Be cautious of virtue signaling.

Written by Lee Stevenson, sorry I am not the best editor.

Virtue signaling is the expression of moral opinion of a subject in a way to make oneself look like a good or righteous person. For example pointing out flaws a person may see or perceive a person has to make themselves look more righteous. Or putting on a show of deeds others perceive as being good to convince others they are good or righteous. For example many in positions of power will put on a show , and make a big publicity show of the good deeds or charitable acts they make. The bible makes it clear virtue signaling is a sin. Often times they will tolerate things they should not and use it as a way of virtue signaling. Virtue signalers exaggerate others flaws and even make things up to try and make themselves appear more righteous. I am going to discuss how virtue signaling is a sin and those who virtue signal end up committing more and more sins. If a person gets caught up in virtue signaling they lose sight of what God requires and what is moral and immoral in God’s eyes. They start relying on their own understanding. I am going to discuss the dangers of virtue signaling.

Jesus told us not to practice our righteousness in front of men so others will notice. So when we do acts of mercy, or charity we should keep it between ourselves and those we were being charitable to or showing mercy to. God sees what we do. It is not man who can bless us with eternal life but God. Boasting is a form of pride. Nothing we do can top the things God has done and will do. If we boast it should be about God.

If we are boasting it means we are looking down on others we feel may be less righteous, or do not live up to what we may believe are righteous. It is God who decides what is right and what is wrong. If we become prideful and boast it cause cause us to stop self reflecting and being able to identify our own short comings so we can work towards pleasing God more and more. Jesus gave us this illustration of some who were putting their trust in their own righteousness.

(Luke 18:9-14) ⁹ He also told this illustration to some who trusted in their own righteousness and who considered others as nothing: ¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and began to pray these things to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like everyone else—extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give the tenth of all things I acquire.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing even to raise his eyes heavenward but kept beating his chest, saying, ‘O God, be gracious to me, a sinner.’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his home and was proved more righteous than that Pharisee. Because everyone who exalts himself will be humiliated, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

God can read our hearts. We should not be seeking our own glory but seeking God’s glory. Our actions , the way we carry ourselves should imitate the humility that Jesus had.

Many virtue signal now days trying to make themselves look more merciful and more moral now days. They virtue signal by supporting the very things that is in opposition to God such as gay relationships, pushing pushing for the rights of people to murder unborn babies. Many virtue signal by showing disgust and even hatred towards certain group of people who do not agree with them. They even lie to false reason with people to support they perceived moral superiority. Their pride is causing them to oppose God. They promote things now days with their virtue signaling that got nations judged by God in the past. They even exaggerate certain truths embellishing them to get others to glorify them instead of God. When you exagerate a truth to deceive someone, or you omit information to deceive someone , it is a sin of omission and viewed as a lie or deception by God and the person will be judged as a liar. We know the bible tells us no liar will enter into the kingdom of heaven. It is God that we should be giving our glory to and not ourselves or any man. No human could be as righteous as Jesus and God are. No human could ever accomplish the things Jesus and God has. Compared to them the things we do are very small.

We are to reprove those who practice such things. We are to let people know what God requires. If we are practicing such things how can we teach others what God requires? When someone contradicts the bible we are to set them straight. If we are not doing our best to remain blameless how can we share God’s word in truth and accurately with others. If we look down on others we are not imitating Jesus. If we are judging others we are bringing judgment on ourselves. We are to show people what God requires , pray for them and the rest is between them and God. If they accept the bible councel and change then you have gained a spiritual relative. If they do not change we should not judge them that is between them and God. If we judge them we bring judgment on ourselves. This is why speculating about someones motives or about things they may have done or may be doing is judging them. We are not to speculate , or make assumptions if we do not have solid proof. The bible requires evidence that can be proven and two reputable witnesses. If we are stating something about someone and we do not provide evidence the we are speculating. This means we are virtue signaling as the pharisees often did.

