Greetings sisters!
Here I am back again. And I hope to edify us all with some scriptures and a few thoughts. Hope you are strong in the faith of Christ and standing rooted in Him! He is our firm foundation and if we build on Him (hearing and obeying) we shall not be moved!
Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
3 John 1:11
I was thinking about how we are to be followers of good. We know God is good and He is the author of good. As His children, we no longer want the evil ways of the world, satan, and the flesh.
We know from what apostle Paul wrote in Titus 2 that the older women are to be teachers of good and that would no doubt be actual teaching but also being good examples in everyday life. So much can be learned by watching and listening too not necessarily actual set teachings. So if we know people are watching us (they always are) we do want to represent Christ in all our actions, words and ways. We have been told to shine our lights before men so God is glorified.
The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Titus 2:3-5
There are a handful of good things mentioned there that they are to teach the younger...be keepers at home, loving husbands and children, being chaste and sober etc. So it has a wide range of applications in what would be included in teachers of good. And we are told elsewhere in scripture many times about good and being followers of it and therefore hating evil and fleeing from it.
Also a widow was only to be received for aid amongst the believers if she had a record of many good works.
Well reported of for good works;
if she have brought up children,
if she have lodged strangers,
if she have washed the saints' feet,
if she have relieved the afflicted,
if she have diligently followed every good work.
1 Timothy 5:10
So in that we see some more examples of what good is.
We see that goodness is a fruit of the Spirit...
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Ephesians 5:9
(So if someone doesn't want to follow that which is good and is compromising and allowing evil...even if 'only a bit'...then that is not good fruit of being born of the Spirit.)
We hold fast to good and we also know we are to abstain from all appearance of evil.
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1 Thessalonians 5:21
A godly woman is to adorn with good works (and not external in her dress and looks)...
But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.
1 Timothy 2:10
We are to cleave to good...
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Romans 12:9
I'm glad we can know right from wrong because we have His Word and commands and His Spirit too, and also a conscience as well. We don't ever want to go against that knowledge we have.
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
James 4:17
What a precious promise for workers of good...
But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.
Romans 2:10-11
We know it is good to obey all of God's commands so we are blessed to know what those are if we have His Word and read it as we should.
The list of what is good would be so huge but as would also be the opposite list of what is evil. So avoiding evil would be good itself.
I know we are to return good for evil that people may do to us. Whether that is in word or deed we can return good in some way and as it says heap coals of fire on their heads in doing so. Hopefully they repent. God will judge them lest they repent.
Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:20-21
See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
1 Thessalonians 5:15
And sometimes that would include being silent and obviously not using words back that are not good or keeping peace. Or it could be in our physical actions of giving them something they need as it says.
Of course this all is only truly possible when we have been born from above and truly desiring holiness and obedience to God in all our ways. I mean we can never be good enough for God and eternal life without trusting in Christ and obeying His gospel no. We just follow after good because of all He has done for us and that we know He is good and also commands it of us. It is fruit we are of Him and even if people tell us we don't have to do all we do, we listen to God over humans.
We also know that today people call evil good and good evil...but God is the one who shows us what is good amen sisters.
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20
Let us sisters put our senses to use to discern good and evil...
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Hebrews 5:14
Well I hope that edified you in some way as you seek to follow after Christ and because of Him we want to do good. We know He is good! Every good thing comes from Him!
Lord willing I will be back here tomorrow. Hold fast to that which is good sister saints and let us be examples in it.
Love in Christ,
Sister Michaela
Find the gospel to eternal life explained here.