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Christian Character

Writer's picture: Randall BrewerRandall Brewer

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

- Matthew 19:26 -

 

Christianity is more than just accepting Jesus so you can get to heaven. Jesus saved us to work with Him and to help make other people’s lives better. God calls us to make this world a better place, and it takes godly character to do just that. Christians with godly character embrace God’s call to kingdom work, showing the lordship of Christ in their words and actions. We grow godly character when we voluntarily surrender our will to God’s, trusting that we’ll receive His supernatural help along the way.


 

The Greek word charaktēr meant an engraving or exact representation. It is translated in Hebrews 1:3 as ‘express image’ speaking of Jesus as the express image of God. In the incarnation, Christ truly represented the Father’s nature, likeness, and character in this world. Therefore, Jesus could honestly tell His disciples: “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). He could encourage them to learn from Him and follow His example. Christlikeness was their goal just as it is ours. They were to be conformed into the image of God’s Son. Now that’s godly character!

 

Jesus embodies all that is good. He is the perfect reflection of godly qualities. It was He who said: “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). We must grow towards complete and mature godliness, reaching the height of virtue and integrity in Christ. In a word, Jesus was saying: “Grow up! You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-given identity.” Charles Spurgeon said we are “to stretch toward the highest conceivable standard, and be not satisfied till you reach it.” All we Christians are called to be lights in this present darkness, and the best light shines bright like the Father and gives glory unto Him.



Since we are children of a perfect Father, we are called to grow towards His perfection. When God appeared to Abraham, He said: “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless” (Gen. 17:1). The same call goes out to believers today. Blameless means complete; single-hearted; sincere; wholly devoted to the Lord. John MacArthur said: “Because God is perfect, those who are truly His children will move in the direction of His perfect standard. If your life does not reveal growth in grace and righteousness and holiness, you need to examine the reality of your faith.” Amen and amen!

 

Matthew 6:33 says seek first the kingdom of God “and His righteousness.” So we need to seek God’s righteous character and act righteously toward others. We’ve been recreated in His image to reflect His character so that God is seen and honored by and through us. Paul told Timothy: ‘Train yourself to be godly’ (1 Tim. 4:7). A godly character comes when we train ourselves to focus on the kingdom and His righteousness. The Father’s desire is that we would be conformed to the image of His Son, the only person to live a perfect life. And what God desires, He empowers and enables. As Jesus said: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). 

 

Paul told the Galatians: ‘Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh’ (5:16). It’s Christ who empowers us by His indwelling Spirit to live the way the Father commands. It’s in Christ that we are perfect in the eyes of God. Remember how Epaphras always prayed ‘asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God’ (Col. 4:12). His prayer is our power.



Nothing we do is perfect. We receive the perfection only God gives, so David said: ‘As for God, His way is perfect. It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect’ (Ps. 18:30,32). It is Him who equips us to do His will, but it’s our responsibility to do it. We can’t be perfect on our own, but with Christ’s help we can. Perfection is the goal, not to gain salvation, but to live out the born-again life. Gaining godly character allows us to ‘walk in the light as He is in the light’ (1 John 1:7). Yes, God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all (1:5).


While we can’t achieve full godly perfection this side of eternity, we are to seek it and never be satisfied until we obtain it. Spurgeon said we are to “rise out of ordinary manhood. Get beyond what others might expect of you. Stretch toward the highest conceivable standard. Though you cannot be perfect, yet you must want to be perfect.” A desire for perfection is the fuel that fills the Christian’s tank. Our lives must show progress toward ultimate perfection. Even when we miss the mark, the desire for perfection remains. Remember: spiritual maturity isn’t based on how long we’re born-again. It’s based on our level of trust in God to make us holy like He is holy.


Want to improve your life? Then you must improve your character. It’s character that determines success in life and in ministry, at work and in marriage. The goal is godly character. But what is it? Simply put, it’s living right when no one is watching. We shouldn’t need an audience to do what’s right. As children of God, we must manifest Christ in what we say and do; to be imitators of the Lord. Paul told the Philippians: ‘Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him’ (2:12-13). Energy to live righteously is from God. He works in us if we submit. This is how we work out our own salvation.



Jesus said: “Work while it is day” (John 9:4). Each day is a chance to work out your own salvation. There’s either sin to mortify or grace to exercise. Working out implies an activity of considerable effort. God leads, and we do our part. We are working to achieve an end; to carry something to its conclusion; to end the effort and the work begun. The life of a child of God isn’t a series of ups and downs, but a series of ins and outs. God works ‘in’ us and we work ‘out’ what He’s done in us. Get it? Good!


As believers of godly character, we marvel and delight as God brings our salvation to completion. Warren Wiersbe said: “God cannot shine through you until He works in you, so let Him have His way. You are a light in a dark world, a runner holding forth the living Word.” Rejoice knowing God divinely enables us to grow in godly character. Our responsibility is to respond to His working in us. Knowing only God supplies the power, Spurgeon said: “The assistance of divine grace is not given to put aside our own efforts, but to assist them.” We must work hand-in-hand with our great God.


Paul said we ‘glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance character; and character hope’ (Rom. 5:3-4). Not only joy but suffering and perseverance produce godly character. Job was so much a man of character that God bragged about him, saying: “There is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8). Job was blameless, a man of integrity who feared God. Job showed endurance is the ability to stand up under adversity, while perseverance is the ability to grow in spite of it. Out of his patient endurance came true godly character. An example to learn from for millennia.



Persevering trials is grounds for gaining approval. ‘Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life’ (James 1:12). Only the spiritually prosperous stand steadfast in trials, but they will forevermore wear the crown of life! Time and time again, Scripture shows that trials validate the character of those who endure them. We gain proof that our character is real if we pass the test. Endure adversity and temptation and you come out the other side stronger and nearer to God than you were before.

 

Scripture tells us to seek an excellent spirit like Daniel, who ‘distinguished himself because an excellent spirit was in him’ (Dan. 6:3). This spirit separated Daniel from the pack as it shined bright in a pagan world. Paul may have had Daniel in mind when he taught the church to ‘live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people’ (Phil. 2:15). The Hebrew word for ‘excellent’ is yattir. It means top tier, and Daniel’s excellent spirit elevated him above all others.

 

Our God is an excellent God. To be someone of character like Daniel, we must reflect the excellent God living in us. Daniel was a rare jewel, an upright man in a crooked land. An old proverb says integrity is the first step to greatness. His spirit was more excellent, more outstanding, and superior to all. Spiritually, he was head and shoulders above the rest. His heart and mind were morally sound and incorruptible. He was a man of holy, humble, and heavenly character, zealous for the glory of God and the good of others.


Excellence is identified in our character. Truth be told, God isn’t satisfied with less than perfect. If He were, then Christ would have never had to die. We must strive for spirits of excellence so everyone we encounter sees something different in us. Godly excellence should set us apart, so yield to the Lord and walk in the excellence He works in you. And in the coming weeks we will continue to learn from Daniel and the excellent spirit he possessed.

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