This was one of the topics and came out of the section on "The Benefits of Integrity", with respect to having a clean conscience. God desires that we would have our conscience clear, and we know we do, based on His character and the work of His Son, Jesus Christ; but this is not a salvation issue - it's a walk with Christ issue.
In a time when statistically, it is as common for Christian men to act and live like the secular world, to cheat, to lie, and to do "whatever it takes" to get ahead in this world, we need to ask God to search our hearts and we need to stay the course.
It is not popular to be righteous; it's not popular to tell the truth; it's not popular to allow loss at the cost of righteousness. After all, everybody's doing it: lying, cheating, looking out for number one. The scriptures tell a different story. We have been saved for a purpose and that is for God's very pleasure. After all, He, being God; the Creator of all created things, ought to be able to make the rules. The funny thing is, even with all of His rules, His grace truly does abound so much more, because He is willing to forgive the vilest of offences, if the offender will but repent and turn to Him and accept Christ as his Savior and his Lord.
But here are some Scriptures we looked at about being blameless. These passages indicate that we ought to be blameless or without offense:
- Psalm 19:13
- Psalm 37:37
- Psalm 51:6
- Psalm 119:80
- Proverbs 2:21
- Proverbs 11:5
- Proverbs 11:20 *
- Proverbs 13:6
- Proverbs 28:10
- Proverbs 28:13
- Proverbs 28:18
- 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 (8) *
- Philippians 1:9-11 (10)
- Colossians 1:22 *
- 1 Thessalonians 3:13 *
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23 *
- 1 Timothy 3:2 *
- 1 Timothy 6:14 *
- Titus 1:7
- 2 Peter 3:13-14 (14) *
* God specifically states in some way that we are to be blameless or He wants us to be blameless.
HOW TO BE HOLY AND BLAMELESS
(This is not the only scripture that tells instructs us, but is one that indicates that the power to be blameless comes not from us, but from being in Christ)
Philippians 3:8-14 (NKJV)
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which [is] from the law, but that which [is] through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
BOTTOM LINE IS: BEING IN CHRIST JESUS
Review Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, but especially, Ephesians which has a strong theme of being in Christ. Then consider John 15 where Jesus teaches His disciples about how they, as branches, can do nothing apart from Him, the vine, and the working of our Father as the husbandman who prunes and nurtures our fruitful growth through the knowledge of the power of His resurrection!
How much power does it take to resurrect a dead body? I can say I know the answer, but I know God has that power because He raised Christ from the dead, and He's raised this hell-bound soul from a sure grave to everlasting life!
I want to be blameless until my Lord returns!