YOUR BEHAVIOR REVEALS YOUR TRUE NATURE
By W. G. Guy
From scripture is a listing of behaviors that reveal the character and nature of a person based on their behavior and life-style. What will be listed first is the behavior of those who do not have the light of Christ in them; thus what comes out of them is darkness, even though many are able to keep a lid on their darkness, it still resides in them and will come out upon the right circumstances or stimulus.
This list is the base carnal nature that is sin oriented revealing the children of the devil.
1 John 3:8-10 – He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
From the following four verses comes a list of behaviors which show the darkness of the evil that can motivate people. The list is broken down to detail the sin nature that needs to be repented of.
Romans 1:28-32 – And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Unrighteousness – unjust or immoral
Fornication – sexual impurity and deviousness
Wickedness – depravity, up to no good
Covetousness – greediness for possessions
Maliciousness – evil, bad
Envy – ill will and jealousy
Murder – willful killing for any reason
Debate – quarrelsome, contentious, strife
Deceit – trick or beguile
Malignity – mischievous, nasty
Whisperers – undermining, gossiping
Backbiters – slanderer, speaking against
Haters of God – impious, resisting godliness and piety
Despiteful – insulting, demeaning
Proud – setting oneself above others
Boasters – arrogant bragging
Inventors of evil things – devising harmful schemes or devices
Disobedient to parents – defying parental guidance and upbringing authority
Without understanding – being foolish
Covenant breakers – treacherous, breaking contracts, unfaithful in promises
Without natural affection – hardhearted toward personal relationships
Implacable – does not honor their word
Unmerciful – has no care for others, being selfish
Group-think in evil pleasure – association with others who do the above
The following is a second list of carnal behavior that is sin and needs to be repented of. This list is also broken down in detail.
Galatians 5:19-21 – Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Adultery – unfaithfulness to spouse
Fornication – sexual impurity and deviousness
Uncleanness – moral and social impurity
Lasciviousness – filthy vices
Idolatry – worship of things or persons other than God
Witchcraft – sorcery, magic, to manipulate others through occult powers
Hatred – opposition or hostility toward others
Variance – quarrelsome, contentious
Emulations – ill will and jealousy
Wrath – passionate anger
Strife – argumentative
Seditions – division, dissension
Heresies – contrary choices
Envying – ill will and jealousy
Murders – willful killing for any reason
Drunkenness – intoxication to the lose of control
Reveling – riotous living, excess
And such the like – any willful, immoral, illegal or ungodly behavior
Just because people go to church does not mean they have removed the sinful carnal nature from their behavior. It takes the full acceptance and commitment to the Word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ to walk in accordance with the will and purpose of God that He has provided for us. The last verse of the following text is proof that unless the power of the light of Jesus Christ is in you, that you are still in darkness – “denying the power thereof”.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 – This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Self love – selfish
Covetous – greediness for possessions
Boasters – arrogant bragging
Proud – setting oneself above others
Blasphemers – railing or speaking against God, Jesus, and His Word
Disobedient to Parents – defying parental guidance and upbringing
Unthankful – ungrateful
Unholy – wicked
Without natural affection – hardhearted toward personal relationships
Trucebreakers – does not honor their promises or word
False Accusers – slanderer, liar
Incontinent – without self-control, incontinent
Fierce – ruthless, savage
Despisers of good – hostile to virtue
Traitors – betrayer, turncoat
Heady – hard headed, head strong
High-minded – self inflated, conceited
Lovers of Pleasure – self-absorbed while ignoring God
Having a form of godliness – displaying fake spiritual quality
Denying the power of God – rejecting what God has provided for life change
Where do you find a “form of godliness”; certainly not in the world, but in many churches! (As a side note: consider the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25; the five foolish virgins appear to represent those churches whose light went out, just as those foolish virgins ended up in darkness. This would indicate that half of today’s churches are in darkness, having a form of godliness but denying the power of repentance and forgiveness.) Notice also the similarities of each of the above lists. Each of the behaviors is described as a form of spiritual darkness for which the light of God came to free us from through believing in Jesus Christ, “the light of the world”.
Next comes a listing of the behavior of the righteous children of God in whom the light of Jesus Christ abides. This is the “Fruit of the Spirit” which is to be formed in every believer according to John 15:1-5. This fruit only comes as the life of Christ is flowing in and through you.
Galatians 5:22-25 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Love – benevolence, care for God, and for others, as for yourself
Joy – a state of delight, cheerfulness
Peace – being at rest, quietness, calmness in spite of circumstances
Longsuffering – patience, forbearance in adverse conditions
Gentleness – moral excellence, kindness
Goodness – moral virtue
Faith – fidelity, consistency in belief, assurance
Meekness – humility, not imposing or self-assertive
Temperance – self control
These are the characteristics and nature of people in whom the light of Jesus Christ is seen; they show forth His character and nature.
1 John 3:2-3 – Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
Truth equals light, (illumination or knowledge), and the truth can set you free of the destructive behavior in your nature. Denying this truth is self- destructive.
John 8:31- 32 – If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
1 John 1:5-7 – This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Where does your behavior fit in to the above listings? Do you need to repent and make any changes in your nature? God has no place for fence sitters; you are either on one right list or the other wrong lists.
