JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q5. Increasing God's Praise - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q5. (2:12) How can the good deeds we commit by living openly as Christians increase God's praise. How does our "blending in" detract from God's praise?

Other people are watching us. They want to see the christian, not hear the christian so much. By giving, loving, serving, being a quiet gentle spirit. That will bring praises to our Father, not self. We should not become like the world though we are in the world. We should stand out. To blend in to me means to become part of the body of Christ. We are all like parts of a great puzzle, each called to do the will of the father. To use our gifts wisely. All of us have our place. That is how we blend in.

Q5. (2:12) How can the good deeds we commit by living openly as Christians increase God's praise. How does our "blending in" detract from God's praise?

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I think this means that no matter what they say, they can find no wrong. That is the kind of life we should live. They can accuse us, but our fruit is saying something different. So we must be afraid to stand out and be different and be that peculiar people. When we don't conform to the rest of the world, you can bet there is someone watching and noticing. Later when the chance to talk comes, and you can tell them about your God, it is He that gets the glory for your good works, because it is Him in you that is responsible for the good works. It isn't us. It is all about Him. I am nothing but a filthy rag, but with Him, I am a Royal Priesthood and I am washed clean by His blood.

Just a side note here....Don't forget to go see "The Passion of the Christ" when it comes and if you can, buy an extra ticket and take a friend. This is one powerful film. Mel Gibson is going to be interviewed about it on Dateline tomorrow (Monday 2/16). This movie will bring many to Jesus and bring God praise. God Bless!

Q5. (2:12) How can the good deeds we commit by living openly as Christians increase God's praise. How does our "blending in" detract from God's praise?

Our good deeds will increase God's praise because those seeing our good deeds will be brought to Christ through them. When people question why the answer will ultimately be God. And others will want that. "Blending in" means we aren't separate. No one will notice we are the chosen people of God and thus will not seek to have what we have and the Gospel will not be spread. We must be separate - holy, because He is holy. If we are His chosen people, His royal priesthood we must stand out as that and not blend in, not conform.

Q5. (2:12)

How can the good deeds we commit by living openly as Christians increase God's praise. How does our "blending in" detract from God's praise?

I believe it is all about living a victorious life daily. Good deeds will come naturally as God works in us as we come to repentance and transform. When we live in his ways we give Him the glory. For Jesus was example and so are we to be. If we are then many will see and give our Father praise when they desire to make change, convert, because of our influence in their lives. This gives the father glory. Our silent witness and walking testimony to the world.

For He works through us and it is not our glory but His when there are victories upon victories. We overcome evil with good, and daily live is combatting the world and the people in it that are pagan. We are his representatives walking on this earth. Is our image of a Christian, the image of Him, that gives good witness to the Father and Jesus' name.

What Increases God's praise (what is asked of us, to do as in the Bible - some examples):
1. When pagans do evil and the Christian repays with good (Romans 12:17 & 12:9-19)
2. When pagans slap the right cheek and the Christians turns to him the left cheek as well (Matthew 5:39; Luke 6:29).
3. When a pagan is in need and asks, you give, if a pagan takes something Christian do not demand it back (Luke 27-36).

Blending in could mean we act like the pagan does and do as the pagans do. Our behaviors and attitudes are like theirs. When we do so there is no visible difference to the name we carry as "Christian people". We give false witness and testimony and give being a Christian a bad name or meaningless name. This brings dishonor to our Father.

The pagan may not know what a Christian is, for they may not know the word of God. If we truly are Christian our actions and words coincide with what God asks of us, God's word. The pagan will know what is written for we are God's living word in our actions and speech. We become example giving all what we do Glory to God in a world that has been influenced by darkness and evil. We are his beacon of lights for others to guide and bring them along to safe shores again, in hopes they will return to the homeland which is promised to all.

Giving glory to God is showing the way, the life and the truth to the world through Christ Jesus in us. When others return on a homeland quest and join us in the journey, convert, there is rejoicing in heaven and on earth by the people of God. Victories won daily for God's greater glory - spreading the Good News, helpers to Jesus in bringing them back home to the Father. Like a bride is to the bridegroom, a woman is to a man in a marriage, we as Christians are the helper at Jesus side (bride and bridegroom) in a convenant relationship, as in marriage, to be united and to bring about unity with others. Jesus united us back to the Father through his blood shed and Jesus in us works so others may have the same benefit as we which was intended for all. Not all respond we are there to make a difference in their lives to bring hope, the promise of God for us, mankind.

