, is proper to the
gospel of Christ. A
profession of godliness that
is not expressed by a life
consistent with our
confession is meaningless.
Obviously it cannot be a
self-wrought expression of
piety, “having a form of
godliness, but denying the
power thereof.” For this is
a mockery to the truth, and
easily discerned by those
about us, and we have only
“deceived our own selves.”
But when our daily living is
an expression of HIS LIFE,
it is becoming to the truth.
Then it follows, “Speak thou
the things which become
sound doctrine.” (Titus
2:1). The message which
follows a Christ-life will
be proper, it is becoming to
saints. Speaking forth “the
words of life” which we
contain within, and which
are worked into us by the
operations of His Spirit.
“Excellent speech becometh
not a fool: much less do
lying lips a prince.”
Ray Prinzing |
