by By David Jeremiah
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14
Virtue is defined as moral excellence; a virtue (or virtues) is behavior that evidences the pursuit of moral excellence. Since the fifth century A.D., the Christian Church has identified seven cardinal virtues: temperance, prudence, courage, and justice, plus the three virtues of faith, hope, and love from 1 Corinthians 13:13.
While the Bible does not contain a list of Christian virtues, Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit is a good place to begin: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Virtues”and their opposite, vices are not passive manifestations. They are the result of the choices we make to pursue godliness (moral excellence; Christlikeness) or not. For example, the fruit of the Spirit appear in the lives of those who choose to be cleansed of their sin and be filled with the Holy Spirit (1 John 1:9; Ephesians 5:18). The psalmist put it well ”praying for thoughts, words, and resulting actions that will please God.”
Ask God today for the filling of His Spirit that the life of Christ may be manifest through you, leading to a virtuous life.
So let our works and virtues shine, to prove the doctrine all divine.
Isaac Watts