By Jerry Richard Boone Conclusion of Christian Virtues Knowledge and Wisdom Peter and Paul both commend knowledge. Peter lists knowledge as one of the eight qualities we need to be growing into to keep us from being ineffective or unproductive. (2 Peter 1:8) The knowledge he refers to is an understanding of Jesus Christ. And he explains why we need this knowledge: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” (1 Peter 3:15) Paul prayed that God would fill the Colossians with wisdom and understanding of God’s will. (Colossians 1:9) And they would grow in knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:9) But knowledge has its limits. Paul says knowledge passes away, (1 Corinthians 13:8) and it “puffs up” those who have it whereas love “builds up.” ( Corinthians 8:1) James, on the other hand, advises us to ask God for wisdom. (James 1:5) Limitations aside, Peter, Paul, and James say wisdom and knowledge of God and Christ are things we should pray for and work to achieve. Obedience Another Christian virtue is obedience. If we don’t obey Christ, he went to a lot of trouble and pain for nothing. He very much wants us to listen to his words and follow his instructions. He challenges us: “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15) And he promises us: “If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” (John 8:51) Then in a dramatic parable, Jesus compares those who obey him to a wise man who builds his house on a rock. But those who fail to put his words into practice are compared to a foolish man who builds his house on sand. “That house falls with a great crash.” (Matthew 7:24-27) Jesus also stresses obedience in Matthew 7:21 and 28:19-20, and Luke 11:28. Obedience is mandatory. Perseverance and Faithfulness These two virtues are so closely related we will consider them together. Faithfulness along with justice and mercy are three of the more important matters of the law, Jesus told the teachers of the law and Pharisees. (Matthew 23:23) Jesus issued this promise: “Remain in me and I will remain in you,” (John 15:4) and this thinly veiled warning: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5-6) Again it is Jesus who says: “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:12-13) Jesus, Peter, Paul, James and the writer of Hebrews all caution us to persevere and to remain faithful to Christ. See Revelation 2:10, 2 Peter 1:6, Galatians 5:22, 1 Corinthians 10:12-13, Hebrews 3:14, 10:36. and 12:1-3. and James 1:3-4 and 1:12. Faithfulness and perseverance are two more qualities Christians must acquire. Prudence Prudence means exercising sound judgment, being practical, sensible, cautious – not rash or extravagant. In a word, prudence means maturity. Jesus illustrated the virtue of prudence with the parable of the ten virgins. Five of the virgins were ready when the bridegroom arrived, the other five, the foolish virgins, were not ready. They were locked out. Jesus concludes the parable with: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:1-13) Paul advised the Corinthians to “stop thinking like children.” He told them to be infants in evil but adult in thinking. (1 Corinthians 14:20) In letters to three more cities, Paul encourages his readers to reason as mature adults: Ephesians 4:14-16, Philippians 3:12-15, and Colossians 4:5-6. Luke commends the Bereans for their prudence in examining the scriptures to see if Paul were speaking the truth. (Acts 17:11) A certain form of prudence surfaces in much of what Jesus says. Again and again he tells us to get our priorities in order. He says not to worry about our life, what we are going to eat or wear. Life’s more that food and clothing. (Matthew 6:25) Our priority is to seek his kingdom. God will take care of our physical needs. (Matthew 6:26-33) We shouldn’t even be afraid of those who have the power to kill us. Rather we should fear God who can condemn us to hell. (Luke 12:4-5) In the following three statements, Jesus explicitly tells us that heaven is our only true goal. Everything else is secondary. Jesus: “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26) Jesus: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) Jesus: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14) It is a matter of perspective. We should know what’s important and what isn’t, and we should act accordingly. Temperance Closely associated with prudence is temperance. Temperance means self restraint or moderation. The temperance movement in America made “temperance” a byword for abstinence from intoxicants, but it has a broader application. We will use the more comprehensive meaning to include self control, modesty, patience, peace, and peacemakers. Self control is another one of those eight qualities Peter says should be growing in us to keep us from complacency or unproductive service. (2 Peter 1:6) Peter and Paul both urge us to exercise self control. See 1 Peter 1:13, 4:7, and 5:8, Acts 24:25, Galatians 5:23 and 1 Thessalonians 5:6. In his letter to the Romans, Paul explains what he means by self control. It is refraining from sinful desires such as orgies, drunkenness, sexual immorality, debauchery, dissension