Christian Values

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In this world that is tossed to and fro, by every wind of doctrine,( Ephesians 4:14 ) by the philosophy, vain deceit and traditions of men, ( Colossians 2:8 ) as Christians, what are we to believe?
Jesus said in Matthew 4:4 “ Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” It’s in God’s word that we find stability, assurance, and a firm foundation on which to base our beliefs. To be sure, this will at times put us in direct conflict with the teachings of unregenerated man. Hopefully, this study course will give the reader a foundation, pertaining to earthly things,  that involve our Christian way of life.

Matthew 7:24-25   Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock
Vs.25   And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

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The Family

Marriage

HEBREWS 13:4   Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

MARK 10:6-9   But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.
Vs.7   For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
Vs.8   And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
Vs.9   What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

1.  Duties of Husbands

Be Satisfied with Wife

PROVERBS 5:18-19   Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Vs.19   Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breast satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

ECCLESIASTES 9:9   Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labor which thou takest under the sun.

Love his Wife

EPHESIANS 5:28,   So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

COLOSSIANS 3:19   Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

 Give Affection to Wife

1 CORINTHIANS 7:3-5   Let the husband render to his wife the affection that is due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
Vs.4   The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
Vs.5   Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer....( NKJV )

Give Honor to Wife

1 PETER 3:7   Likewise ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

Provide for Family

GENESIS 3:19   In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

2 THESSALONIANS 3:11-12   For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
Vs.12   Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they eat their own bread.

1 TIMOTHY 5:8   But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

2.  Headship of Husbands

  Established by God

GENESIS 3:16   Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

1 CORINTHIANS 11:3   But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

EPHESIANS 5:23   For the husband is head of the wife, even as Christ is head of the church: and he is savior of the body.

3.  Duties of Wives

 Give Affection to Husband

1 CORINTHIANS 7:3-5   Vs.3    Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.  ( NKJV )

 Submit to Husband

EPHESIANS 5:22   Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

COLOSSIANS 3:18   Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

 Not to usurp Authority

1 TIMOTHY 2:11-12   Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.
Vs.12   And I do not permit a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over a man but to be in silence. ( NKJV )

 Be keepers at home

TITUS 2:3-5   The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Vs.4   That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Vs.5   To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

 Adorning of Wife

1 PETER 3:3-5   Whose adorning let it not be that outward adoring of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
Vs.4   But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Vs.5   For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands.

1 TIMOTHY 2:9-10   In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamfacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array.
Vs10   But  which becometh women professing godliness with good works.

 Reverence her Husband

EPHESIANS 5:33   Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

 A Virtuous Wife

PROVERBS 31:10-30   Who can find a virtuous wife? for her worth is far above rubies.
Vs.11   The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
Vs.12   She does him good and not evil, all the days of her life.
Vs.13   She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.
Vs.14   She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar.
Vs.15   She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a     
            portion for her maidservants.
Vs.16   She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard.
Vs.17   She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms.
Vs.18   She perceives that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out by
            night.
Vs.19   She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hand holds the spindle.
Vs.20   She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
Vs.21   She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with
            scarlet.
Vs.22   She makes tapestry for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Vs.23   Her husband is known in the gates, when he sits among the elders of the land.
Vs.24   She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies sashes for the merchants.
Vs.25   Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.
Vs.26   She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness.
Vs.27   She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of
            idleness.
Vs.28   Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also and he praises her.
Vs.29   Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.
Vs.30   Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall
            be praised.

4.  Children

 A Blessing of God

PSALMS 127:3   Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

PSALMS 127:4-5   As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Vs.5   Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

PROVERBS 17:6   Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

 Correction of Children

PROVERBS13:24   He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes ( promptly ).

PROVERBS 19:18   Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

PROVERBS 22:15   Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

PROVERBS 29:15   The rod and the reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

 Correction not to be Unjust

EPHESIANS 6:4   And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

COLOSSIANS 3:21   Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

Correction must be done out of love, for the good of the child. Punishment, without love and because of selfish reasons, is abuse.  Children must be taught right from wrong, not only by some form of correction, but also, by example.

Jesus said “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”  We must treat our children the way we would want to be treated.
     
 Children are to honor their Parents

EPHESIANS 6:1-3   Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
Vs.2   Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise
Vs.3   That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

PROVERBS 23:22   Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.

5.  The Elderly

1 TIMOTHY 5:1-2   Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;
Vs.2   The elderly women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

TITUS 2:2   Aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, charity, in patience.

TITUS 2:3-4   The aged women likewise that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Vs.4   That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children.

LEVITICUS 19:32   Thou shall rise up before the gray head and honor the face of the old man.

1 TIMOTHY 5:1   Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father.

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Business

Borrowing

PROVERBS 22:7   The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

Lending

PSALMS 112:5   A good man sheweth favor, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

MATTHEW 5:42   Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Lend without usury

PROVERBS 28:8   He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

EXODUS 22:25   If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

Paying Debts

PSLAMS 37:21   The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.