There are milder forms of virtue signaling for example a person may be a vegetarian and judge others because they eat meat. Jesus made it clear it is not what goes into the mouth that makes us unrighteous but what comes out of it. We are not supposed to force our will on others. Just because it may bother some to eat animals that had to be killed to provide nourishment for someone, does not mean someone who is vegetarian is more righteous. If we boast about things we perceive makes us more righteous we are virtue signaling and sometimes even judging others.

Those who virtue signal is not driven by pity, compassion or mercy as Jesus was. Virtue signalers want to gain higher standing in others eyes, gain more power or prominence. Sometimes it is used to gain prominence and higher standing in religious organizations. We have to be very careful of those who virtue signal. It shows their hearts are not complete with God. The pharisees and Sadducee were the religious leaders when Jesus walked the earth. They frequently virtue signaled and look what they did to him. Those who virtue signal will do anything to smear someone to make themselves look more righteous. They may exaggerate or speculate about things someone has done to make themselves appear more righteous. We must be very careful of ones who virtue signal. We seen what the pharisees and Sadducee did to Jesus. The bible tells us to view others as superior to ourselves. If we are belittling someone or constantly pointing out their flaws are we really viewing others as superior to ourselves? Of course not those are forms of virtue signaling something the bible frequently warns us not to do.

Sometimes people will virtue signal to be accepted. What does man have to offer us? Nothing but death it was the sin of Adam and Even that brought death on us. Jesus ransom sacrifice opened the way for us to live forever, but we have to repent and do our best to imitate Jesus. When Jesus called people out on their error often times he did it in private. He only called them out publicly when it was necessary. If we are virtue signaling by looking down on others, or by accepting things that would be in opposition to what God would requires because they are accepted as being the norm., or we are doing it because we feel we are superior to others, then we are imitating the world and not Jesus. Jesus served others, Jesus did not put wealth first but he put spiritual things first, Jesus did not look down on others. We all need reminders but when someone was in error Jesus would let them know, if they started to slip spiritually Jesus would let them know. If someone refused to listen then he would not continue to bash them with the bible , he would pray for them and then leave it between them and God. If we are bashing people with the bible instead of using it to give them hope and to guide them to God then we may be virtue signaling. We have to be very careful because if we are continually bashing someone with the bible it may indicate we have become overconfident in our standing with God. God appointed Jesus as our king and he is now the Judge. So we pray approaching God through Jesus our king and mediator. We should make sure all we do is glorifying God and not ourselves. What good is it if we gain the world but lose our life?

When we are praying or even in a state of remorse for an error we have committed. We are to repent and pray to God, but we are not to make a show of it. When we pray we are to pray in private we are not supposed to make a public display when doing it. God knows us and what we need. Putting on a public display only serves ourselves. Convincing man that we repented or that our prayers are sincere does not bring us salvation. Convincing Jesus and God our repentance and prayers are sincere is what will bring us salvation. We back up our repentance by actions. We do not put ourselves in a situation to make the same error or to fall short of God again. Most of all we should not go through life judging others or speculating on their motives. If we do this we put ourselves under judgment. We are forgiven as we forgive others. Judging others reveals more about the person doing the judging then it does about the one being judged.

If we have a friend or family member who frequently speculates, judges others, virtue signals we may want to use caution. Their hearts may not be complete with God and if they are doing those things to others they most likely are doing them to you. If we warn them and they do not respond in a good way but attack the one warning them, then we should be cautious it shows something about their heart condition. This type of behavior can eventually effects us and we could start doing it. If we desire to have God show us mercy then we need to show others mercy. When dealing with others we need to keep in mind we are all imperfect. They have to deal with each our imperfections just as much as we have to deal with theirs. As we grow spiritually and God’s word reveals areas we need to work on, that is what shows our heart condition. Those with hardened hearts fail to grow spiritually and will hang on to their errant ways and imperfect human characters. Those ones we should be cautious associating with . When forgiving others whether they repented or not we should not hold a grudge. If they refuse to repent the bible warns we should not associate with them, they are a bad association. If the person has repented and show by their actions they have repented we are to forgive them. If we continually bring up the error they have made even though they have repented, then we truly have not forgiven them in our hearts as the bible tells us to and we will not be forgiven. Many want to be forgiven when they feel true remorse for their error and have done their best to take corrective actions. We have to consider how we have felt when we have made errors and corrected our short coming and were forgiven. Should we not do the same for others? By our behavior we set the example and could lead others to repentance.

