HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 54
page A52
Character continued
• 1 T H E S S A L O NI A NS 2 :4-1 2 | Our purpose is to please God, not people. . . . As for human
praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else. . . . We were devout and honest
and faultless toward all of you believers. . . . And urged you to live your lives in a way that
God would consider worthy.
Character gives credibility. Your personal character will either verify or nullify your life’s
work. Paul models how a life lived to please God honors others, too.
• 2 C O R I NT H I A NS 8 :2 1 | We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want
everyone else to see that we are honorable. (See note on page 1053.)
Your character influences how others respond to Christianity. If you say you are a Christian,
will they want to be like you?
How do we recognize good character?
• PR O V E R B S 2 0 :1 1 | Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is
pure, and whether it is right. (See note on page 575.)
• R U T H 3 :1 1 | “I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are a virtuous
woman.”
You show good character when you reflect the image of God, the source of good
character. This kind of character is obvious to those observing you.
What are the attributes of godly character?
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• G A L AT I A NS 5 :2 2 -2 3 | But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy,
peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
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The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control—are some of the essential traits of godly character.
• PR O V E R B S 1 1 :3 | Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people.
• A MO S 5 :2 4 | “I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.”
Justice, righteousness, mercy, honesty, and fairness are essential traits of godly character.
Are there things I can do to grow my character?
• DE U T E R O NO MY 8 :2 | “Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness
for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out
whether or not you would obey his commands.”
You are not born with godly character; it is developed through experience and testing and
a commitment to knowing God and his Word.
• 1 S A MU E L 1 5 :2 2 -2 3 | But Samuel replied, “. . . Obedience is better than sacrifice. . . . So
because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”
Everyone develops character by facing daily challenges and choosing wisely.
• 2 C O R I NT H I A NS 4 :8 | We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed.
We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.
• PH I L I P P I A NS 1 :9 | I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will
keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
• 1 P E T E R 4 :1 9 | Keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created
you, for he will never fail you.
Developing character is like developing any other skill. You must practice. Keep on doing what
is good and right, and constantly practice character traits like kindness, generosity, compassion, and honesty. What you value most is usually what you will work hardest to attain.
What are some of the important building blocks of character?
• R O MA NS 5 :4 -5 | Endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our
confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment.
The testing of patience strengthens character. What we welcome least in our lives may be
testing our patience the most, and that in turn may be developing strength of character in us.