“WHEN THE MAN LEAVES THE HOME”
Character is the sum total of personal threats possessed by an individual that makes him what he is. character has special reference to moral qualities, ethical standards and principles which govern a person’s conduct and causing to choose one cause of action over another.
Christian character growth is based upon our allowing God to develop his attributes in our personal lives. In 2 Corinthians Paul says:
And all of us with unveiled face (because we) continue to behold in the word of God as in a mirror the glory of the lord ,are constantly being transferred into his very own image in increasing Splendour and from a degree of Glory to another (for this comes from the lord( who is) the spirit 2nd Corinthians 3 verse 18.
Character development is a continuous process in our lives and is dependent upon our constant” Beholding” of the lord through his word. Peter also emphasizes this in 2nd Peter 1: 3 – 8:
Do you want more and more of God’s kindness and Peace? Then learn to know him better and better. for as you know him better, he will give you through his great power, everything you need for for living a truly good life :he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us! And by that same mighty power he has given us all the other rich and wonderful blessings he promised ;
For instance they promised to save us from the Lost and rottenness all around us, and to give us his own character. But to obtain these gifts, you need more than faith; you must also work hard to be good (virtue) and even that is not enough but then you must learn to know God better and discovered that he wants you to do (knowledge).
Next you must learn to put aside your own desires (temperance)so that you will become patient and Godly, gladly, letting God have his way with you . This will make possible the next step which is for you to enjoy other people and like them (brotherly kindness) and finally you will grow to love them deeply (charity).
The more you go on in this way, the more you will grow strong spiritually and become fruitful and useful to our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter1: 3- 8 .
It is clear, therefor that Christian character requires constant work at these areas of our life as we walk by faith daily. we can never become what God wants us to be on our own strength -we must trust him to produce his character in us .But neither can we simply sit back and wait for this to happen spontaneously.
We must work hard at obeying what God reveals to us from scripture. Growth in Christ- like character is clearly a matter of allowing God’s spirit to indwell our lives completely.
This will allow the fruits of the spirit to become evident in our lives.( please refer to Galatians 5:22 and 23 for a definition of fruits of the holy spirit) it is for this reason that the basics of the Christian lives are so important.
We are to continue in God’s word so that we will behold God as he has revealed himself to us.
We live in a day and age in which people are recreating Jesus into their images and their characters are affected as a result of their pride and arrogance .we also have a faithful enemy who is trying to distort the image of God so that we disobey and no longer walk in obedience.
Fleshy and Christian character traits are emphasized in the old and new testaments- Proverbs 6: 16 &17; Galatians 5: 19 – 21, Galatians 5: 22 to 23 ;2Peters 1: 3-8; Matthew 5:3 to 12 .
How Character is formed
when god is in control of Our lives he produces his fruits or attributes in our characters (Thesis).But if we allow Satan to be in control ,he will either produce the direct opposite of God’s fruits (Anti thesis) in our characters or a compromise (synthesis )either of these alternatives as is less than God’s best and prevents us from becoming what he wants us to be.
Every believer is a new creation in Christ. His inner man has been born again by the spirit of God. Therefore he has a new capacity to develop a character which reflects the qualities of Jesus Christ. These qualities of Life are the Christian traits that we have already listed. sometimes Christians fail to form a character which glorifies God. why does happens?
Although our inner man is saved, our outward man is still corruptible and polishin,g and waiting completed redemption.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though her outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16.
And not only they,but we also who have the first fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.Romans 8:23
The desires of the flesh press us to give them an opportunity to be manifested through our bodies. Daily ,decisions are made in our inner man- whether to obey God’s will and follow the leading of the holy spirit who lives within us, or to yield to the desires of the flesh.
God created us with a wheel, and intellect, and emotions .satan will try to influence these three faculties to condone evil thoughts intellect),to yield to what feel goods (emotions) or to act upon what we want rather than what we know is right( wheel).
To develop true Christian character traits we must not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit . This means bringing every thought (intellect) into captivity to the obedience of Christ, submitting our feelings (emotions) to the scrutiny of the word of God to see if they are in accord with his desire for us and yielding our ways to the spirit control so that we obey instantly and joyfully God’s revealed will for us in his word (will )as our mind ,emotions, and will, are brought into the service of the holy spirit who lives within us through obedience to God’s word, the works of the flesh will not be manifested in our bodies .
Instead, Christian character traits will be formed in our lives.
How to develop character
1.Recognise the influence of your environment
Your home ,parents, school ,church, job, government, and friends have a great influence on you .some of that influence to place when you were only a child and cannot be erased. However, by careful regulation of your current lifestyle it can be overcome.
2 . The Holy Spirit- the chief agent.
The holy spirit can transform any Christians life into a life that will please God. Trust me to do miracles in you. But we all, with unveiled face ,beholding as in a mirror the glory of the lord ,are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the spirit of the Lord. 2Corinthians 3:18
3 . The word of God -the chief tool.
Unless we are consistently looking to God through his word to guide us in our decisions and thought life, we can never expect lasting character growth to take place. A Christian must continue in the word in order to have a disciples character.
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him,; if you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed;. John 8:31.
Reputation is what people think you are
The, submissive, humble, sensitive, loyal, friendly ,and hospitable ,diplomatic(tactful, cooperative) transparent (open,teachable, Frank , sincere,receptive) forgiven, obedient, compassionate, disciplined,( self-controlled) faithful (dependable) pure( holy, Godly) in control of tongue ,innovative( resourceful) available, feasible, adaptable, discerning, self-assured ,generous, patient, gentle, calm, bold, courageous, forceful, punctual, humorous, decisive, confident,grateful,neat in appearance and dress sensible, wholehearted( driven, persevering ,thorough, diligent) enthusiastic (cheerful )optimistic.
Character is what God knows you are.
Shalom….
