Articles
A Good Name
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