To understand sins of omission better we can read about the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke chapter 10. If we know what the right thing to do is and we do not do it, that is a sin of omission. We can read about king David in 2 Samuel chapter 11, he lusted for another man’s wife and eventually committed adultery and caused the man’s death. David committed many sins of omission in an effort to try and hide the sins he had committed . The bible tells us to not only be hearers of God’s word but to also be doers. It also tells us by doing so we will find true happiness. The pharisees committed sins of omission when they put more importance on the material things , and the charity given to God’s temple but not the more weighty things such as mercy, justice and faith. The pharisees did not take care of those in need.

The worst virtue signaling you see now days is the news media. They constantly try to put themselves in God’s place and tell people what is moral and what is not. They constantly commit sins of omission by telling partial truths, or pretending to be merciful while ignoring those who really are in need. Many public figures promote abortion as if it is a virtuous thing to do. We know God does not treat the harming or corruption of children lightly. Now they are promoting sex changes for children. Many of the things those in the media, public figures and even some politicians promote the bible called animalistic and demonic. They spread division and hatred instead of love. All of them will be held accountable and have to face God on his great day of judgment and he takes no excuses for answers to why they are doing the things they are.

Government organization, tech companies and others are now censoring and heavily promoting their own sense of morality which is often times in opposition to God. When someone is in a position to influence many people either positively or negatively God holds them much more accountable. Those opposing God now will be held accountable and even death will not protect them from God’s justice because the bible tells us there will be a resurrection of the righteous and unrighteous. For the unrighteous there will be a resurrection of judgment and the righteous a resurrection of life. Many oppose what God would require so much that they even promote acts of violence against those who do not hold their same views on what they believe is moral. No authority is higher then God’s and on his great day they will have to answer for their disobedience and arrogance. They are promoting doctrines of demons making it clear they are in opposition to God. Whether they believe in God or not their ignorance of his laws and what he requires and their opposition to what he requires will bring God’s justice on themselves. They will be punished for the things the are doing and the things they are promoting. They have almost completely turned their backs on God. So much so that they now are corrupting and butchering children with sex change surgeries. Even many churches now days are promoting these things in opposition to God. Because they falsely claim to be representatives of God they will be held much more accountable.

God does not accept ignorance now. He tolerated it in the past but Jesus clarified everything. God has many messengers who work very hard to spread his word. If they are ignorant now it is by choice they have rejected the message from those he has sent out into the world. There is no longer an excuse for ignorance of what God requires. God did not tolerate ignorance of his laws with Israel because he had given them his laws and commands and ordered them to read them daily and meditate on them. That command stands even today. God’s word is available to everyone. If they refuse to learn what he requires it is by choice. Those who deliberately refuse God do as God requires will be obvious. We should do our best not to get involved in the things they do or promote. (Romans 1:28-32) ²⁸ Just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a disapproved mental state, to do the things not fitting. ²⁹ And they were filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, and badness, being full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice, being whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, schemers of what is harmful, disobedient to parents, ³¹ without understanding, false to agreements, having no natural affection, and merciless. ³² Although these know full well the righteous decree of God—that those practicing such things are deserving of death—they not only keep on doing them but also approve of those practicing them.

