God the Father has called His children to grow in virtues. The divine power of God the Father has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ who has called us not only to glory but also to virtue (2 Peter 1:3, KJV).
Virtues are the essence of our character. Jesus Christ was a man of absolute virtue, His life on earth was a grand display of godly convictions and principles lived out. The Apostle Paul lists several virtues in his epistle to the Philippians and admonished his readers to give their minds to those stated virtues and any other virtue they could think of, because they have been called to ponder everything virtuous.
As disciples of Jesus, we have been called to give our minds to truth, honesty, justice, purity and love. The Apostle sums it up in these words ‘whatsoever things that are of good report’, because attempting to mention all the virtues that could be explored in the heart by the mind is difficult. It could be compared to trying to mine all the potential goods of the heart and naming it one by one. Virtue is admired by all and is considered by the wise as good (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
Our journey of growth in Christ can be described as a journey of developing virtues, one which is not about being better than others, but about developing the potential of our own heart and mind to live as Jesus did. It is about assuming a stature, and that stature is that of Christ. Growing in virtue is necessary to attaining the fullness of Christ, so that we can be full of truth just as Christ, be as honest as Christ, be as just as Christ, be as pure as Christ, and love others as much as Christ loves.
The more we recognize the potential impact that practicing virtues can have on our lives as Christ’s disciples, the more our lives open up to new possibilities and to greater joy and fulfillment. Virtues are the essence of our character and character does indeed determine destiny. “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the crookedness of the treacherous will destroy them” (Proverbs 11:3, NASB). If we ignore virtues and live without them, we mar the beauty of our lives and ultimately destroy ourselves. We cannot, as disciples of Christ, profess our faith in Christ and ignore His virtues. That would be comparable to chasing after the wind. The fragrance of our lives as disciples of Christ is felt when we give our minds to these virtues and manifest them in our character.
Growing in virtue requires strict obedience to the law of God. Yielding to the word of God and to the Holy Spirit is the only recipe for growth in virtue. There is no way we can grow in virtue if we neglect the word of God. As we spend time in His word, the Holy Spirit in us helps us in bearing fruit of the Spirit of God in our hearts. When we spend time in fellowship and in prayer the Holy Spirit works in our hearts and minds, and transforms us into the image of Christ, the one who has called us to glory and virtue.
