Summary In this sermon David Johnson shows us that we must have Godly character. Download Link Right click and "Save as..." to Download

 

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A Matter of Character

Introduction:  Look out the window for a moment, and as you do, ask yourself a question: “What in the world are you doing here?”  Why on earth would you get dressed up as if you were coming into the presence of someone important – someone you respected – and come sit inside this crowded room on such a beautiful day?  After all, it’s a holiday weekend.  Your friends and neighbors are going to the river or the lake or on picnics or to amusement parks, or simply relaxing and enjoying the weather and the break from work, but you got ready and drove here, and now you’re basically captive in this room for the next hour or so. 

I suspect that most of you would have no trouble answering that question regardless of how pleasant or unpleasant it may be outside.  You didn’t decide to come here because there was nothing else you could figure to do today.  No one forced you to come today, but you made a conscious choice to be here.  In some ways, you actually made that choice when you went under the water however many years ago that may have been.  But it is still a continuing choice week after week, and each time you make it, it becomes a little easier to make it the next time.  In fact, it becomes difficult when circumstances beyond our control – sickness, weather, etc – make it impossible to be here on the Sabbath.

We sometimes refer to this as a principle of spiritual inertia.

[Explain two facets of inertia.]

Pro:4:18-19[18]But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.[19]The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. [NIV] – The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.  But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.

Many of us remember one of the incarnations of what originally a small, black and white pamphlet called Why Were You Born?  In many ways it was one of the most significant and important pieces of literature we ever had.

There was a time when Mr. Armstrong was doing quite a bit in Japan, and someone suggested that we have this booklet translated into Japanese.  To make sure we were getting it right, we had one professional translator translate it, and then we asked someone who had no connection to the Church to translate it back into English.  The title Why Were You Born? came back What Are You Doing Here?

A few years ago I gave a sermon based on those words – “What are you doing here?” – emphasizing the question in three ways.  I’m not going to give you that sermon today, but I do want to build on the concept of purpose inherent in that question.  We are all here today because of a great purpose that was set before us.  We were born and exist not by accident but by God’s own purpose.  And, at whatever time we became aware of His purpose for us and responded to His calling, our lives took on a purpose we had never previously comprehended.

Through His divine and miraculous calling, God gave to your life and mine a goal – a purpose – a meaning – a nobility – that those who are frenetically racing about, trying to wring some enjoyment from this weekend, neither imagine nor comprehend.

In 1929, Lloyd C. Douglas published a book called The Magnificent Obsession.  The hero in the story comes on the scene as a self-absorbed young playboy who gets drunk and has to be rescued by the local lifesaving crew.  However, while they are tied up with rescuing him, they are unable to save the life of a famous and benevolent surgeon who had helped many people.  As the story unfolds, the young man looks at himself and learns of the man who died while he was being saved, and ultimately sets it as is life’s goal to emulate the great surgeon.  This becomes his “magnificent obsession.”  Douglas was an avowedly religious writer, and he clearly was drawing a parallel for the Christian life and the fact that living like Jesus Christ should be our “magnificent obsession.”

We have been taught that the ultimate purpose of our existence in this human life is the development of Godly character.  Do we still have that focus in our lives?  I must admit, there are times when I have allowed myself to be distracted from that purpose – sometimes by the lure of pleasant things, and sometimes by concerns about the unpleasant things.  And I also suspect, in a group this large, that I am not alone in that admission.

S.P.S.: True Christianity Is a Matter of Character

Even in the world around us, many have become alarmed at the lack of character many people exhibit.  In 2008 the Josephson Institute asked young people about their standards of honesty, and the results were sobering.  30% of young people admitted that they had stolen from a store in the previous 12 months, 83% admitted they lied to a parent about something significant, and 64% cheated on a test.  At the same time, 77% said they were more moral than most of their peers, and even more shocking, 93% said they were satisfied with their own personal level of ethics.

A number of states have instituted character education into the school curriculum.  If you were to review some of their guidelines and lesson plans, you would see a number of good things.  You would also see a few items you might question that express more the morality of our obsession with multiculturalism.  Many of these programs spend a great deal of time breaking down the concept of character into specific behaviors, and then try to inculcate those behaviors into the students.  There is nothing wrong with that, but behavior and character are not the same, though behaviors clearly reveal character or the lack thereof, and character clearly influences behavior.

[Ann Landers story – “How do I teach my children sexual morality?”  You can’t.  There is no such thing as sexual morality.  There is only morality.  You cannot compartmentalize morality into separate boxes where a person can be moral in one area and not another.]

