Original articles by Melinda Clements
Hand in Hand
September 5, 2007
During a recent study of the book of Titus in the Bible I realized just how important it is that our belief and our behavior go hand in hand. Mixing good teaching with good living is the greatest witness tool you have to share Christ with others. Many people today say they reject the teachings of Jesus Christ because they see so much hypocrisy in those who profess to Christians but don't live like it.
A man told me recently that going to church doesn't any more make you a Christian than being in a garage makes you a car. I laughed when he said that but after I thought about it I realized there was just a whole lot of truth in what he said.
Ideally, your belief and your behavior go hand in hand. You cannot profess one thing and practice something else. It makes you a hypocrite, a liar, and not a real good example of who Christ is. One of the greatest indicators of a person's faith is to watch that person's life.
When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy (Titus 3:4). Chapter 3 also tells us, "remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men."
I know I struggle alot of the time keeping my behavior in check. I have a bad tendency to fume, swear, scream, fight, pout, get irritated, and burn on all types of emotional fires and flames. Titus teaches us to be eager to do what is good. I need to keep things in check and stay quiet and consciously turn it over to the Lord. We need to remember the depths we have gone to in our sin and remember the awesomeness of the gospel of forgiveness and the grace of Jesus Christ. Only then can we walk hand in hand with our belief and our behavior with our eyes on our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Be Blessed This Day!
Melinda Clements
