Vital aspects of the Christian life
The list follows – like the rungs of a ladder, with faith at the bottom and love at the top. The seven couplets describe a balanced Christian life and character. It is a beautiful well-rounded picture of what we ought to be, beginning with faith as the root, and the full flower of Christian character.
Add to faith goodness. Faith has to be balanced by goodness. Doctrine leads to duty; belief leads to behaviour. The goodness implied by the Greek is a good upright life such as the heathen would recognise, goodness in action. Doing what is right in the sight of God, strength of will and moral energy, a day’s work for a day’s pay, an honest job, being dependable, reliable, actual, doing the extra bit, quality work, displaying the character of Jesus.
Add to goodness knowledge. Goodness has to be balanced by knowledge. Not to be naïve or ignorant, but to understand what we believe and where we stand. Not knocked off balance by every wind of doctrine. Give a reason for your faith and life, why you believe what you do and act the way you act. See how faith applies in practical areas of life. Loving God with your mind, being transformed by the renewing of your mind. After all, the battle for life and holiness begins with the mind.
Add to knowledge self-control. Firm control and mastery of feelings, affections, tempers, passions, bodily desires and appetites, and money and the tongue. Things which are good in their place, and wonderful servants, but ruinous when they are in control. If we do not master them, they soon master us. Self-control is not popular nowadays, when emphasis is on self-expression, self-assertion and self-indulgence. Beware of the superspiritual approach that tries to pretend we do not need this. All sorts of things are paraded before our eyes and ears nowadays. We are not sheltered from much. And we are flesh and blood like everyone else. Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit. We have much to learn from athletes who exercise the sternest discipline and self-control to win their crown.
Add to self-control perseverance. Perseverance, patience, steadfastness – these are badly needed because even if we can control ourselves, we cannot control our circumstances, and life has much to throw at us. Physical pain, family troubles, many irritations. As Christians we are in a minority and there is plenty to discourage. God seems so inactive. We are in a hurry, and He is not. But we must keep on, unmoved by difficulty or hardship. Believe in God’s calling of us. All is under the hand of the wise and loving God. We know Him in Christ. We have experienced His divine power. That holds us up. We can see everything in the calm light of eternity. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). True mature faith endures, shows stickability. We are God’s children and we are going to have a glorious inheritance. Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1).
Add to perseverance godliness. Right relationship with God and with others. Reverence for God leading to respect for others. Practical awareness of God in every aspect of life. Pleasing God in everything. The glory of God is our motive in all activity. The will of God is our direction in life. Those who fear God find Him a great reality, and have reverence before Him. When they sing praise, they mean it from the heart. They approach the Bible knowing it is God’s Word. The Godly man sets the Lord always before him (Psalm 16:8). Description of Elisha: I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God (2 Kings 4:9) – he reminded people of God. He was God-like.
Add to godliness brotherly kindness. The Greek word filadelfia is a favourite word of Peter’s. If we are Godly, we must be brotherly. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20). 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (Matthew 25:40). Let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:10). It is not always easy in practice. Some Christians try our patience and are hard to love. But brotherly love means bearing one another’s burdens, preserving unity, watching our tongues, and not putting a stumbling block before others.
Add to brotherly kindness love. The top rung of the ladder – love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13). God’s attitude to us is sheer love. He loved us when we were not worthy or attractive. He desired our highest good, and it cost Him the greatest price. He is the model and pattern of our love. Our love should be as wide and inclusive as His. He sends rain on the just and the unjust. God supplies the love. God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The fruit of the spirit is love.. (Galatians 5:22).
So we have this ladder, this beautiful picture of Christian character. All the musical parts needed for perfect harmony are here. All the ingredients needed for a healing medicine are here. In view of our new birth, God’s power providing us with enabling, we must make every effort to equip ourselves with such character, adding to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. We know our hearts – and we know how much we need all the power of God to meet such a challenge. It would be hopeless to try to attain these things as an unconverted man. But for the believer, it is within reach.
PamzSpamz
God Bless You All
June 21st. 2011
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