Christians corporately give God the glory and praise when they meet for worship and praise for all He has done for us and will do, out of gratefulness and out of priesthood royal duty.

This gives God praise, those being his give of themselves to serve their Father and willingly to do his will:

1. We go to church to be equipped.
2. We read, study and listen to the word being preached to be sanctified and transformed through repentance, the Holy Spirit and Jesus working in us.

5. They can see that they do not have to conform to this world they can see that there is another way to follow a way of truth and love and this in turn gives the Lord praise and glory. If we blend in to this world how can we be separate, how can that give God praise and glory for then we would be no different, there would be no praise.

How can the good deeds we commit by living openly as Christians increase God's praise. How does our "blending in" detract from God's praise?
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Good deeds increase God's praise because other can see the affect God has on our lives. They can see the hope and joy He brings--the hope of eternal life and the joy of the abundanat life He brings us now. It should make others "hungry" to know what that difference is in our lves, and make them desire to surrender their lives to Him. Once they have, there is great rejoicing as souls are added to the Kingdom, wayward children come home, and the family of God is grown.

"blending in" causes none of this to happen. There is no need for a Savior if you can continue to act as if you had not given your life to Christ. If He makes no difference in a person's life, there is no need to "waste" ones tie with the things fo God. When we act in unholy ways. in affected lives, with the same actions and attitudes of the world, then they see themselves as "OK" when in fact they are on a road to eternal destruction.

I told my youth this past weekend that if they are going to claim Christ and act as the world then I would ask that they quit claiming to be a Christian as they are doing the lost more harm than good. Although I really want them to line up their lives with God's Word, the point has to be made that the Christian life is a call to holiness...a seperateness from the world's sinful desires. To set yourself apart for acts of righteousness and godliness...to be a slave to Christ (Romans 6). Only by living a seperate and victorious life will other see the Christ we claim to hav accepted, and be DRAWN to Him--to not live that way, cheapens the price our Lord paid for us, and DRIVES other away.

Unselfish service to others without thought of recompense but to be obedient to the Lord and with mercy and compassion to others pleases to Lord and brings glory to Him. There is a double celebration in heaven when we look for and find and mend and care for the broken hearted and the lost.

Q5. (2:12) How can the good deeds we commit by living openly as Christians increase God's praise.

We need to always look for ways to witness to others. Let our light shine before men, so even though they may criticize or ridicule us for our beliefs, they may be influenced by our good deeds and come to know Jesus.

How does our "blending in" detract from God's praise?

If we conform or “blend in” there will be no spreading of His Word, no light shining before men. Opportunities to witness will be missed.

Q5. (2:12) How can the good deeds we commit by living openly as Christians increase God's praise. How does our "blending in" detract from God's praise?

We increase our praise to God by our good deeds in that others will be led to glorify Him. Through us they can taste and see how good and wonderful He really is. Even our influence will be of such that others will be led to glorify Him and His love.

I think about Peter and how He wanted to blend in at the trial of Christ. He was living a lie and was led to deny Him. When we have a mindset to blend in we are denying Christ--we are letting Satan have his way in our lives. We cannot serve two masters, it just cannot be done.

Romans 10:9,10 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

If we "blend in" we will have no desire to confess that Jesus is Lord...Our actions in this case will be speaking louder than our words...that Christ means little or nothing to us.

We are always to let our light shine right where we are...we are to stand for the right though the heavens fall...

Q5. (2:12) How can the good deeds we commit by living openly as Christians increase God's praise. How does our "blending in" detract from God's praise?

Christians must be different from the non-Christians in this world. When we do not, we throw mud on the Name of our Lord! I got an email that told of a woman who was angry at the driver of a car in front of her who did not go immediately after the light turned green. She yelled (unkindly) and shook her fist, etc. A cop behind her came with drawn gun and frisked her, then took her to jail. They released her soon after, and he apologized, saying "I'm sorry. I saw the fish sign on your car, and a bumper sticker saying that 'Jesus is Lord of my life,' and deduced that the car must have been stolen!"
We are the only Bible some people read. If we do not stand out as different, how are they to know Jesus and what He requires of us--let alone His sacrifice to pay for our sins? When we give help to those who need it, treat others as "loved as ourselves," and lift up Christ--in word as well as deed--we show others that there is something different and better than the usual "get out of my way--you don't count" attitude that is so prevalent around us today.
I agree, Missions Lady, that we need a "gentle spirit"--like His, to draw others to want to know Him truly! How can we let ourselves stand in the way of another of His children coming to know Him?

