Wrong Practices
What wrong practices should Christians avoid?
Abusive speech
Mt 5:22; 1Co 6:9, 10; Eph 4:31
See also Ex 22:28; Ec 10:20; Jude 8
Relevant Bible account(s):
2Sa 16:5-8; 1Ki 2:8, 9, 44, 46—Shimei reviles Jehovah’s anointed king and suffers the consequences
Accepting or offering bribes
Ex 23:8; Ps 26:9, 10; Pr 17:23
See also De 10:17; 16:19; Ps 15:1, 5
Relevant Bible account(s):
1Sa 8:1-5—Instead of following their father’s good example, the sons of the prophet Samuel accept bribes and pervert justice
Ne 6:10-13—Shemaiah is hired by opposers to utter a false prophecy intended to scare Governor Nehemiah and slow down Jehovah’s work
Bragging
See “Bragging”
Brazen conduct; uncleanness; immorality; adultery
See “Sexual Immorality”
Competitions; rivalry
Relevant Bible account(s):
Mr 9:33-37; 10:35-45—Jesus repeatedly corrects his apostles for their tendency to compete for positions of prominence
3Jo 9, 10—Diotrephes desires to have “the first place” among the brothers
Creating divisions; promoting a sect
Drunkenness; excessive drinking
Pr 20:1; 23:20, 29-35; 1Co 5:11; 6:9, 10
See also Eph 5:18; 1Ti 3:8; Tit 2:3; 1Pe 4:3
See also “Drinking”
Relevant Bible account(s):
Ge 9:20-25—Noah gets drunk, which creates an opportunity for Ham and his son Canaan to commit a serious sin
Da 5:1-6, 30—Under the influence of wine, King Belshazzar insults Jehovah, bringing disaster on himself and his kingdom
Extortion
Ps 62:10; 1Co 5:10, 11; 6:9, 10
Relevant Bible account(s):
Jer 22:11-17—Jehovah condemns King Shallum (Jehoahaz) for extortion and other serious sins
Lu 19:2, 8—Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, repents of his sin of extortion and promises to make reparations
Ac 24:26, 27—The apostle Paul did not give Governor Felix the bribe that the governor was hoping for
Flattery
Job 32:21, 22; Ps 5:9; 12:2, 3; Pr 26:24-28; 29:5
Relevant Bible account(s):
Lu 18:18, 19—Jesus rejects a flattering title
Ac 12:21-23—King Herod Agrippa accepts flattery implying that he is a god; he is struck dead for his sin
Gluttony
See also Lu 21:34, 35
Harmful gossiping; being a busybody
Idolatry
See “Idolatry”
Lying; proving false to agreements
See “Lying”
Lying; slander
See “Lying”
Misuse of blood
Ge 9:4; De 12:16, 23; Ac 15:28, 29
Relevant Bible account(s):
1Sa 14:32-34—The Israelites sin against Jehovah by eating meat without first bleeding it properly
Murder
See also Mt 5:21, 22; Mr 7:21
Relevant Bible account(s):
Ge 4:4-16—Despite Jehovah’s loving counsel, Cain murders his righteous brother Abel
1Ki 21:1-26; 2Ki 9:26—Greed leads wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel to arrange for the murder of Naboth and his sons
Murmuring
See also Nu 11:1
Relevant Bible account(s):
Nu 14:1-11, 26-30—The Israelites murmur against Moses and Aaron, but Jehovah sees it as murmuring against Him
Joh 6:41-69—The Jews murmur against Jesus; some of his disciples abandon him
Obscene talk or jesting
Pornography
See “Pornography”
Quarreling
See “Quarreling”
Ridiculing
See also Pr 17:5; 22:10; 2Pe 3:3, 4
Relevant Bible account(s):
2Ch 36:15-21—God’s rebellious people pay dearly for ridiculing his messengers and mocking his prophets
Job 12:4; 17:2; 21:3; 34:7—During his difficult trial, righteous Job suffers ridicule
Stealing
See “Stealing”
Strife; violence
See also 1Ti 3:2, 3; Tit 1:7
Relevant Bible account(s):
Ex 21:22-27—The Mosaic Law exacts punishment from men who cause injury or death through physical violence
Threatening
Relevant Bible account(s):
Ac 4:15-21—The Sanhedrin threatens Jesus’ disciples in an attempt to stop the preaching work