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Essential Christian Virtues

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Every church has certain traits or characteristics, those qualities are often unique to a particular church body (a particular group of people assembling together to worship God).  Everyone has experienced this to one degree or another, the city church – focusing specifically on the city in which it is a part, the music church – known for its musical prowess or emphasis, the school church – this church is dominated and Church.cosmic-timetraveler-unsplash-Resizecharacterized by its associated school ministry, the hurting church – where often the membership is focused in on their hardships or suffering they have faced or are facing, or finally, the obsessive church – this church can inadvertently focus on all the things they are or are not and focus regularly on all the issues.  Obviously, none of these characteristics is necessarily bad, in an appropriate place, but do these traits reflect the spirit of the New Testament. What are the traits or characteristics that ought to define us as a church?

Often times, each individual has a perception or maybe an agenda about what ought to be Church.john-cafazza-Crop.Smallerthe focal point of the church, but do those emphases represent the essential traits or virtues of the New Testament Church?  Our task as believers individually and as a church corporately is to focus on the characteristics clearly defined by Scripture.  What traits did Jesus value?  What characteristics did his disciples value, or the apostles, as they trained and instructed the early church? What values of the early church most impacted the culture around them?

As we begin a new year, we are focusing as a church on the values of Jesus, the values Church-Steeple.neonbrand-unsplash.CROP-Resizeof the apostles and the values of the early church.  Jesus called for the disciples to love one another, to have peace and joy.  As we have engaged with these three virtues (love, peace, and joy) to start our year, we can see the vital importance of each, both personally and its potential to impact us corporately.

Love, the Ultimate Christian Virtue, must define the interactions of healthy believers.  Often times, if we are not careful, we can develop a mentality of contention or 1Cor13_Wordle_Cloudantagonism toward one another with a self-righteous pride that causes us to think that our virtue is standing for truth against all who would oppose it. This is a virtue in a different context. In the context of the local church, we are not called to be contentious and aggressive with one another, but to love one another as Jesus has loved us. This in no way means that we never disagree.  It does mean that when we do – we remember to do so in love, considering the other above ourselves. Paul defines love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and offers us the appropriate parameters for engaging with one another, even when we may disagree.  Love does not assume the worst; its not rude, arrogant, boastful or self-seeking.  Often, if we are honest, our contentions can actually be over issues that are truly self-seeking.  These “issues” can be personally a big deal, but corporately a non-issue. Is there really any credit in loving someone that thinks and sees everything the same way or is the credit in loving someone that is very different? Believers must be defined by this ultimate virtue!  Jesus was, his disciples were and by God’s grace, we too, can be known by our love for one another.

Peace is an essential virtue that focuses not on our current circumstances, but instead on our relationship with God through Jesus. Often times, as we go through life, it is easy to focus on our position or on our struggles, but as believers our peace is found in Jesus. Paul reminds us of this reality in Romans 5:8, Therefore, because we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.[1] (LEB) Our peace comes from a right relationship with God through Jesus, not our position in this life or our situation, whatever that may or may not be. Our hope is Jesus, and through him we have peace. Jesus states, as he prepares his disciples for his departure, Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.[2] (NASB) Our peace is found in and comes from Jesus.  Do you have peace today? If you are a believer, you can, and we must, because Jesus is enough.  All we need, we already have in him. peace-in-the-midst-of-the-storm

Joy is yet another essential virtue that must define true followers of Jesus. Joy is an essential virtue which rests wholly in Jesus, through his love for us and our love for him and others.  Again, you will note, the connection and foundation of joy is Jesus. It is being rightly related to him and God through him. In part our joy is fulfilled or realized as we love one another, and so we come back to the place we began – love! Loving one another will produce joy in us. Do you have joy today? If not, what is preventing you from having joy?

Lord willing, as we have studied through these essential virtues, your heart has been LoveOneAnother.jon-tyson-unsplash.CROP-Smallerencouraged and challenged to know God and love him more, but also, to demonstrate your love for him by loving one another. Graceway Church is committed to being an example of engaging one another with these virtues as our foundation. Praise the Lord for a body of believers that is committed to living out tangibly these virtues with one another. We are far from perfect, but our good God is at work among us, growing and shaping us more into his image each day.  If you don’t have a church home, join us and experience for yourself the love, peace and joy that ought to characterize the people of God.

If you have questions or needs, please let us know.  We would love to serve you in any way that we are able.

Grace to you as you walk with Jesus.

You can listen to the entire series by clicking Here.

[1] W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Ro 5:1.

[2] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Jn 14:27.

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