Topical Bible: Sincerity: Exhortations To

◄ Sincerity: Exhortations To ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Sincerity, as a virtue, is highly esteemed in the Christian faith, representing a purity of heart and intention that aligns with the teachings of Scripture. The Bible frequently exhorts believers to embody sincerity in their relationship with God and others, emphasizing its importance in the life of a faithful Christian.

Old Testament Foundations

The call to sincerity is rooted in the Old Testament, where God desires truth in the inward being. In Psalm 51:6, David acknowledges, "Surely You desire truth in the inmost being; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place." This verse highlights the importance of inner truthfulness and integrity before God.

New Testament Exhortations

The New Testament continues this theme, urging believers to live with sincerity in their faith and actions. In 1 Corinthians 5:8, Paul writes, "Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." Here, sincerity is contrasted with malice and wickedness, underscoring its role in the Christian life as a reflection of purity and truth.

In 2 Corinthians 1:12, Paul further emphasizes sincerity, stating, "For our boast is this: the testimony of our conscience that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God, not in worldly wisdom but in the grace of God." This passage highlights that sincerity is a divine attribute, enabled by God's grace, and is essential in the conduct of believers.

Sincerity in Love and Faith

Sincerity is also crucial in the expression of love and faith. Romans 12:9 exhorts, "Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good." This command calls for genuine love that is free from hypocrisy, aligning with the moral and ethical standards set by God.

In Ephesians 6:24, Paul concludes his letter with a blessing for those who love Jesus Christ with an undying love, implying that sincerity in love for Christ is a mark of true discipleship: "Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love."

Sincerity in Speech and Conduct

The Bible also addresses the need for sincerity in speech and conduct. In 1 Peter 2:1-2, believers are urged to "rid yourselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation." This passage calls for a rejection of deceit and hypocrisy, advocating for a life marked by sincerity and growth in faith.

Conclusion

The exhortations to sincerity found throughout Scripture serve as a reminder of the high standard to which Christians are called. Sincerity is not merely an external display but a reflection of a heart transformed by God's grace, manifesting in genuine love, faith, and conduct.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 34:13
Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Corinthians 5:8
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Peter 2:1
Why laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speakings,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

'The Girdle of Truth'
... beautiful accord with his brother Peter, who begins all the exhortations of his ... may
take as examples the phrases, 'the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the girdle of truth.htm

God Desires and Seeks the Salvation of all Men.
... But it still remained to "reconcile God's prescience of the sins of men with the
wisdom and sincerity of his counsels, exhortations, and whatsoever means he ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/chapter i god desires and.htm

Love that Can Hate
... apparently irrelevant interruption in the sequence of the apostolic exhortations,
we shall ... the noblest forms of Christian love as is the sincerity enjoined in ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/love that can hate.htm

Summary of the Second Part of the Foregoing System.
... Luther, for example, finds it so great, that he denies the sincerity of God in ... And
Calvin imagines that such exhortations, as well as the other means of grace ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/chapter ii summary of the.htm

Acts iii. Part of the 19Th Verse.
... Wickedness of their former State, they could not possibly, with Sincerity, think
it ... of Christ's body, the Church: that then, I say, all the Exhortations of the ...
/.../sermon xv acts iii part.htm

The Introduction to the Work with Some General Account of Its ...
... to proceed from sincerity and love, from a heart that would not designedly give ... Happy
will it be for the reader, if these exhortations and cautions be attended ...
/.../the rise and progress of religion in the soul/chapter i the introduction to.htm

Salvian's Literary Work
... no one who reads the treatise Against Avarice can doubt the sincerity and depth
of ... self-interest on the part of the church in the constant exhortations to the ...
/.../salvian/on the government of god/iii salvians literary work.htm

Appendix to Part iii. Writings of the Apostolic Fathers, with Some ...
... The native vigor and energy of Ignatius, as also the depth and sincerity of his ... we
except the epistle to the Romans, they all abound in exhortations to render ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/appendix to part iii writings.htm

The Resurrection of Lazarus
... as I go along, and conclude with some suitable instructions and exhortations, which
will ... Both these women loved Jesus in sincerity, and were as good as they ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/the resurrection of lazarus.htm

Examples of the Various Styles, Drawn from the Teachers of the ...
... and encourage your equals; stir up one another by mutual exhortations; provoke one ...
malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 21 examples of the various.htm