Godly Character
So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love…” 2 Peter 1:5-11.(MSG)
Character, not charisma is the essence of true Christianity. It is not just enough to be called a Christian; you must also conduct yourself as a Christian. Be a Christian, both in word and in deed. You simply can’t rise as a Christian above the limitation of your character. There are certain qualities that help to shape Christian character and two of these qualities are Discipline and Honesty.
Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27
Discipline is the gateway to a life of distinction and it yields great rewards to those who value it. Discipline is the willingness to do what is required. Mark 8: 34-35. Discipline requires that you deny your flesh of certain pleasures and make the necessary sacrifices required to achieve your goal. 2 Timothy 2: 1-7; only those who are willing to pay the price will win the prize!
In order to make our walk with Christ fruitful and our time on earth enjoyable, we must be discipline spiritually, socially, physically and mentally. Don’t underestimate the importance of consistency. Getting a good balance and being consistent in these four areas will help us to persevere in the long run in our spiritual walk.
Proverbs 28:18 - Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.
In addition to living a disciplined lifestyle, another Christian virtue that will cause you to abound in God’s blessing is honesty. Honesty is the state of trustworthiness or being truthful, to God and to man. Job 31:6; “Let me be weighed on honest scales, that God may know my integrity.” The quality of your trustworthiness (honesty), determines the quality of your integrity.
One of the vices that God hates is a lying tongue. This is because God will never favor liars. Instead He will expose them and bring their works to nothing. Psalm 101: 7-8, “He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence...”
Anytime a person lies, he takes a step away from God, and a step towards the devil, the father of all liars! Lying does not make things better. It only makes things worse. Success gained through lies and dishonesty will never last. As Christians, honesty is essential.