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A
Service To A Worldwide Community From
Clay
Road Baptist Church
Mark Redd – Pastor
Moral Character
Character is what a
person truly is, compared to what they seem to be.
Character is who you are when no one is looking – choosing consistency
and resisting compromise. Character
is not the same as reputation – what other people think of us.
Character is not what we have done, but rather who we are.
Lewis Smedes, in Basic Christianity writes about moral virtues as
a description of character.
Four
Moral Virtues
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First Moral Virtue
– Discernment. Unless
one is able to discern what is really going on in a situation -- what people
are feeling and what is important -- one will always make wrong decisions.
“Do
not be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think.
Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to
Him.” Romans 12:2
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Second
Moral Virtue – Courage.
This is the power to do well when the going gets tough.
It is having the character to do well when things are tempting, when
things are painful. Courage is
the power to do well in the face of threat – to one’s life, security,
future, or to the things one holds dear.
“Be strong and courageous! Do
not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with
you, He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
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Third
Moral Virtue – Temperance.
This means being in charge of one’s own life -- to manage, control
or orchestrate all the “stuff” that is going on inside. A temperate person gives control to God, and in turn accepts
genuine responsibility as a challenge from God. The temperate person does not let circumstances, substances,
or other people control him.
“A wise man keeps himself under
control.” Proverbs 29:11
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Fourth
Moral Virtue – Justice.
A person of justice determines to be fair and does not treat one
person differently from another. Justice
rejects questions such as, “Whose wheel is squeaking loudest?” and
“Who will reward me the most?”
“See
that justice is done, let mercy be your first concern, and humbly obey
God.” Micah 6:8b
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“Of those to whom much is given, much is required.
And when at some future date the high court of history sits in judgment
on each one of us – recording whether in our brief span of service we
fulfilled our responsibilities – our success or failure, we will be measured
by the answers to four questions – were we truly men of courage . . . were we
truly men of judgment . . . were we truly men of integrity . . . . were we truly
men of dedication?” John F. Kennedy
Clay
Road Baptist Church
9151
Clay Road @ Pinemont NW Houston 77080
(713)
462-3401 Fax (713) 462-3480
Home Page: http://www.gocrbc.org
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