Surety ( Responsible for debts of others )

PROVERBS 11:15   He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.   

PROVERBS 17:18   A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend

PROVERBS 22:26   Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

Honesty

LEVITICUS 19:35   Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.

PROVERBS 11:1   A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.

ROMANS 12:17   Recompense to no man evil for evil: provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Dishonesty

PROVERBS 16:8   Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.

PROVERBS 21:6   The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

PROVERBS 22:16   He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

Diligence

PROVERBS 12:11   He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

PROVERBS 20:13   Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

ROMANS 12:11   Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.

Slothfulness

PROVERBS 24:30-31   I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
Vs.31   And lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.

ECCLESIASTES 10:18   By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

2 THESSALONIANS 3:11   For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

Giving

LUKE 6:38   Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

PROVERBS 22:9   He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

PROVERBS 28:27   He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hides his eyes shall have many a curse.

Without show

MATTHEW 6:3   But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.

Tithing

PROVERBS 3:9-10   Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thy increase.
Vs.10   So shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

MALACHI 3:10   Bring ye all the tithed into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Beware of Covetousness

LUKE 12:15   And he said unto them, Take heed and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

1 TIMOTHY 6:10   FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

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Civil Duties

Toward Government

MARK 12:17   And Jesus answering said unto them, “ Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

TITUS 3:1   Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.

1 PETER 2:13-14   Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
Vs.14   Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

1 PETER 2:17   Honor all men, Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King.

1 TIMOTHY 2:1-2   I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
Vs.2   For kings, and for all they are in authority; that we may lead a quite and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Righteous Government

PROVERBS 11:11   By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

PROVERBS 14:34   Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
 

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Social Issues

1.  Sexual Sins

       ( See Leviticus ch. 20 )

Homosexuality

GENESIS 19:4-5   Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom, both young and old, surrounded the house.
Vs.5   They called to Lot, “ Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them. ( NIV )

2 PETER 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned [them] with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

LEVITICUS 18:22   Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind.
  ( See Leviticus Ch. 20 )

ROMANS 1:26-27   Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.
Vs.27   In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. ( NIV )

Beastiality

LEVITICUS 18:23   Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any women stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

Adultery

EXODUS 20:14   Thou shalt not commit adultery.

PROVERBS 6:22   Whoso commits adultery with a  women, lacks understanding. he that does it, destroys his own soul.

MATTHEW 5:28   Whosoever looks on a women to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Fornication

1 CORINTHIANS 6:13... Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

1 CORINTHIANS 7:2   Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife and let every women have her own husband.

2.  Abortion

JEREMIAH 1:5   Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

PALMS 139:13   For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mothers womb.

LUKE 1:44   For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

PSALMS 106:37   Yea, they sacrificed their sons and daughters unto devils.
Vs.38   And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

Children are still sacrificed, but to different idols. The idols of careers, pleasure selfish ambition and worldly pursuits; have replaced the idols of stone.

3.  Capital Punishment

GENESIS 9:6   Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

DEUTERONOMY 21:22   And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death...

1 PETER 2:13-14   Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
Vs.14   Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.

4.  Witchcraft

LEVITICUS 19:31   Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord.

LEVITICUS 20:6   And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

  a.  Divination

ACTS 16:16-18   And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
Vs.17   The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
Vs.18   And this she did many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

DEUTERONOMY 18:10-12   There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
Vs.11   Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Vs.12   For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord:

Sorcery

ACTS 8:9-11   But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
Vs.10   To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
Vs.11   And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

From this sample of scriptures we can see that God Almighty does not approve of any form of witchcraft. At the present; we are bombarded every day with advertisements for the psychic hot line, horoscopes, palm readers, and all sorts of people who pretend to be used of God, to enlarge their bank accounts at the expense of peoples gullibility and ignorance of God’s Word. Christians should stay away from the devils deceptions.

ACTS 19:18-20   And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds.
Vs.19   Many of them also, which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and founded it to be 50,000 pieces of silver.

5.  Our Speech

Well Chosen

PROVERBS 10:19   In the multitude of words there lacks not sin.

PROVERBS 17:27       He that has knowledge, spares his words and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

MATTHEW 5:37   Let your communication be yea yea, nay nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

TITUS 2:8   .. sound speech that cannot be condemned...

A Time to keep Silent

PROVERBS 23:9   Speak not in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

PROVERBS 29:11   A fool utters all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it till afterwards.

ECCLESIASTES 3:7   ...A time to rend, and a time to sew, a time to keep silent and a time to speak.

Don't Speak Evil

EPHESIANS 4:31   Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

TITUS 3:2   Speak evil of no man, to be not a brawler, but gentle, showing all meekness to all men.

Good Speach

PROVERBS 21:23   Whoso keeps his mouth and tongue, keeps his soul from trouble.

PROVERBS 15:1   A soft answer turns away wrath but grievous words stir up anger.

PROVERBS 16:24   Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

In Christ's Service 
E.L. Davis

biblestudycourses@yahoo.com
http://foundationbiblestudy.tripod.com