Those practices that the Bible condemns as sinful must not be practiced by Christians, such as:
Rather, the Bible affirms that Christians must demonstrate:
- lying or deceit of any kind (Exodus 20:16; Matthew 5:37; Ephesians 4:25),
- coarse language (Exodus 20:7; Ephesians 5:4),
- pornography (Philippians 4:8; Ephesians 5:3-4; 1 John 3:3),
- theft or fraud (Exodus 20:15; Ephesians 4:28),
- physical and verbal aggression or sexual harassment (Exodus 20:13; Galatians 5:24; 1 Timothy 3:3; 2 Timothy 2:24),
- substance abuse including the abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs (1 Corinthians 6:19-20),
- criminal activities (Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-15),
- covetousness (Exodus 20:17; Hebrews 13:5),
- divisiveness among God’s people (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 4:3; Philippians 2:3-4; 1 Timothy 5:19; Titus 1:6; 3:10), and the like.
Rather, the Bible affirms that Christians must demonstrate:
- the fruit of the Spirit in their attitudes and actions (Galatians 5:22-23),
- walking worthy of their calling (Ephesians 4:1-2),
- dwelling together in a loving, respectful unity (Philippians 3:2-4),
- maintaining a vibrant and effective testimony for God in the world (Matthew 5:13-16),
- pursuing holiness in all aspects of their lives (2 Corinthians 6:14, 17; 1 Peter 1:16), and,
- generally, to walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6).