The bible warned us in the last days these things would occur. The bible told us we would know who belonged to God by their fruits. Those not producing fruit or who produce bad fruits will be punished. Those producing good fruits will be saved. Not even death can stop God from rewarding those who produce good fruits because he will remember them during the resurrection and if they died righteous they will enjoy a resurrection of life. (John 5:28, 29) ²⁸ Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.

As God’s great day of judgment draws near we need to stay focus on Godly things and not put our trust in man. We need to be aware of the fruits others produce because the bible warned they would have a form of godly devotion but prove false to it’s power. We are to stay away from such ones. What they are going to experience very soon should make them very afraid. For those who are obedient to God these times are times of joy because they are a sing that the wicked will be gone soon and better times are very very near. (Galatians 5:22-24) ²² On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, ²³ mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed to the stake the flesh together with its passions and desires. Is there any hope for those who virtue signal? Certainly if they repent and try their best to make reparations for damage they have caused to others lives to the best of their abilities by their virtue signaling they can be forgiven. God is very merciful and loving.

Because Jesus reminded those who opposed him and God they would face God’s anger and justice on his great day it hurt their conscience. Because of this they tried smearing his reputation and even paid people to lie about him. Jesus stood his ground and refuse to be corrupted and remained loyal and faithful to god even to the end. God rewarded his faith, obedience and loyalty by resurrecting him from the grave and seating him on the throne in heaven. We need to pay much better attention to the fruits a person is producing and not to the material things they may have , the power or prominence. Very soon the world is going to turn on those producing good fruit. By choosing our friends wisely and making certain they produce good fruits it will work as a protection. God rewards those who remain faithful and loyal. Not even death can separate someone from the love of God and the love of Jesus and he will remember those who remain loyal during the resurrection. Those who lacked faith or were disobedient will be thrown into the lake of fire. If someone produced bad fruits it would be wise to try our best to keep our distance from them to protect ourselves. Those devoted to destruction will produce the fruits of the flesh. Those producing the works of the flesh will be gone soon. (Galatians 5:19-21) ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual immorality, uncleanness, brazen conduct, ²⁰ idolatry, spiritism, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these. I am forewarning you about these things, the same way I already warned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.

As we see things rapidly winding down we need to keep in mind that the wicked will be gone very soon and better times are very very near. (Psalm 37:10, 11) ¹⁰ Just a little while longer, and the wicked will be no more; You will look at where they were, And they will not be there. ¹¹ But the meek will possess the earth, And they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.

(Revelation 21:1-4) 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. ² I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. ⁴ And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”

We may suffer for a short period of time, but this should bring us joy. The bible warned things will become very difficult especially for those doing their best to do God’s will. We should not be discouraged because it is a sign redemption is near and Jesus is about to return and set matters straight and the wicked will be no more. We are to lift ourselves up because the things occurring are a sign redemption is near. (Luke 21:25-28) ²⁵ “Also, there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation. ²⁶ People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. ²⁸ But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near.”

As this system rapidly winds down, being aware of when someone may be virtue signaling and avoiding getting involved in such things will protect our minds and our hearts and help protect us from the punishment those involved in virtue signaling will experience very soon.

(Matthew 6:1-4) 6 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. ² So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³ But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.

(2 Corinthians 10:17, 18) . . .” ¹⁸ For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved, but the one whom Jehovah recommends.

(Luke 18:9-14) ⁹ He also told this illustration to some who trusted in their own righteousness and who considered others as nothing: ¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and began to pray these things to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like everyone else—extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give the tenth of all things I acquire.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing even to raise his eyes heavenward but kept beating his chest, saying, ‘O God, be gracious to me, a sinner.’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his home and was proved more righteous than that Pharisee. Because everyone who exalts himself will be humiliated, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

(Matthew 5:14-16) ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city cannot be hid when located on a mountain. ¹⁵ People light a lamp and set it, not under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it shines on all those in the house. ¹⁶ Likewise, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your fine works and give glory to your Father who is in the heavens.