and jealousy. We are not to even think about these things. (Romans 13:13) Modesty is another form of temperance. Jesus tells us not to do good deeds to impress other people. (Matthew 6:1) When we give to charity, don’t make a show of it. (Matthew 6:2) Let our contributions be in secret. God knows. He will reward us. (Matthew 6:4) likewise, don’t make a spectacle out of praying (Matthew 6:5-6) or fasting. (Matthew 6:16-18) Our charity, our prayers, and our fasts are all to be between ourselves and God. Bragging about such things is inappropriate. And it doesn’t please God. Self restraint often means patience. Jesus, Peter, Paul, and James all mention this virtue. Jesus commends the church at Philadelphia for enduring patiently. (Revelation 3:10) Peter advises patience in 1 Peter 1:67, and Paul recommends the same in three of his letters: Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 4:1-2, and 1 Thessalonians 5:14. Twice Paul give us the reason for patience. He says our light and momentary troubles are gaining us an eternal glory which far outweighs them all. (2 Corinthians 4:17) Similarly in Romans, he explains that our present suffering is trivial compared to the glory in store for us. (Romans 8:18) James agrees and adds his own reason: “Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” (James 5:8) We are also to be peacemakers. Jesus brings this to our attention in the beatitude: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9) It is a continuing theme with Jesus. He tells us to live at peace with one another whenever possible. See Mark 9:50, Matthew 5:24-25, and 5:38-39. Paul too stresses peace in his letters. He mentions it on eleven occasions. Romans 12:18 sums up Paul’s guidance on the subject: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Paul wants us to do whatever it takes to live in harmony. If something you eat offends a fellow Christian, then don’t eat it, advises Paul. You don’t want to destroy one for whom Christ died. (Romans 14:15) Temperance means a number of things: self control, modesty, patience, and living at peace with one another. We are to do our best to get along with other people. Temperance, like the other Christian virtues, is not an option; it’s a requirement. What makes a Christian a Christian? A Christian is one who believes in Jesus, repents of his sins, confesses Jesus as the Christ, is baptized into the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and obeys Christ’s commands. Now we can expand that definition and say a Christian is a follower of Christ: one who believes, repents, confesses, is baptized, and grows in the Christian virtues of charity, courage, faith, humility, justice, knowledge, obedience, perseverance, faithfulness, prudence, and temperance. Character Transformation A caterpillar is a rather odd, pathetic looking creature. But, as you know, this homely insect emerges from its cocoon transformed into a beautiful butterfly. Here we find a correlation to Christianity. In our natural state we are not very pretty either. We tend to be greedy, petty, loathsome little creatures primarily intent on satisfying our own desires. Christ wants to change us. He wants to take away our selfish little will and replace it with his own. He will, if we let him, transform us into an entirely new creature, a creature like himself. The caterpillar has no choice. Instinct drives it into the cocoon. Metamorphosis changes it into a butterfly. But we have a choice; we can always say “No” to God. we can stay a caterpillar. God will not alter us against our will. Christ himself laid down the transformation requirements. And it won’t do any good to say: “I don’t like the rules” or “I wish they were different.” Christ made the rules. To follow him we must believe in him, repent of our sins, confess his name, and be baptized in his name. That, however, is just the beginning. He wants us to grow in his likeness. We are to practice the Christian virtues until they become part and parcel of our new character. This is how Christ transforms us into heavenly beings full of charity, courage, faith, humility, justice, knowledge, wisdom, obedience, perseverance, faithfulness, prudence, and temperance. When Christ completes our transformation, we will be fit subjects for God’s eternal kingdom. Aspiring to Christian virtues, we discover, is a very reasonable way for all of us to live. “Hath man no second life? — Pitch this one high!” Matthew Arnold (1822 -1888) English poet and critic Note: All Scripture References are taken from the New International Version unless otherwise stated. KJV – King James Version Jerry Boone, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, United States webmaster@merechristianity.us Mr. Boone is a sailor, author, and webmaster of http://merechristianity.us His works include: Mere Christianity.us and SAFETY LINE – EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN, an apologetic study published 1998. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jerry_Richard_Boone http://EzineArticles.com/?Christian-Virtues-Part-Two-of-Two&id=527130
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