It would probably also be clear that something is missing.

What do we mean by the term “character?”  One reasonable definition is: “The inherent complex of attributes that determines a person’s moral and ethical actions and reactions.”

Many people have addressed the importance of character.

[Share quotes.]

All of that is fine, and we would find little with which we might disagree.  However, all of those programs – all of those quotes – address the development of human character.  They have omitted a dimension that, for you and me, is far more important.  For us, we are not simply concerned with the development of character.  We are concerned with the development of Godly character, and that is a fundamentally missing dimension in the character education curricula of this world.

We say that ABC is a character-building institution.  The students who come here are familiar with that concept before they arrive.  As we considered the outcomes we wanted from this program a few years ago, Dr. Levy reminded of that phrase from our heritage.  Ambassador College was called a character-building institution, and as history has shown, for some it truly was.  For others it was not.  That ultimately was not because of what the institution provided but depended upon how thoroughly and genuinely the individual chose to embrace those values of true character.

But beyond that, ABC and AC before it were simply educational arms of a much larger character-building institution – the Church of God, and we are all unmatriculated students in that institution – we’re all undergrads.

As we spoke to the students this past week, we reminded them that we really do not have the power to build character in them.  It is a personal choice they must each make on their own, every day.

We are justifiably enthusiastic about our students. [Comments on this class.]  We hope that as you get to know them, you will see that growth in character in them as the year progresses, and we are confident you will.

When we speak of godly character, what do we mean?  How is it different from the standard descriptions of character?

Though the concept is easily supported in scripture, if you were to do a word search for “character,” you would find very few biblical passages.

The primary Greek word used in the NT is dokimhn – dokimén – genuine as determined by examination and testing, often through actual use; that which causes something to be known as true or genuine, in the sense of being what it appears to be; the proven or evident worth of someone or something – value, worth – [52]

Let’s look at a few illustrative passages.

Rom:5:1-5[1]Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:[2]By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.[3]And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;[4]And patience, experience; and experience, hope:[5]And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. – Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us [that has been given to us – NRSV].

Phil:2:22But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. – [proven, approved character] – But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.

2 Cor:2:9For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. – [proof; character; put you to the test] – For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.

It can also be helpful to look at the passages that use the negative form of this word.

adokimoV – adókimos – pertaining to having been proven worthless – of no value, worth nothing; pertaining to not being in accordance with what is right, appropriate, or fitting [52]

Rom:1:28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; – [disapproved or debased mind] – And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

1 Cor:9:27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. – [castaway; disqualified] – But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

[Pedestals for statues at Olympia]

2 Cor:13:5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? – [reprobates; unqualified; do not stand the test] – Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?; unless indeed you are disqualified [devoid of character].

The godly character we seek does not come into existence by the wave of God’s magic wand.  It is developed in us as we, with the help of God’s Holy Spirits, make the tough choices the Christian life demands.  Jesus illustrated this in two brief but well-known parables, both of which are found at the end of the famous Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7.

Mat:7:13-14[13]Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:[14]Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. – Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Mat:7:24-27[24]Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:[25]And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.[26]And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:[27]And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. – Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.

Jesus shows us in broad terms what we must do if we want to build that kind of Godly character.

Luke:9:23-25[23]And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.[24]For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.[25]For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? [NIV] – Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.  What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

Jesus well knew what crucifixion meant. When he was a lad of about eleven years of age, Judas the Galilean had led a rebellion against Rome. He had raided the royal armory at Sepphoris, which was only four miles from Nazareth. The Roman vengeance was swift and sudden. Sepphoris was burned to the ground; its inhabitants were sold into slavery; and two thousand of the rebels were crucified on crosses which were set in lines along the roadside that they might be a dreadful warning to others tempted to rebel. [5]

A condemned criminal was forced to carry one bar of his cross to the place of execution. He was "on a one-way journey. He’d not be back" [9]

The ultimate definition of godly character is found in a simple statement in the book of Philippians.  Paul had a special love and confidence in the brethren of the congregation in Philippi, and he shared this profound yet simple concept.

Phil:2:1-5[1]If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,[2]Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.[3]Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.[4]Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.[5]Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: – Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

Conclusion:    The diligent building of Godly character must be a “magnificent obsession” in our lives.  We are here today, and in a broader sense we are here in the Church of God, for the express purpose of building Godly character – the mind of Jesus Christ.

We must never let anything pull us away from that perspective and purpose.