Don't Forget Your Raisin'

Philippians 1:27, "…let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ." The English word "conversation" comes from both a French and Latin word meaning, "the place you live, the way you act, or the way you talk". We only use the word in one sense now, to talk. This old idea of the word is spot on with the Greek word Paul used (politeuesthe), translated "conversation "in the King James Bible. It means to be a citizen and to live as a citizen of that place.  

My Mom was a stickler for table manners. After one incident at a restaurant, me and my brothers were effectually reminded with Proverbs 23:14 type power, when we ate like half-starved Vikings, it was a reflection on her, and how we were raised.  It was the first time I ever considered that how a person lives is a reflection on what they believe and the place they were raised. She reminded us when we traveled somewhere, we not only represented ourselves, but also our parents, our family, and our community in Eastern Kentucky. That kind of behavior, she said, was not suitable for our family, or where we were from.  "We don't act like that here."

As Christians, our citizenship is in Heaven, our home is above, our actions should reflect those of our Father, and our country. Our life, actions, speech, should be suitable to the gospel of Christ, according to the customs of Zion.  It's not becoming. Wearing blue jeans and a sleeveless faded t-shirt is rather unbecoming for a meal with the President at the White House. But it is becoming a 4th of July picnic. It's appropriate, or suitable. It fits well together. Our way of life, our actions, the way we talk and live, needs to be suitable with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The gospel is not a lifestyle, it's the good news that all who will repent of their sins and trust in substitutionary sacrifice of the risen savior, Jesus Christ will be saved. He will forgive you of your sins, and grant you eternal life. Now, live a life suitable with that truth. A life of love and grace. A life full of forgiveness and mercy. Live with tenderheartedness and compassion. A life of boldness for Christ and self-sacrifice. Is it suitable for a Christian to make and worship an image? Is it becoming a follower of the Truth, to lie? Is it right behavior, for a person with eternal life, and a home in Heaven, to live coveting the things of this world? Is it becoming a citizen of Heaven, who has been given eternal life through God's grace, and forgiven of all his trespasses, to live with bitter unforgivness toward others? Is it becoming for a Christian to walk in untruth? Of course not. The law of God, for a Christian, is our "raisin". It's how we live where we are from, in our Father's house, the home county of the Heavenly Zion.