JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q1. Christian Virtues in Your Live - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why?

Trick question! Are any of these virtues easy? NO! Sometimes I think that brotherly kindness is easier to move in because I know what I ought to do, but am I "performing" what is expected of me or am I letting the Spirit operate through me? The mask slips on so easily and I can appear like the "perfect Christian", but I know differently.

Just like the fruits of the Spirit, all of these virtues are a gift that require the power of the Holy Spirit. I can not possess these virtues outside of his power enabling me. By faith and by his grace I strive to move in all of them.

Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why?

All of these virtues are very difficult to follow unless one is filled with the Holy Spirit. Humanly its difficult to even think of them, leave alone following them. But we, as vessels, set apart by God for His work, are beginning to experience these virtues. Be experience, I mean being a part of acquiring these virtues.


The easiest for me was perseverence. Looking at failures in my christian life made me to persevere and go on in the service of the Lord


The hardest is love. Its easy to love those who love us but hard to love those who hate us or look down on us. This is a gradual process which will take time as Christlike qualities develop in me day by day.

Self-control in regard to food is the hardest! Perseverance is the easiest. I'm working on goodness, knowledge, and self-control in other areas. But my greatest weakness is controlling my eating habits.

Hello Everyone, Perserverance seems to be easier for me. I've had much difficulty in my life, but I keep on keeping on thanks be to God
From time to time I find it difficult to control anger I'm getting better every day with help from the Holy Spirit and a wonderful sister in the Lord.
God bless you and yours, Beulah

I always thought I was good at self control, but lately I see there is always difficulty in submitting my latest "thing" to God. I really spend more time that I should on the computer. (No, I'm not talking about this Bible study). It seems there is always another distraction to overcome!

As for the hardest thing, they are all hard if you take them to the ultimate degree. There is always fine-tuning to be done in respect of all these wonderful things. Perseverance in overcoming the blindspots is probably the hardest to achieve on the way to godliness - but it's so good when you do!

Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why?

All have being easy but maintaining self-control from outbursts of angry sometimes get in the way with me. I'm working to bring it under control and I have seen progress in that area. The first step of receiving healings in areas of our lives is to admit that we have a problem with somethings in our lives.

Pastor Ralph, on Jul 1 2004, 09:51 PM, said:

By God's Grace am I even hear now writing this. These questions cause me to consider The Lord's will, and getting out of my own thoughts into HIS thoughts is absolutely purifying and wonderful for me. Thank you family.
This is not absolute ... for God is not done with me yet, but I would say knowledge has been the easiest for me to move into. And, self control has been the hardest. As to why ... first , at a very young age I began learning. But, my learning was off track. I learned a lot of things that I then needed to unlearn. Anyway, I am more familiar with learning, than the other (mentioned up till now) attributes. Self control, I would say, has been the hardest. And, the reason has been similar: I had not been given an ultimatum, (by The Holy Spirit), regarding self control, until recently, well . . . err . . . the last 40 years or so. Now The Holy Spirit is definitely working in my life. And, HE is making Himself known; and His presence felt! Thank You Lord! In other words, I'm equating "easy" and "hard" with the amount of time I have been working on the attribute/defect.

It is only by the grace of GOD and the power of His Holy Spirit that He has called me to Himself. I love His Word and enjoy studying it and learning from it daily. So I suppose knowledge is one of the easier attributes of growth. These studies are especially good for me because I must express my thoughts. This is something that is not easy for me to do. Hopefully these lessons will mature me more.

in all areas of my life I need the Lord's help.there are days I could be angry at someone but I know I need the lord's help and forgiveness.It's easier to be kind to those we care about but Jesus wants us to show love to all

I mess up on all the virtues all the time, but God's mercy is infinitely greater than my sin. However if I had to pick a virtue that's easiest for me, it would have to be joy.

I have found that each day offers new and different chanleges to me. Some days it may be very easy to deal with and keep control of anger. Other days it it easy for self-control. God blesses and test me in many different ways, each day. But thanks to his Grace I am growing with each test and Blessing.

Goodness
I just read Abba's Child by Brennan Manning. This is a incredible book about God's love for us and how He accepts us as we are. But in His great love for us He will not leave us in our sinful state but will pursuade us to become Christ like.

Knowledge
Manning says "When God comes streaming into our lives in the power of His Word, all He asks is that we be stunned and surpised, let our mouths hang open. and begin to breathe deeply"

The last chapter of the book is The Rabbi"s Heartbeat. " Let the Great Rabbi hold you silently against His heart. In learning who He is, you will find out who you are: Abb's child in Christ our Lord"

Jesus who died a bloody, God-forsaken death that we might live, is asking if we love Him. Thank you Jesus. I do love you. Ron

All four of these virtures are difficult and on any given day I have trouble with one or all of them. I think that moral goodness has been the easiest for me. I have always tried to be a good person. Sure I have failed at times, but I do keep on working at it. As far as knowledge of the scripture goes I have been working on that for the past few years. I still have a long way to go. Self-control works some times, but I often fail and perseverance is also a tough one. I am not the most patient person at times. I will keep on working and hope that some day I can give myself a passing grade.

