A Good Name

Articles

Derek Long
02/17/19 - Our Reputation

A Good Name
By Derek Long
The Bible stresses to us the importance and value of
having a good name. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.” Ecclesiastes 7:1 says, “A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of one’s death than the day of one’s birth.” A good name is not referring to one’s actual name as much as one’s reputation and how people view you. The New Testament encourages Christians to be people possessing a “good name” although it does not use the exact language. For example, 1 Peter 2:12 says, “having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe glorify God in the day of visitation.” Again, 1 Peter 3:16 says, “having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.” Paul handles the collection he was gathering for the needy saints in Jerusalem in a way which provided, “honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Corinthians 8:21). Elders are required to “have a good testimony among those who are outside” (1 Timothy 3:7). What are some things we need to consider as we attempt to acquire a good name?
• People are observing the things we do. Our actions, words,
and attitude are all being looked at and will either enhance our name or detract from our good name. God’s word commands, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:14-15). Do our actions, speech, and attitudes give us a good name?
• People with a good name are trustworthy. Honesty is a crucial element in having a good name among other people. The Bible teaches us to be honest people in many different passages (Ephesians 4:25; Colossians 3:9; etc.). Can people depend on us to keep our word? Do people expect us to break a promise or commitment we make. Are we like the man “who swears to his own hurt and does not
change” (Psalm 15:4)?
• People with a good name must constantly be on guard against ruining their good name. A good name is only obtained after much hard work perhaps over the course of many years. Sadly, many have ruined a good name, which was built up over years, by simply being carless and giving into sin for just a short moment. Ecclesiastes 10:1 says, “Dead flies putrefy the perfumer’s ointment, and cause it to give off a foul odor; so does a little folly to one respected for wisdom and honor.” One sin or one act of folly is all it often takes to lose a good name. Uzziah was a great king of Judah for many years and God was with him (2 Chronicles 26:3-5) but his one act of folly (entering the temple and offering
incense when he was not authorized to do so - 2 Chronicles 26:16-23) resulted in his name being sadly ruined. We might also think of David and all his wonderful accomplishments in serving the Lord who ruined his name by his adultery with Bathsheba. Many other Bible characters and those even in our day and age could be cited along this line. Gospel preachers, elders, faithful Christians can always fall and ruin their good name and so we must alway be careful lest the devil devour us (1 Corinthians 10:12; 1 Peter 5:8).
• People with a good name are sometimes not what they appear to others. The church at Sardis had a good name but was not actually living up to their name. Revelation 3:1 says, “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”’” Are we people who have a good reputation but actually are not living up to such? Are we part of a congregation which has a good reputation but is not what God truly expects us to be? If our reputation is either a bad one or if we are not actually living up to our good reputation, we need to repent. Jesus encourages the church at Sardis to, “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you” (Revelation 3:2-3).