Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 3:13-17

Your Conduct

Intro.

1. Behavior reveals our heart, our motives, our goals, our values, our faith (and our unbelief), our treasure..., Prov. 4:23.

2. Our behavior in the house of God (the church) must be respectful of God and His truth, 1 Tim. 3:15.

a. "Ought" - Moral obligation (to be under necessity) is attached to our conduct, Rom. 14:7, 10.

b. Conduct that is based on and guided by truth, Jno. 17:17.

3. Our behavior in our own houses must be respectful of God, of His truth and of each other in the family, Psa. 101:2.

4. This is in sharp contrast to the behavior of the world, and how we behaved in the world before our conversion to Christ.

I. YOUR FORMER CONDUCT (before you were a Christian).

A. You Lived in the Flesh, Eph. 2:1-3; Gal. 5:16-17, 19-21.

1. This is the carnal man of Romans 7:13-25 (1 Cor. 3:3).

2. "Filthy" conduct (aselgeia): Sinful abandon of the wicked...lawless deeds, 2 Pet. 2:7-8.

B. Your "Old Man" was Driven by Darkness and Lust, Eph. 4:22 (17-19).

C. You Lived in Confusion and Evil, Jas. 3:13-16. (Tumult)

-Opposition to established authority, disorder, unruliness (2 Cor. 12:20)

D. Former Religious Zeal, Gal. 1:13. Without knowledge, Rom. 10:3.

E. Aimless (empty, vacuous, fruitless, worthless), 1 Pet. 1:18 (Jas. 1:26).

-Handed down from your fathers (ancestral traditions)

II. YOUR CONDUCT AS A CHRISTIAN.

A. Worthy of the Gospel, Phil. 1:27-30. (Faithful, moral, holy as a worthy citizen)

B. In Simplicity and Godly Sincerity, 2 Cor. 1:12. 1 Ths. 2:10

C. Be an Example to Other Christians, 1 Tim. 4:12.

D. Contentment, not Covetousness, Heb. 13:5.

E. Good Conduct of Heavenly Wisdom, Jas. 3:13; 1 Pet. 3:16.

F. Holiness and Godly Fear, 1 Pet. 1:15, 17; 2 Pet. 3:11.

G. Honorable, 1 Pet. 2:12.

-Beautiful, attractive...good, noble, praiseworthy (Matt. 5:16).

H. Purity, 1 Pet. 3:1-2. Pure of carnality, modest (Titus 2:5)

Conclusion

1. Our conduct is to have a righteous influence, Matt. 5:13; 1 Pet. 2:12.

2. "Let all that you do be done with love," 1 Cor. 16:14.

-Motive of love and the action of love

3. Love does not behave rudely (disgracefully, indecently, dishonestly), 1 Cor. 13:5.

By: Joe R. Price

Posted: April 15, 2016