The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 26 April 2020 – TOPIC: TWELVE CHRISTIAN CODES OF CONDUCT
Click HERE to Read Previous MESSAGES
DATE: SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2020
TOPIC: TWELVE CHRISTIAN CODES OF CONDUCT
READ: HEBREWS 13:1-16 (NKJV)
1. Let brotherly love continue.
2. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so [doing] some have unwittingly entertained angels.
3. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them — those who are mistreated — since you yourselves are in the body also.
4. Marriage [is] honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
5. [Let your] conduct [be] without covetousness; [be] content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
6. So we may boldly say: “The LORD [is] my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
7. Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of [their] conduct.
8. Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, today, and forever.
9. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For [it is] good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
10. We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
11. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.
12. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
13. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
14. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
15. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of [our] lips, giving thanks to His name.
16. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
THE MESSAGE:
Every institution has its codes of conduct and these codes distinguish it from other institutions and stipulate standards of behaviour for its members. The Bible also has codes of conduct for those who are true children of God. These biblical codes of conduct expected from such believers according to our reading today are: brotherly love, hospitality, identification with prisoners, holiness, contentment and trust in God, obedience to rulers, abstinence from false doctrines, identification with Christ in all things, remembrance of the goal of our heavenly calling, daily praise and thankfulness to God and kindness to all men.
Do you measure up to these standards? Great blessings await those who adhere to these codes of conduct. For example, verse 2 reminds us that hospitality has made some to entertain angels unawares and verse 5 promises God’s presence when we are free from covetousness and God’s approval when we are good to others (verse 16). It is also important to remember that we have no continuing city here on earth but seek for the one to come. Hence, let us adhere to these twelve codes of conduct and our lives will radiate God’s glory to those around us.
PRAYER: God, please help me to live out the Christian life in my family and workplace and society.