Do You Have a Conduct Disorder?

 

Phil. 1:27

 

27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,

NKJV

 

I used to work in mental health.   One of the most interesting gamut of disorders that we dealt with, was the conduct disorders.   Simply put, behaving badly.  I do not mean to minimize anyone's struggles with their adolescent or child,  but this label to me  stands  to add a clinical or medical diagnosis to a problem without actually getting to the root of a problem and  providing a solution. I do, however, understand that the diagnosis is the first step toward a recommendation.

 

Now, I am not a psychiatrist, nor do I play one on T.V., but I think that there are a lot of Christians who demonstrate a conduct disorder as well.  Doubt me? Jump on Facebook for a few days and monitor the posts of "Christians."

 

It is appalling when you can go to someone's timeline and see "Praise the Lord" reports interspersed with vengeful, crude, or  hateful posts.  One day they are talking about church attendance, another, a drunken brawl.  What is the meaning of this? Does their own hypocrisy not prick their conscience?

 

We all mess up. We all have attitudes, tendencies  and behaviors that are not the best. But we should not be living "schizophrenically" or in a double-minded way.  It should not be hard to tell which life we have chosen- the Christian life or the life of the world.  As Paul says in this verse, our conduct should be "worthy of the gospel of Christ."

 

In other words, the vessel should live up to the contents!  How can we proclaim a message with our mouths that we refute with our lives? Ungodly behavior for a Christian should be a rare and sorrowful occurrence, but never a habitual practice.

 

As Christians, we are to live as one person, thinking in one mind and one Spirit. Because that is who we are!  Christians are baptized into the body of Christ.  In modern day, we are His hands and we are His feet on this Earth.  At the risk of being cliché', the saying is  true, "You are the only Bible some people will ever read."  Will your "followers" make it to heaven, or will they find themselves falling short on the day  of judgment?  Be careful how you live, others are following you.   You may not even be aware of it.

 

I can hear the nay-sayers already.  It is my life, I can do as I please.  Yes and no.  You are indeed a free agent.  But,  If you received Christ as Savior and asked him to be your Lord, you have technically given over the reins of your life to another. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col. 3:3) It is His life, and you should live it well.

I am not a perfect example of a godly life.  I fail every day and I despise my own carnal nature. Please understand me.  I am not talking down to anyone.  This is a lateral conversation.  But the Bible is clear, we do not really get to decide how we live when we follow Christ.  Rather, we are imitators of Him.  Is your conduct worthy of the gospel of Christ?  No? Then let's get busy! Time is short and we have a world to win!

 

 

Dear Lord, show me the areas of my life that fall short of your righteous standards.  Help me to live a life of impact. One that matters to you and to others.  A life that is worthy of the gospel. In Jesus' Name.  Amen.