Sins and Virtues

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If one can feel deeply in life the satisfaction of "doing right", a neuro-hormonal "well" is set in flow contributing strongly to a sense of fulfillment & well-being². It is "worth" doing the right thing!! Christians from old (and others) have evolved a core list of seven sins and seven virtues which holds steadily true today. As Dr. Charlie Bryan¹ has so well portrayed, (1) ethics (doing right) flow from (2) morals (beliefs as to right vs. wrong) which flow from (3) values (principals for setting morals) which derive from (4) virtues. And what about "being a professional"? A true "pro" is someone who always does his or her best job even when he or she doesn't (1) feel like it or (2) get properly paid for his/her services or (3) even appreciated for what was done. Hence, for our society to function on a foundation of trust, citizens need to know that ethics not only exist but are strongly enforced within the learned professions and governing bodies within our American culture. If ethics are not strong at those levels, how can ethical behavior be expected to permeate society? It all has to start in the smallest organized groups; it must start LOCALLY. The mix & practice of all of the above constitute the content of a person's character:

     
                    
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Religious Comments:

Sin hinders your RELATIONSHIP With God and with others

In modern times God reveals or makes known his will to Christians by way of His Word (the Bible) interpreted by the Holy Spirit of God (God as the Holy Spirit) residing continually within each true believer. How do we hear the indwelling Spirit? How do we know random thoughts or subtle Satan-inspired desires vs.. "leadings" or "the Word" from the Holy Spirit? Answer: The closer your relationship to God, the clearer one "knows". How does one build any relationship: time, commitment, interest, encounters. Every prayer from a believer is heard (and is an encounter with God) & is primarily relational (God already knows your thoughts). The focused and earnest truth-searching reading and study of scripture is sure to produce many "a-hah!" moments of "truth revealed" (personal in-sight truth). Such moments are encounters with God as the Holy Spirit (counselor and teacher) and are relational. The more encounters, the closer the building of the relationship. The closer the relationship to God, the clearer and more certain is one's discernment of the leading of the Holy Spirit. The clearer the leading, the stronger the faith builds...and the greater the desire for more encounters and learning...and so on toward building a closer and closer relationship with God. This is part of "experiencing God" (as also is the next paragraph).

Through the leading of the Holy Spirit, it is possible to recognize God at work all around us. It becomes possible to visualize "doors" of opportunity being available everywhere. The more obedient and yielded we are to God through the leadings of the Holy Spirit, praying for guidance as to where to join in, when to back out, and when to try elsewhere, the more in touch we are.

When our choices in life take us down a dark/darker way, a wrong turn, God is still at work everywhere & "with" the Jesus follower through it all. Doors of other sorts are possibly open for us. SIN decreases our sensitivity to this leading of the Holy Spirit, and dulls our discernment as to this possible joining in with the sovereign plan of God. It's our choice. The Christian on the wrong/less-good/negative road, the road commonly traveled, may have missed God's best "open doors". In fact, throughout the lifetime of a person who is or becomes a Christian, massive numbers of choices have been taken which are not God's best for that person. But, is not any degree of joining in with God as a Christian far better than a life fully separated from God? And, at a point in life when we are convicted to do so, can't our life and our orientation with God become closer and closer as we make decisions to choose the choices more likely to be God's best?

The Word of God can truly only be generally understood, and special and personal applications be divined or descerned, through the leading and convicting of the Holy spirit (this Holy Spirit indwelling each believer). "I've read the Bible three times, and it makes no sense to me," says the non-believer or the new believer who does not yet know how to sense the Holy Spirit. "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned" (I Cor 2:14). Understanding of The Word comes with sincere personal study, calling on the Holy Spirit, and utilizing whatever learning aids or discipleship sources one is directed to by the Holy spirit. That the sacred Truth of The Word not be savored by "lost persons"...nonbelievers...in a sort of desecration, it has been divinely veiled from understanding (II Corinthians 3:12-16). AND, what's more, "lost persons"...nonbelievers...have been blinded by Satan (II Corinthians 4:3-4) to the Truth of the Gospel! The more inquisitive and searching the individual, the more time and effort required...and so forth for a lifetime. Because of apparent contradictions in the Bible (mysteries) and the various interpretations placed on certain scriptures by different denominations, even different individual churches, The Word can be well used by Satan as a frustration and snare. The attitude of the reader/learner is critical: a sincere and persevering search for The Truth, searching for the God that is (by faith), will be rewarded bit by bit and more and more over time. A doubting attitude primed by a prideful desire to accept the quick-shooting and superior intellectual judgments ("this is confusing; religion is just the opiate of the masses; I don't -- proud and self-sufficient -- need it")...and, not finding easy truths and easy answers and easy learning, he/she closes The Word.

If a believer begins to experience the blessing of the above table of nouns and adjectives as being growing facets of his/her life, he/she takes a more and more blessed and fulfilled position of integrity of his/her life. No adjective-noun combination is negative, shameful, or out of sorts with Christ!

Reference:

1. Charles S. Bryan, M. D., editorial, "The Seven Basic Virtues in Medicine: Summing Up", The Journal of the South Carolina Medical Association, vol. 103 #5, June 2007, p. 135-137.
   
2. try a Google search for "doing good makes you feel good".
   

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[posted 1997;  last modified 3 September 2011]