OBC-WHS Lesson 6 – Our Influence and Reputation
Romans 12:1-2
1)I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2)And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing you’re your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
To be of service to the Lord we must be mindful of our influence and reputation both within and without the church. Jesus Himself addressed the issue of our influence and reputation during His sermon on the mount.
1. Matthew 5:16 -
Let ______ ______ so ______ before men that _____ ____ ____ your ______
________, and _______ your Father which is in heaven.”
2. Matthew 5:13 – “Ye are the ______ of the ______: but if the salt ______ ______ his ________, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth _____ ____ ________, but to be _______ ______, and to be _______ under foot of men.”
We see from the above scriptures that what we show to others and what we appear to others is very important as to how we will be able to serve the Lord our God.
There are things we should be aware of that influence others that we come into contact with whether they be outside the body or inside it.
What we say:
3. Matthew 12:34-35 – 34)”O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak ______ ________? For out of the _________ of the _______ the ________ __________. 35)A _______ _____ out of the ______ __________ of the _______ bringeth forth ______ ________: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.”
What we do:
4. Philippians 1:27 – “Only let _____ ____________ (manner of life) be as it ________ the ________ of ________: that whether I come and see you , or else be absent, I may ______ of _______ affairs (state), that ye _______ _______ in ______ ________, with ______ _______ _________ __________ for the ______ of the ________.”
How we love:
5. John 13:34-35 – 34)”A new ____________ I ______ unto you, That ___ _____ _____ _________; as I have loved you, that you also _____ ____ _________.” 35)By this shall all _____ _______ that ye are _____ __________. If ye _____ _____ __________.”
How godly or ungodly we are:
6. I Peter 1:5 – “But as he which hath called you is holy, so ___ ___ _____ ___ _____ _______ ___ _____________ (living).”’
7. John 15:8-16 – Read all the verses here then fill in the blanks below:
“Herein is my Father __________, that ye ______ ______ _______; so shall ____ ___ ____ __________.”
The rest of the verses in this reading continue on telling us how we can show good fruit for the Lord.
8. List the six things mentioned in the verses above that show our godliness:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
If we devote ourselves to God by doing His will then our reputation and our influence will be one of godliness and righteousness. Others will be able to see in us the light of Jesus and they will be able to know that the way to truth is through Him. Our strength, our courage, our anchor should all come from the Lord and these things should shine forth in all that we do in His name because we are His children.
Read Romans 12. This whole chapter exhorts us to holiness. If we are exhorted to holiness then our reputation must mean something, otherwise there would be no need to exhort us to be holy rather than to be evil or to be like the world.
9. Romans 12:21 – “Be ____ overcome of evil, but ________ evil with good.”
Christianity is to be a light unto the world not a form of the world. To stand by and let ungodly things go on and say nothing is to let the world guide you not God. Being like the world is not being a light but being a follower of the wrong side---evil---instead of good.
10. Hebrews 12:14 – “ Follow peace with all men, and __________; _________ _______ no ____ shall _____ the Lord.”
11. “Wherefore _______ _____ from _______ _______, and be ye __________, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and they shall be my people.”
12. Ephesians 4:17 – “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth ______ _____ ____ _______ Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind.”
Go further on in this same chapter and read verses 22-32 and learn how we need to put off our former manner of life, which is the old man, and put on the new man.
13. Romans 6:12-13 –12) “Let not _____ therefore _______ in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13) ________ ______ ye your members as ___________ of ________________ unto ____; but ______ yourselves unto _____, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as __________ of _____________ unto God.”
To bring this lesson to a close we can cap it off by saying that our influence in the world and in the church as well as our reputation in the world and in the church should be such as to show we are standing up for the truth of the gospel of Christ. Our lives should show conviction of our faith not convenience!
Beverly Rainwater