Pastor Ralph, on Jul 1 2004, 09:51 PM, said:

Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into? Why?
In 2 Peter 1:3 we covered that we have been given all things through His divine power, so you would think all of the virtues would be easy for me. . . No, not so because of my humanness or maybe my unbelief? Whatever the reason I do understand that our God is a merciful and loving God and he has given those that believe in his Son the opportunity to grow in the process of perfection.

With that being said and if I am reading the question right and dealing only with the virtues in 2 Peter 1:5-6 which are goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance; then to answer this question and beginning first with the foundation of faith; I would have to say that the easiest of the above virtues for me has been knowledge.

As I follow the growth cycle day by day and I say day by day because the Christian journey has not been easy; however in order to make any sense of this journey I have learned to value scripture and applying God’s word to my actions even if it doesn’t make sense to me at the time. Not always easy and I don’t always follow this formula, but when I do, I find in the end it always comes out good and I have learned to give the glory to God.

Which has been the hardest for you? Why?
The hardest virtue for me is to obtain is that of goodness, crazy huh? For this is the first virtue and; I fall so short; I have failed in it in many ways. But I also realize that I am not alone. Paul in Romans 7:14-24 points this out about himself. (Romans 3:22-26)

My sins have been washed away the day I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior that is what I have to get straight is in my head. Logically I know that there is nothing I can do to make myself more righteousness, that was already done for me by Jesus, but the human side of me keeps thinking I can do better. I have to remember if I think I can make myself right in any way by my own means then what Jesus has done for me was in vain.

In reality I do want to grow because of my love for God and belief that all the virtues are assessable. We just have to tap into them and realize that by Christ’s power all things that pertain to life and godliness by understanding who Jesus is has been given us and we do not make void the law through faith, we establish it! (Romans 3:31)

I think that brotherly kindness has been easiest for me to move into and self-control has been the hardest. I always have liked people and been kind to them even when I was dead in my trespasses and sins but self-control has seemed to take longer and has been very hard. I have made progress though. I finally gave up smoking after smoking as a Christian for 14 years and now it's been almost 14 years since I've quit.
And believe me it was the prayers of the saints and the Holy Spirit's conviction that finally allowed me to be victorious in this area.

I still have problems in other area's pertaining to self-control but the Lord is graciously and patiently working on these with me. I believe I am doing well in all the other Chrisitan virtues as well but here and there I fail in them too.

I truly know that God is working in my life each and every day and as I yield to Him and practice these virtues in my life that He and I will continue towards the fullfillment when He receives me into His glory in heaven. I am yoked to Jesus Christ and He says I ain't heavy I'm His brother. What a wonderful revelation to know that Jesus and the Holy Spirit help me in my sanctification and I don't have to go it alone!

I am so thankful that I am a Christian! Praise the Lord Jesus Christ who is rich in mercy and grace!

Sassyblue8

Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why?

It seems like knowledge, meaning the gnôsis kind of knowledge, is the virtue that has been easiest to move into. I love studying Scripture, commentaries and attending Bible studies such as this one.

Perseverance may be the hardest. I find my patience lacking at times and it is very hard to stay the course. In this culture and society, we are constantly bombarded with all kinds of temptations that try to move us off the narrow path. The temptations come in various forms, psychological and intellectual as well as those that cater to our base and most vile passions. Perseverance to stay the course and maintain a strong faith in the midst of doubt and outright unbelief is difficult.

I think the easiest would be knowledge. We are in control of how much we study and learn. I am always trying to learn more about Jesus and apply it to my own life. The hardest virtue would be godliness. As we were all born into a sin world I find it very hard to be Christlike because He never sinned. It is hard to give up old habits that were once fun but not of Christ. I am striving to add all these seven virtues to my faith.

The virtue most easy to move into for me is brotherly kindness as it is my
desire to see others grow in the Lord and to have times of sharing with them
The virtue most difficult is probably patience, as there are times when I don't see the will of God in me or the direction I am looking for, as well as times of
struggle to maintain my christian character(an ongoing battle.).

Q1. (2 Peter 1:5-6) Which of these virtues so far has been the easiest for you to move into. Which has been the hardest for you? Why?

Wow, difficult question to answer. Based on the scripture exposition on goodness, knowledge, self-control and perserverance, I find myself failing each and everyone of them, really. But if I am to encourage myself, I would say that knowledge would be the easiest one for me to move into. The more I desire to know God, the more I want to live my life in accordance to what God expect from me. Perhaps from this desire to want to practice and walk closer with Him will have positive spin off into the other 3 characteristics of goodness, self control and perserverance. But then again, the sinful man in me will cause me not to put practice to theory and for that I would have to say the biggest hurdle would be to continually exercise perseverance and self control to develop goodness in me.