Does Character Count: Part Two
ROMANS 5: 1 – 4
Aristotle, the godfather of Greek philosophy, asserted human behavior can be shaped, that certain behaviors are helpful for individuals and society.. The Greeks identified four cardinal virtues:
PRUDENCE, JUSTICE, COURAGE, and TEMPERANCE.
Though there are many attributes of those who can come into God’s presence, let’s concentrate on these four. Consider developing these four character traits. Look for them in others and model them.
We live by stories. Your life is a story being lived out. Your autobiography would be your story.
I. PRUDENCE
Prudence is practical wisdom that leads to good choices and results in successful living. Certain self-imposed tests of a decision are practical.
A. Acceptability: Will this please my Lord?
B. Benefit: If this is known, will it cause my friends
embarrassment?
C. Consequences: Am I prepared to live with the outcome?
II. JUSTICE
Justice centers on acts of fairness, honesty, and the rules of law.
Psalm 15: 2 gives three descriptive terms for such a person:
“He walks uprightly…” This is one translation of the Hebrew word for “integrity.” (vs. 2a). He leads an uncorrupted life.
“And works righteousness…” (Vs. 2b). He does what is right.
“He speaks truth from his heart…” (Vs. 2c).
This type of person tells the truth plain and simple. He doesn’t have a personal glossary of terms as defined by himself. He doesn’t play word games. He avoids semantical sand traps.
An old Hebrew translation of this is: “One who doesn’t trip over his own tongue.”
The person who pleases God is defined: “He swears to his own hurt and does not change.” What he says he will do even if it is challenging or costly to do.
III. COURAGE
Psalm 15 closes with assurance: “He who does these things shall never be moved.” Certain character gives stability and consistency.
A sense of justice is of no use if we don’t have the courage of our convictions..
IV. TEMPERANCE
Temperance, the fourth Greek virtue, means self-control.
In the New Testament one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control.
Psalm 15 closes with assurance: “He who does these things shall never be moved.” Certain character gives stability and consistency.
5 began with a question and ends with a promise. Psalm 15 closes with assurance: “He who does these things shall never be moved.” Certain character gives stability and consistency.
Does Character Count: Part One
Romans 5: 1- 4
Jesus dealt with a cast of characters as diverse as we. He provided for all the potential of peace with God in time and for eternity. In time He inspired hope and for eternity. He enabled the love of God to be shared.
It is through the most circuitous route that He leads us to build our character. The path is marked for us:
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Romans 5:1 – 4)
Character traits were once the words used when persons were spoken of. People were described as persons of character. Words such as, honesty, integrity, truthful, and dependable were used.
Gradually the operative word changed from character to personality. Charming, cool, funny, and outgoing became the vocabulary.
How can it be said that character doesn’t count in a world full of “oughts” and “shoulds?” Frequently in Scripture the expression “ought to” is used. It means what we “ought” to do is for our good and God’s glory.
Every ought is
rooted in a value;
every value requires
a choice; every choice
defines a character.
Character isn’t something you have; it is something you are that inevitably shows itself in what you do.
As a child I learned the axiom: “Reputation is what people think you are. Character is what you know you are.”
Yet another: “Take care of your character and your reputation will take care of itself.”
And another: “Only you can damage your character.”
When people think of you, what type of character is envisioned? Take a hard introspective review and ask yourself what type of character you know yourself to be. If that character were revealed would it be an embarrassment to you? Now determine for the two images to be one. Do that in light of this.
“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
Your Sure Refuge
“The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
A refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Psalm 9: 9 – 10
The Hebrew word translated “oppressed’ can be rendered “crushed.” It means to be cut off from any hope of deliverance. It is distress amplified to mean despair. The idea is He is sufficient for your greatest need.
Has that ever described you? There are many forms of oppression; both from man and from Satan oppression comes to us. In all its forms, a refuge is provided by the Lord Jehovah.
Fortresses and certain cities were refuges in Old Testament times. You could enter them and enjoy their protection. So it is with the Lord. Concede you are going to have trouble. It is equally certain that when you do you can go to the Lord seeking and receiving His guidance as a refuge.
We can find refuge in seeking God, in knowing His name. To know His name is equivalent here to learning God’s character as made known by His acts.
To know the Name of God is to know him according to his historical conduct. When we face difficult times, we must resist self-pity, trusting that God knows what’s best for us and can use even our hard experiences for good.
To know the Name of God in Old Testament times meant to believe in God’s Word and trusting His promises. In Old Testament days those who “knew the name of God” were credited with righteousness. They were saved by grace through faith in the coming Lord.
How precious we can say, “I know the ‘unknowable’ name of YHWH.” His name is Jesus. He is truly a gracious God, full of loving-kindness and goodness. His record shows it.
