By: T.R. Kelley
BIBLE LESSON: THE IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER
ECCLESIASTES 7:1 – “A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN PRECIOUS OINTMENT.”
CHARACTER – (WEBSTER) – a brand or stamp; a distinguishing quality; one’s moral strength; a description of a person’s qualities.
* Character is what a man is in the dark!
* Reputation is what you need to get a job; character is what you need to keep it.
I. THE IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER
PROVERBS 22:1 – “A GOOD NAME IS RATHER TO RE CHOSEN THAN GREAT RICHES, AND
LOVING FAVOUR RATHER THAN SILVER AND GOLD.”
(See also Prov. 28:6; Acts 6:3; 10:22; 16:2; 22:12; II Cor. 8:18; 3 Jn. 12).
NOTE: Character is more important than monetary riches. A good name is not easily gained; it is earned over a period of time by HONESTY, COURTESY, INTEGRITY, DEPENDABILTY, and GODLINESS. If someone must make a choice between a good name and great riches, the choice is clear: A GOOD NAME IS FAR MORE VALUABLE!
REMEMBER – The real measure of a man’s wealth is how much he would be worth if he lost all his money.
– Someone with no wealth, but with a good name, has the most important ingredient anyone could possibly have for gaining wealth: A REPUTATION FOR HONESTY!
II. CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY
* Character is the real you. The Bible refers to it as “THE HIDDEN MAN OF THE HEART,” and “THE SOUL OF MAN,” which is made up of the MIND, EMOTIONS, and WILL. Character is the result of childhood training, education, and basic attitudes, beliefs, principles, and motivations.
* Personality is the outward expression of ourselves, which may or may not be the same as our character, depending on how genuine we are.
REMEMBER – Often personality is a pleasing facade for an unpleasant or weak character; the result of one acting a part on the basis of what he/she thinks a person should be, rather than what they really are.
NOTE: The Bible says, “MAN LOOKETH ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, AND GOD LOOKETH ON THE HEART;” “OUT OF THE HEART PROCEED THE ISSUES OF LIFE.”
* THE PLACE TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR IS INSIDE MAN, NOT OUTSIDE!!!
REMEMBER – WHAT YOU LAUGH AT TELLS, PLAINER THAN WORDS, WHAT YOU ARE!
EVER NOTICE: Isn’t it strange that in our prayers we seldom ask for a change in character, but always a change in circumstances?
* CHRISTIANS NEED CHARACTER SIGNIFICANT OF THE ONE THEY HAVE RESIDING IN
THEIR HEARTS!
III. THE CHARACTER/CHARACTERISTICS OF SAINTS
1. ATTENTIVE TO CHRIST’S VOICE – JOHN 10:34
2. BLAMELESS AND HARMLESS – PHILIPPIANS 2:15
3. BOLD – PROVERBS 28:1
4. CONTRITE – ISAIAH 57:15; 66:2
5. DEVOUT – ACTS 8:2; 22:12
6. FAITHFUL – REVELATION 17:14
7. FEARING GOD – MALACHI 3:16; ACTS 10:2
8. FOLLOWING CHRIST – JOHN 10:4,27
9. GODLY – PSALM 4:3; II PETER 2:9
10. GUILELESS – JOHN 1:47
11. HOLY – DEUTERONOMY 7:6; 14:2; COLOSSIANS 3:12
12. HUMBLE – PSALM 34:2; I PETER 5:5
13. HUNGERING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS – MATTHEW 5:6
14. JUST – GENISIS 6:9; HABAKKUK 2:4; LUKE 2:25
15. LED BY THE SPIRIT – ROMANS 8:14
16. LOVING – COLOSSIANS 1:4; I THESSALONIANS 4:9
17. LOWLY – PROVERBS 16:19
18. MERCIFUL – PSALM 37:26
19. NEW CREATURES – II CORINTHIANS 5:17; EPHESIANS 2;10
20. OBEDIENT – ROMANS 16:19; I PETER 1:14
21. PRUDENT – PROVERBS 16:21
22. PURE IN HEART – MATTHEW 5:8; I JOHN 3:3
23. RIGHTEOUS – ISAIAH 60:21; LUKE 1:6
24. SINCERE – II CORINTHIANS 1:12; 2:17
25. STEADFAST – ACTS 2:42; COLOSSIANS 2:5
26. TRUE – II CORINTHIANS 6:8
27. UNDEFILED – PSALM 119:1
28. UPRIGHT – I KINGS 3:6; PSALM 15:2
29. WATCHFUL – LUKE 12:37
30. ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS – TITUS 2:14
* To achieve these characteristics, one must have an abundance of self-discipline. It will not happen over night, but is, instead, a life-long process.
NOTE: Character is built at the parent’s knee, and sometimes over the parent’s knee.
* A PAT ON THE BACK WILL DEVELOP CHARACTER IF GIVEN YOUNG ENOUGH, OFTEN
ENOUGH, LOW ENOUGH, AND HARD ENOUGH!
REMEMBER – HAVE CHARACTER – DON’T BE ONE
THE WORLD IS WATCHING YOU!
(The above material was published by Calvary Tabernacle.)
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