(1 Corinthians 6:9-11) ⁹ Or do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Do not be misled. Those who are sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, men who submit to homosexual acts, men who practice homosexuality, ¹⁰ thieves, greedy people, drunkards, revilers, and extortioners will not inherit God’s Kingdom. ¹¹ And yet that is what some of you were. But you have been washed clean; you have been sanctified; you have been declared righteous in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.

(1 Timothy 1:8-11) ⁸ Now we know that the Law is fine if one applies it properly, ⁹ recognizing that law is made, not for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, ungodly and sinners, disloyal and profane, murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, manslayers, ¹⁰ sexually immoral people, men who practice homosexuality, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and everything else that is in opposition to the wholesome teaching ¹¹ according to the glorious good news of the happy God, with which I was entrusted.

(Leviticus 5:17) ¹⁷ “If someone sins by doing any of the things that Jehovah commands should not be done, even if he is not aware of it, he is still guilty and will answer for his error.

(Acts 17:29-31) ²⁹ “Therefore, since we are the children of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, like something sculptured by the art and design of humans. ³⁰ True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance; but now he is declaring to all people everywhere that they should repent. ³¹ Because he has set a day on which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has provided a guarantee to all men by resurrecting him from the dead.”

(Romans 1:18-23) ¹⁸ For God’s wrath is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who are suppressing the truth in an unrighteous way, ¹⁹ because what may be known about God is clearly evident among them, for God made it clear to them. ²⁰ For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable. ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their senseless hearts became darkened. ²² Although claiming they were wise, they became foolish ²³ and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into something like the image of corruptible man and birds and four-footed creatures and reptiles.

(Titus 1:6-9) . . .. ⁷ For as God’s steward, an overseer must be free from accusation, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy of dishonest gain, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of goodness, sound in mind, righteous, loyal, self-controlled, ⁹ holding firmly to the faithful word as respects his art of teaching, so that he may be able both to encourage by the teaching that is wholesome and to reprove those who contradict.

(Jude 6, 7) . . .. ⁷ In the same manner, Sodʹom and Go·morʹrah and the cities around them also gave themselves over to gross sexual immorality and pursued unnatural fleshly desires; they are placed before us as a warning example by undergoing the judicial punishment of everlasting fire.

(Philippians 2:1-4) 2 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any spiritual fellowship, if any tender affection and compassion, ² make my joy full by being of the same mind and having the same love, being completely united, having the one thought in mind. ³ Do nothing out of contentiousness or out of egotism, but with humility consider others superior to you, ⁴ as you look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.

(Matthew 6:19-23) ¹⁹ “Stop storing up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ²² “The lamp of the body is the eye. If, then, your eye is focused, your whole body will be bright. ²³ But if your eye is envious, your whole body will be dark. If the light that is in you is really darkness, how great that darkness is!

(Matthew 6:16-18) ¹⁶ “When you fast, stop becoming sad-faced like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so they may appear to men to be fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ¹⁷ But you, when fasting, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you may not appear to be fasting to men but only to your Father who is in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.

(Matthew 6:14, 15) ¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; ¹⁵ whereas if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

(James 2:13) For the one who does not practice mercy will have his judgment without mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

(Matthew 18:32-35) . . .. ³³ Should you not also have shown mercy to your fellow slave as I showed mercy to you?’ ³⁴ With that his master, provoked to wrath, handed him over to the jailers until he repaid all that he owed. ³⁵ My heavenly Father will also deal with you in the same way if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.”

(Matthew 18:15-17) ¹⁵ “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go and reveal his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. ¹⁷ If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector.

(Matthew 7:1-5) 7 “Stop judging that you may not be judged; ² for with the judgment you are judging, you will be judged, and with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you. ³ Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye but do not notice the rafter in your own eye? ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Allow me to remove the straw from your eye,’ when look! a rafter is in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to remove the straw from your brother’s eye.