God will use our good deeds to speak to the unsaved. It blows them away to see us walk to our car carrying the Bible, etc. A bold statement is in us by simply living for Him. They know why we do good deeds. That's why it is difficult for some when we speak to them about Christ. Our simple actions (us unaware) are so-o loud, our light is so-o bright and our salt is quite tastey. They don't know what to think of us. It is imperitive that they see some measure of consistancy.

Since our bold actions leave them speechless yet watchful, "blending in" actually disappoints the unsaved in their WATCHING phase.

You learn more about a person by what they do than what they say. Even if others are inclined to disagree with us (and maybe even dislike us) about our faith, we have a powerful influence when we walk out what we believe. "Blending in" suggests that we are no better than anyone else. Someone once asked "If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" An interesting way of putting it, but a valid question.

Pastor Ralph, on Feb 13 2004, 07:22 PM, said:

Three things spring to mind here in relation to this verse. 1) The fact that God gets the glory and not us indicates that this is God working through us and not an act of our own righteousness. It speaks of one who is obedient and walks in that obedience. Galatians 5:16 "[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit..." The verse actually indicates that we walk step by step in the Spirit. So what people see is Jesus and not us. The natural response of a man in the presence of God is praise. 2) The verse speaks to me that the work of God in the life of the believer is real. It is not burdensome to do good works as though it was something we have to do to keep in the club. It is natural "conversation" for the Christian. We don't put on with affectation piety, good works, love etc.. It is a part of our being it is woven right into us by God. That's why it's so easy to walk with Jesus, we just have to be what we are, no pretense, no pain, no strain. Matthew 11:30 For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light. What people see in us is real, it's solid, it's Jesus.
3) The third thing this passage brings to mind is the fact that we are in a spiritual conflict, continually. Ephesians 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly [places] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 1 Peter 1:12 ... which things the angels desire to look into. When a believer walks into a room, the people there may not know who they are, but you can be sure that all spiritual entities present know which side you are on. Those in whom the prince of the power of the air is working in have no problem demonstrating who they serve and have dwelling in them by their speech, actions and attitudes. It is a powerful weapon to walk humbly before your God in the presence of your enemies even though every fibre in your being screams for you to act out in like spirit.
Blending in, bleech! I hate even the sound of it. Matthew 5:13 ¶ Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Men trod the savourless salt under foot not because they are trying to be malicious necessarily (although they are quite capable of such) but because they do not recognize it. It is perceived worthless. Even Jesus says He's sickened by such an one. Revelation 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. So I guess "blending in" detracts from God's praise because people looking for some answers in life look at you and say "Why would I want to be like that?"

When we do good deeds, for God, we are doing this unto God. A way of worship to God. When we blend in the the world, we are forgetting who we are in Christ and we are going away from God's praise.

Everyday we are to be doing good deeds for God. We should not be of this world because than we for get who we are in Christ. We forget what we have been called to do. And then we have gone away from God praises. We need to let our light shine for Jesus.

By living the life we are commanded to live, we give glory to the Father by showing ourselves to be His children. By living by the faith we profess to have, and doing what is commanded of us, we we can lead others to the saving grace of our Lord..
By not showing to those around us that we are true Christians, we diminish His glory by not showing the people of the world how the Holy Spirit can move in a persons life, and give it true meaning. We cannot hope to lead others to salvation if we act as though there is no real benefit to confessing our sin and asking for forgiveness.

Verse 12 reads: Having your conversations honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, whick they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Which translates in my opinion: Speaking honestly to the Gentiles will not stop them from calling you an evildoer or stop speaking agianst you. Most people have their own thoughts and beliefs and when you speak the truth they do not want to hear it. But by speaking honestly you are doing God's good work and when God comes you will behold him and glorify his name, glorify Him. But if you continue speaking honestly, the Gentiles will begin to hear and listen and see the truth and the light and when God comes they will behold him and glorify his name, glorify him.

If we are blending in - either on purpose, or by accident - then we are doing nothing that draws attention to God. In this fallen world, acts of Godly love, righteous bravery, holy joy... they are like flashing billboards proclaiming, "It's true! Jesus lives!" People will notice and they will respond in some way. And God's Word tells us that some will respond in praise to Him.

1. When others (non Christians) observe that we are doing "good deeds" openly as Christians, they will be influenced to change their ways. That will bring praise to God.

2. We are to be "separate" "called apart" to follow Christ's example....not to "blend in" with worldliness.