46 Bible Verses about ethics, and grace

out of the heart proceed evil designs, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimony, slanders.

for from within, from the heart of man proceed wicked designs, adulteries, fornications, murders; thefts, avarice, malice, fraud, impudence, envy, scandal, pride, vanity.

for we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold a slave to sin. what I do I allow not: for what my mind leads me to, that do I not; but what I have an aversion to, that I do.

because when they knew God, they did not with gratitude glorify him as God, but their reasoning became extravagance, and their minds, void of judgment, were involv'd in darkness.

for all having sinned, all have forfeited eternal glory:

but the scripture has declar'd all guilty of sin, that the blessing promised on condition of faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

If we say that we are without sin, we deceive ourselves, and have no regard to truth.

Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obey'd the gospel, not only when I was with you, but much more now while I am absent, continue the work of your own salvation, whatever persecutions you apprehend:

be ye therefore perfect, even as your father who is in heaven is perfect.

Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but only they who do the will of my Father who is in heaven.

and he said to him, why do you stile me good? there is but one that is good, that is God. but if you would enter into life, keep the commandments.

(I allude to civil affairs, because of your unacquaintedness with spiritual matters:) as then you made your natural faculties subservient to impurity, and all manner of vice; make them now subservient to virtue and holiness.

since then, we have these promises, my dear brethren, let us cleanse our selves from all impurity, whether of body or mind, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

As for you the minister of God, avoid those things: adhere to justice, piety, faith, charity, patience, and benignity of temper.

Do you on your part employ all your care in adding to your faith, fortitude: to fortitude, knowledge: to knowledge, temperance: to temperance, patience: to patience, piety: to piety, fraternal affection: and to fraternal affection, universal benevolence.

since then, my dear brethren, your expectations are such, take care to appear before him, without any defect or blemish, in order to be happy; and be persuaded,

he that hath such an expectation should purify himself, even as he is pure.

Do we then conclude, that the law is the cause of sin? by no means; but I should not have had such a notion of sin, had it not been for the law: for I should not have known concupiscence was a sin, unless the law had said, "thou shalt not covet."

now the spirit which we have received, is not the spirit of this world, but that which comes from God; that we might know what he has graciously bestowed upon us. this is what we declare, not in the words which human wisdom, but which the holy spirit dictates; explaining spiritual things in a spiritual language. but the animal man does not receive the effusions of the spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him; neither can he understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

I say then, conduct yourselves by the spirit, and you will not then gratify the animal passions.

if ye love me, keep my commandments. and I will pray the father, and he shall give you another advocate, to abide with you for ever; even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees nor knows him: but ye shall know him, for he shall dwell with you, and shall be in you.

God having sent his own son invested with a body like that of sinful men, as a sacrifice for sin, thereby destroyed its power; which the law could not effect, human nature being in such a corrupted state. so that the moral obligations of the law might be fulfilled by us, in living according to the spiritual, and not the carnal tenor thereof: for they that are sensually affected, abandon themselves to sensuality, but the spiritual pursue their spiritual entertainments.

but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, sweetness of disposition, beneficence, faithfulness, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

As for you, my brethren, the favourites of the Lord, we are oblig'd to render perpetual thanks to God, for having chosen you from the beginning, in purifying you by his spirit, upon your believing the gospel.

to sanctify them by his spirit, that by their obedience they might be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ. may the divine savour make you continually prosper.

It is thus his divine power has given us every thing conducive to life and piety, by making us acquainted with him, who has called us by his illustrious power;

I am the vine, you are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for independent of me ye can do nothing.

you have met with no trials yet, but such as are common to men: and God who is faithful, will not suffer you to be tempted above your strength; but will with the temptation make a way to escape, by enabling you to bear it.

put on the set of divine armour, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

for it is God that influences your desires and endeavours, out of his benevolence to you.

for the spirit, which God has given us, is not a spirit of timidity, but of fortitude, of benevolence, and of moderation.

for having himself stood the test of sufferings, he is capable of being moved to relieve those who undergo such tryals.

on the contrary, he heaps his favours upon you. wherefore 'tis said, "God defeats the proud, but is gracious to the humble."

O wretched man that I am, what shall deliver me from this body of death? the divine grace thro' Jesus Christ our Lord. so then, with the mind I my self am devoted to the law of God; tho' my carnal inclinations are enslaved to the law of sin.

and God will confirm you to the end, that ye may be unaccused in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

after the image of God, in justice, sanctity, and truth.

improv'd by knowledge into a resemblance of him, who made this change:

he who has begun this good work in you will bring it to perfection against the appearance of Christ. it is but just

that by the sanctity of your affections, you may stand unreprov'd in the presence of God our father, when our Lord Jesus Christ shall come with all his holy angels.

beloved, we are now the sons of God, tho' it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, that when this change shall be, his immediate presence will give us a divine resemblance.

for whom he before approv'd, he predispos'd to follow the example of his son, who was to conduct them all as their elder brother;

but as we lay aside the veil, the divine light gradually informs the mind, according as we attend to that spiritual sense, which points out the Lord.

As for us, in consequence of his promise, we expect a new heaven, and a new earth, where justice shall reside.

the son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all that make others offend, and those who do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. then shall the just shine out like the sun, in the kingdom of their father. he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

but the fearful, and incredulous, the abominable, the murderer, the licentious, the poisoner, the idolater, and every lyar shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: this is the second death."

"but without are the execrable, the poisoners, the licentious, the murderers, the idolaters, and all who are pleas'd with, or practise deceit.