The word virtue is mentioned 7 times in the Bible. In Mark 5:30, Luke 6:19, and Luke 8:46, Jesus speaks, someone touches Him, and they are healed. Each time, He remarks that virtue had gone out from Him. This virtue refers to power that came from Him. His miraculous power healed others just by touching them. Their faith was great, and they received His power as they were healed. The word virtue that we will dissect today appears in II Peter 1:5 and Philippians 4:8. Virtue refers to moral excellence, goodness, and strength of character. Rather than just a set of abstract human ideals, biblical virtue flows from a relationship with God and is cultivated through faith.
One of my favorite verses is Philippians 4:8. It reveals to us a list of things we are to incorporate into our lives. We are to meditate, or think, on them. After his list, he teaches that anything else virtuous or praiseworthy is also worthy to think on.
Mark 5:30 “And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?”
Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
Peter teaches us that we are to supplement our faith with a progression of godly character traits. Virtue must come from an internal character produced by the Holy Spirit. Virtue begins with diligent faith. Romans 10:17 teaches, “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” This faith is not just saving faith, but includes growing faith. We must hear, apply, and practice for our faith to grow. Since faith demands hearing and obeying God’s word, the first step toward moral excellence is obedience to God in salvation. Until you have surrendered your life to Him by repenting of your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, nothing you do is acceptable to Him. We have no goodness on our own. We may do good deeds and try to be good enough to please God, but it is impossible to please Him until we are regenerated by salvation through Jesus. Isaiah 64:6 teaches us that “all our righteousness are as filthy rags.”
Solomon saw the value of a virtuous life when he penned Proverbs 31:10. He was teaching what kind of woman we are to be and how rare virtuous women are. “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” Absolute virtue, moral excellence, is possessed by God, and as God’s children, we are to strive to be like Jesus in every way. We have this directive in Matthew 5:48, spoken by Jesus himself. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Will we achieve this lofty goal this side of Heaven? No, but God expects us to strive for it. Because in our quest to be virtuous, we will show the world who Jesus is and why we are seeking to live a life of excellence in character.
One day we will stand before God and give an account of our lives. Those who have accepted Him as their personal Lord and Savior and seek a personal relationship with Him will view what perfection and excellence looks like as we see Him. We will worship before the throne of God, and we cannot imagine what it will be like.
Now for my favorite time in these devotions. Evaluation time! Are you seeking what is excellent, or what is okay? Do you make excuses for your failures or chalk them up to “nobody’s perfect”? This attitude will lead you to accept sin in your life as no big deal. It can also cause you to miss things that are sinful, because you are not studying the Word and seeking out truth. John 14:15 is one of the simplest but profound verses in the Bible. Jesus says, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Today, seek to be a virtuous person. Attend a church founded on the truths of the Bible, not just Sunday morning worship, but any services they have. This will help you grow and get plugged into a group of dedicated believers. Get into a discipleship group. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to show you anything in your life that displeases Him. If you do these things, hang on and be ready to change because God always answers a sincere prayer.
