What's Needed After Faith? Virtue
Jay Horsley
The “Christian Virtues” of 2 Pet. 1:5-11 should be familiar to us all. However, in view of the great promises there and the guidance given toward the holy life we must strive for, a repeated examination is proper.
Please read again the text.
A sequential examination of this passage shows that it begins with “escaping the corruption of the world” and ends with the “entrance to the eternal kingdom.” What is this but initial salvation and the final obtaining of that hope in the passing through the pearly gates? So Peter begins with being saved and ends in heaven. Now let us consider the middle part - the daily walk between the beginning and the end, in other words, a Christian life. What are the things necessary to get from the initial fellowship with God to the permanent victorious state?
A Character Conformed To The Image of Christ
This text speaks of Christians being “partakers of the divine nature.” As Christians we must reconform ourselves to God. We were made in His image (Gen. 1:26,27) but we marred ourselves by sin, conforming ourselves to the world (1 Pet. 1:14) in a sinful life. We must then transform ourselves with a renewed mind (Rom. 12:1,2) back to God. This is done by following the word of God to conform ourselves to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).
In the text before us the Apostle Peter spells out this reformation to “conform to the image of Christ” and partake of the diving nature in eight qualities that a Christian must have. The greatest of these is love - the self sacrificing attitude of seeking the best for others. Before we achieve this we must develop a true love of our brethren, and before this, godliness. We all know Christians who have obtained this level of maturity. The are generally well respected and lead exemplary lives. However, many of us stall out before this point. We just don't make it that far.
Lack of Virtue Retards Us
What holds us back? Some brethren have practiced their faith with perseverance, but many don't have the patience or the conviction to practice Christianity for the length of time necessary to reach maturity. This dedication requires self control and the knowledge applied over the long haul. But what enables one to learn, practice, grow and be fruitful while another is stalling, diverted, distracted, weakened, and maybe even giving up and their faith dying? The key is the first thing that must be added diligently to faith - virtue.
The Necessity of Virtue
In order to grow properly as a Christian the Apostles says that we must diligently add these qualities one upon another. Of course the apostles begins with the assumption of faith - without faith none will see God or become Christians. And what is the thing that secures, defends and protects this foundation of faith and gives a man a bulwark upon which to build the higher qualities? Virtue.
The Definition of Virtue
The original word here is arete (Strg. 703), translated as either “virtue” or “moral excellence.” The dictionaries define the word as “virtue, moral goodness, a virtuous course of thought, feeling and actions, courage, moral integrity, spiritual backbone, manliness.” This is a word describing someone who not wishy-washy, double minded, or childish. We must make the adult decision to follow Christ fully. As the Apostle Paul said in illustrating another point, “When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.” (1 Cor. 13:11) The virtuous man has a dedicated mind determined to overcome all things that would hinder his Christian course of action. It is the attitude of doing right regardless the circumstances or consequences.
Virtue Foundational
Without virtue we will have no foundation, no root, no ground. Jesus described these in the parable of the sower. “And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.” (Mark 4:16,17) Unless we want this to be our end we must be of stronger virtue.
Only Failures Awaits When Fortitude Is Lacking
There are always those who have been spectacular failures due to their lack of moral fiber. The last king of Judah refused to surrender to the overwhelming army of Nebuchadnezzar contrary to all sense and the words of Jeremiah the prophet thus causing the city to be burned, his sons to be killed and his wives taken by other men because he feared the reaction of his fellow Jews. His pride destroyed the city because he feared that “they mock me.” (Jer. 38:19) Even among the faithful this temptation is ever present. Abraham faltered by twice telling powerful men that Sarah was not his wife but his sister. Peter fell among the Judaizers and held himself aloof from his Gentile brethren.
Lack of virtue can easily make us compromise things we should not. This may be in going along with things that need to be rebuked and participating in some sins just to get along. But Jesus sternly warned us not to compromise the things we know are right according to his teaching - even in the midst of opposition. "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38) When our virtue fails repentance is our only course.
What Will Strengthen Our Virtue?
What we need in our leaders, our pews, our families and in ourselves is more virtue. But how is such a basic character trait built? We all remember those hard lessons we learned growing up - the ones that were always explained with the reason that “it builds character.” We need more lessons like that. But since most of us don't have our dad or a coach or a hard driving teacher to demand it of us we naturally tend to avoid such exercises. So where will we learn the resolve necessary to do build our character? Does it come simply from internal drive, drawing on our own inner strength? Well, without it we will not go far, but our own strength will not take us far enough.
The Virtue of God Our Example
Fortunately we have help in our attempts to build virtue into ourselves and ingrain it into our character. We have the fellowship of the saints (others engaged in the same striving) and the instructions and examples of the Master Teacher, Jesus. And consider the resolute character of God - who deals truthfully and faithfully in every action. His dealing with the nations, with His people and the scheme of our redemption all show His virtue. He gave His Son (Jn. 3:16). His Son endured the cross willingly and knowingly (Phil. 2:5-8). The word virtue can almost be defined by Luke 9:51: “And it came about, when the days were approaching for His ascension, that He resolutely set His face to go to Jerusalem.”
Thus our Lord and Master, the “Captain of our salvation,” has shown us the way. “Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Hence, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.” (Heb. 13:12,13) We are virtuous to the degree we resolutely follow Him. Considering this high calling we can surely conclude that we all need to be more virtuous. Lack of virtue is one of the deepest character flaws that we can carry with us because all the higher graces are built upon it. We will not progress in Christ without it.
The Search Inside
“Who can find a virtuous woman?” (Prov. 31:10) And who can find a virtuous man? Is one found in you?