(Luke 6:37) ³⁷ “Moreover, stop judging, and you will by no means be judged; and stop condemning, and you will by no means be condemned. Keep on forgiving, and you will be forgiven.

(Psalm 1:1, 2) 1 Happy is the man who does not walk according to the advice of the wicked And does not stand on the path of sinners And does not sit in the seat of scoffers.  ² But his delight is in the law of Jehovah, And he reads His law in an undertone day and night.

(1 Corinthians 15:33, 34) ³³ Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits. ³⁴ Come to your senses in a righteous way and do not practice sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I am speaking to move you to shame.

(James 4:13-17) ¹³ Come, now, you who say: “Today or tomorrow we will travel to this city and will spend a year there, and we will do business and make some profit,” ¹⁴ whereas you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears. ¹⁵ Instead, you should say: “If Jehovah wills, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ But now you take pride in your arrogant boasting. All such boasting is wicked. ¹⁷ Therefore, if someone knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him. . .

(James 1:22-25) ²² However, become doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves with false reasoning. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, this one is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself, and he goes away and immediately forgets what sort of person he is. ²⁵ But the one who peers into the perfect law that belongs to freedom and continues in it has become, not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; and he will be happy in what he does.

(Matthew 23:23, 24) ²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you give the tenth of the mint and the dill and the cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness. These things it was necessary to do, yet not to disregard the other things. ²⁴ Blind guides, who strain out the gnat but gulp down the camel. . .

(1 Corinthians 10:20-22) ²⁰ No; but I say that what the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers with the demons. ²¹ You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of “the table of Jehovah” and the table of demons. ²² Or ‘are we inciting Jehovah to jealousy’? We are not stronger than he is, are we?

(1 Timothy 4:1-5) 4 However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, ² by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron. ³ They forbid marriage and command people to abstain from foods that God created to be partaken of with thanksgiving by those who have faith and accurately know the truth. ⁴ For every creation of God is fine, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is sanctified through God’s word and prayer over it.

(James 3:13-16) . . .. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and contentiousness in your hearts, do not be bragging and lying against the truth. ¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above; it is earthly, animalistic, demonic. ¹⁶ For wherever there are jealousy and contentiousness, there will also be disorder and every vile thing.

(2 Peter 2:11-13) . . .. ¹² But these men, like unreasoning animals that act on instinct and are born to be caught and destroyed, speak abusively about things of which they are ignorant. They will suffer destruction brought on by their own destructive course, ¹³ suffering harm as their reward for their own harmful course.. . .

(2 Peter 2:13-15) . . .They consider it pleasurable to indulge in luxurious living, even in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes who revel in their deceptive teachings while feasting together with you. ¹⁴ Their eyes are full of adultery and are unable to desist from sin, and they entice unstable ones. They have a heart trained in greed. They are accursed children. ¹⁵ Abandoning the straight path, they have been led astray. They have followed the path of Baʹlaam the son of Beʹor, who loved the reward of wrongdoing,

(Galatians 6:7-10) ⁷ Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a person is sowing, this he will also reap; ⁸ because the one sowing with a view to his flesh will reap corruption from his flesh, but the one sowing with a view to the spirit will reap everlasting life from the spirit. ⁹ So let us not give up in doing what is fine, for in due time we will reap if we do not tire out. ¹⁰ So, then, as long as we have the opportunity, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.

(Matthew 7:15-20) ¹⁵ “Be on the watch for the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they? ¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree not producing fine fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men.

(John 15:5-10) . . .. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in union with me, he is thrown out like a branch and dries up. And men gather those branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in union with me and my sayings remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will take place for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified in this, that you keep bearing much fruit and prove yourselves my disciples. ⁹ Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you observe my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have observed the commandments of the Father and remain in his love.

(2 Timothy 3:1-7) 3 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, ³ having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, ⁴ betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. ⁶ From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, ⁷ always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth.

(Zephaniah 1:18) Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them in the day of Jehovah’s fury; For by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be consumed, Because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.”