Disciples of Christ are to have God’s character. This daily devotional looks at how we get His lovely character.
Nuggets
- Our lovely character is evidenced in how we treat others.
- Instead of retaliating, disciples are to pursue good – God’s working within us.
- We need to be committed and consistent in seeking God so that we can imitate His character.
To read devotions in the Redo for Godliness series, click the appropriate button below.
Devotions in the Moralities Lead to Godliness series
Sometimes, we say someone has a lovely character. But what does that mean?
Manton described three traits that make up a lovely character. They are affability, peaceableness, and usefulness.
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Let's Put It into Context
The definition of moral, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior.” Morality, then, is “a doctrine or system of moral conduct.” When it is the plural form — moralities — it is a “particular moral principles or rules of conduct.”
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Our morals determine our character. Character, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation.”
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Peace is a fruit of righteousness manifested in an inward tranquility resulting from a balanced life with spiritual order, equity, and truth that implies cooperation, humility, integrity, communication, and cohesiveness.
Our Peace Depends on Our Treatment of Others
“So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another” (Rom. 14: 19 CSB)
Our lovely character is evidenced in how we treat others.
Our inner character is shown through the decisions we make. Possibly one of the best ways to show that is in how we treat others.
How we treat others either makes the situation peaceful or causes strife. Tarson provided a list of things that contribute to peace.
- “Righteousness” Righteousness is the result of a solid relationship with God built by a sincere life of conscientious obedience to God’s laws and commandments.
- “Humility” Humility is a character trait that diminishes pride and places dependence on God while holding a modest view of our importance with respect to others.
- “Love” Love is an intense feeling of deep affection.
- “Faith” Faith is the conviction that the doctrines revealed in God’s Word are true, even if we do not understand all aspects of them, a belief which impacts our lives.
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Oh, yes. Peace comes from God. Without God, we don’t know true peace.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
The Biblical Illustrator noted that we promote peace in our lives by watching our temper and implementing peaceable measures and methods.
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Tarson stated the the end result is eternal life. He is correct if he means that, because we have ABCDed and changed our character to imitate God’s, we gain eternal life.
If we are banking on being a good person without submitting our lives to God for admission to heaven, we will be in for a huge let down. God only gives eternal life to those who have submitted their lives to Him.
But peace isn’t just about us. It is about edifying others and building others up.
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to
live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Our Treatment of Others Doesn’t Depend on Their Treatment of Us
“See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all” (I Thess. 5: 15 CSB)
Instead of retaliating, disciples are to pursue good – God’s working within us.
Paul gave us a good definition for retaliation: “… repays evil for evil …” (I Thess. 5: 15 CSB). He cautioned us that is not the action that a disciple of Christ should take.
Barlow told us why. He wrote, “Retaliation betrays a weak and cruel disposition.”
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If our temperamental makeup is to reflect God, it should not be a cruel disposition or even a weak one. We should reflect His love and concern for the spiritual condition of others.
In other words, we don’t retaliate when we are wronged. The actions of others don’t guide our reactions. God does.
Worldview people may think they are more forgiving and less likely to retaliate than disciples. Birch contended that “it is easier to do good than to be good.”
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We have to remember that we cannot earn our way into Heaven. The focus has to be on Him, not our actions.
Well, think about it. Good, in the biblical sense, is the workings of God within His people. Evil is equated with sin because it is that which goes against God and His purposes.
God wants us to live our lives obeying Him and following His lead.
Paul instructed disciples to do good for one another instead of retaliating. If we respond with good instead of evil, we are exhibiting God’s character.
Yes, everything we do is all about God and following His laws and commandments. Every decision we make is a decision about whether we are going to follow His Will or not.
Oh, yeah. It might be hard to respond in good instead of retaliating with evil.
Look what Matthew added to the discussion. “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Mt. 5: 44-45 CSB).
Yep, it goes back to the second greatest commandment. That is why Jesus said all the others hinge on those two commandments: love God and love others.
Glossary
How Do We Grow Our Lovely Character?
“Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved” (Ac. 2: 46-47 CSB)
We need to be committed and consistent in seeking God so that we can imitate His character.
Manton gave us some verses from Paul to show us what the lovely character should look like. In these verses, he added the following to the mix:
- Worship regularly
- Fellowship with other believers (and include food!)
- Live joyfully
- Praise God
- Be known for our lovely character
Being lovely takes work. We must devote ourselves to building our character every day. That translates to consistent.
When we are consistent, it is easier. It is easier to pray when we are used to praying. It is easier to get up for services when we are used to getting up. We form a habit.
That also translates to committed. We can’t be lovely only when we feel like it. No, we shouldn’t be fake. We should be sincere and genuine.
Do you get that our character being lovely is tied to our worship of sovereign God? That is why we are to worship regularly, praise him continuously, and live joyfully because of all he is doing for us – even in the rough spots.
Beecher explains that the Jews would have known what it was like to be joyful. He wrote, “The Jewish religion was the only one which ever organised joy as an integral and important part of its services. Christ and the apostles were Jews, and the same joyous spirit came with the new faith; and although they entered upon the organisation of the new life under circumstances calculated to make men bigoted and bitter, yet all the early periods of Christianity were sweet and calm.”
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Paisley wrote that singleness of heart — a sincere heart — was when “their hearts were not divided between God, or Christ, and the world, and, being wholly the Lord’s, they rejoiced in the Lord.” We are to focus solely on God and Jesus. That produces gladness.
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Arnot made a good point. He wrote, “If godliness were always to obtain the favour of the world, counterfeits would spring up; if it were always to bring down the world’s enmity, the spark of Divine truth in humanity would be quenched. God holds the balance, and permits as much of the wrath of man as suffices to praise Himself and purge the Church, and then He restrains the remainder.”
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It isn’t a prosperity gospel in that disciples never face trials. Disciples prosper because we are forged to imitate the character of God.
Making the Connections
Lyth cautioned us that having a lovely character is more than being honest. It also means that we follow God’s Will.
Another thing Lyth wrote was that disciples “should be inferior to none in moral and social excellence.” So, when non-believers make the statement that they are better than disciples in being honest and caring, that should not be true.
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Okay. I have to process. Barlow wrote, “The perceptive morality of Christianity is a signal evidence of its transcendent glory.”
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The insightful system of moral conduct of children of God is an outward sign to incite action of its holiness.
Hmmmm. I read that to mean that, when disciples follow the moral conduct God wants us to, we see a glimpse of His holiness and we want to act accordingly. This helps us to become even more like Him.
But instead, we focus on our failures. Birch encourages us to keep trying. Don’t give up being obedient to God.
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How Do We Apply This?
- Aim high. Don’t settle for being a good person. Strive to imitate Jesus.
- Get your inner missionary on.
- Be a positive force in your community.
- Strive for peace by finding that on which we can agree.
- Seek God to gain knowledge and faith.
- Encourage others to grow.
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
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God. We want a redo so that we are more like You. We want to have Your character. In order to do that, we will follow Your laws and commandments and see You in all things. Lord, only You can accomplish this redo. We can’t do it ourselves. Change us to be like You. Amen.
What do you think?
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