Do you believe your God is almighty? If so, you can know He will shepherd you and provide all my needs. He is my peace even in the darkest day of despair. I will rest my case with Him. On Christ the solid rock I stand even if all other ground is sinking sand.
When difficult times come, and they will, you can rely on this promise. Don’t act like this promise is true, act because it is true.
Frame these truths and hang them on the hall of your mind, pass by them frequently, and reflect on them. He is your strong and mighty refuge. When cut off from all hope, don’t despair, He is there. The word despair means to quit, to give up. Don’t, simply put your trust in Him. Don’t camp in the desert of despair.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3: 5)
A Pattern for Renewal: Part Two
Romans 1: 14 – 17
We, like Paul, can never repay our Lord for what He has done for us; but we, like him, should be willing to pay a little interest on the debt by faithfulness. The expression “ready” (Romans 1: 15) actually means “eager.”
“So” expresses the same intensity as the same word in John 3;16, “For God so loved…”
Paul was fervently eager to preach the Gospel and change society.
He was mocked for preaching the Gospel in Athens.
He was mobbed for preaching it in Jerusalem.
He was now ready to be martyred for preaching it in Rome.
What Paul was to preach was “the Gospel,” the good news, not man’s views.
It takes time to get ready. Paul had to spend time alone in the Arabian desert with the Lord to get “ready.” No Christian should be reluctant to be trained to share the good news. Resolve to follow him in getting ready.
He had a spirit of resolution, “I am not ashamed….” Vss. 16.17
It took bold faith not to be ashamed of the Gospel in Imperial Rome.
Paul had previously faced the wicked city of Corinth “in fear, and in much trembling” (I Cor. 2:3). There he saw what the power of the Gospel could achieve. Now with eager boldness he was ready to face Rome, a city that worshiped power, with a greater power, the power of the Gospel.
The Greek word translated “power” is DUNAMIS meaning “God’s power.” DUNAMIS gives us our English words dynamo, dynamic, and dynamite. Note this change.
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor 6: 9 – 11).
The expression “The just shall live by faith” (vs. 17) was the theme that started the Reformation. It was a revolutionary thought in that era. Man through creedal religion was trying to earn, merit, and deserve God’s favor. Despair and futility resulted.
There is all the difference in the world in man’s self-sought righteousness and God’s righteousness. The principals of destruction noted in this passage are followed in these verses.
Note the antidote. The good news is revealed “from faith to faith,” Faith comes from out of the heart and life of one believer who shares that faith and into the heart of one who by faith receives it. The word “revealed” means “to take off the veil.” That is what sharing the goods news is. It is an unveiling. Share it.
A Pattern for Destruction: Part One
ROMANS 1: 14 – 17
About 500 B.C. “The Greek Miracle” emerged. In the lovely city of Athens, the Greek culture was born. Their striking architecture was revolutionary. They raised knowledge of math to a new height. They became the first civilization to write history as such. They developed a new system of thought called logic.
Our American culture is indebted to Greek thought. They impacted the entire world.
The Greeks were the first to make their gods in their own image. Greek gods were like human beings. They said beauty is truth and truth is beauty.
Romans 1:23 describes this process: “and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”
Man was made the center of the universe. Humanism was given a major boost. Our society is currently following their trend.
Societies that do this should expect the result. Romans 1:24 reveals the result: “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves…”
The term “God gave them up” means God took off all restraints.
God gave them up to depravity. Verse 18 notes the “wrath of God is revealed” against such persons. Romans 1: 21-23 chronicles the behavior resulting in being given up.
IMPUDENT – “They did not glorify God…”
INGRATES – “Neither were they thankful…”
IMPOSING – “They become futile in their thoughts…”
IRRATIONAL – “professing themselves to be wise…”
IDOLATERS – “They changed the glory of the incorruptible.”
God gave them up to “vile passions” (Vs. 26). That is, passions of dishonor.
Other societies that have become hardened in this attitude have experienced the “wrath of God.” It is said God gave such persons “over to a debased mind.” That means a person is incapable of making a correct moral judgment.
Verse 22 says, “Professing themselves to be wise they become fools.”
As verse 18 says we have “suppressed the truth with unrighteousness.” The truth has now become so unpopular in certain instances that it is thought to be wrong.
A second characteristic emerges in verse 32. It shows people seek agreement on sin. “You approve of my sin and I will applaud yours.” The ploy is not only to cover sin, but to get society to applaud it.
This classic example of a society’s degradation is a pattern from which America needs to learn. There are no exemptions. Only revival can change a culture. The people must change in order to change the culture. Are we listening?