Character

Abraham grew strong in faith, while giving glory to God and not considering the flesh, but what God had said to him. Abraham’s faith did not grow. Abraham grew strong in mind and emotions, in that faith that God had given to him (Rom 4:18-22).
We also develop in character. We grow or mature in our character. We grow in character and in wisdom as we age. We should also grow in character as we yield ourselves to the Lord. This simply means that we obey His word and humble ourselves when corrected.

Hebrews 11 speaks of the heroes of faith. The one ingredient in each of them was obedience. “By faith Noah…moved with fear…built the ark…By faith Abraham…obeyed…not knowing whither he went.” (Heb 11:7-8). Faith is not a feeling. It is simply obeying God.

Now no chastening for the present seems joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those that are exercised (trained) thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees (encourage yourself) and make straight paths for your feet (do not run from God’s discipline), lest that which is lame (in our character) be turned out of the way (become dysfunctional), but rather let if be healed. (Heb 12:11-13).

We all need character development. We have gifting and character. God will not withdraw His gifting, but we must vigilantly watch over our character in grace. It just means that we humble ourselves. God Himself leads us in this. He exhorts us in it and gives us the grace for it.

Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. (Pr 4:23).

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Pet 5:6-7).
Patience is often used in scripture in relation to our character. Through trials the Spirit brings out patience, conforming our character to the image of Christ (Heb 10:35-39, 12:10-13, James 1:2-8, 1 Pet 1:7-9, 2 Pet 1:5-11). When a silversmith purifies silver he burns away the dross. He knows it is ready and pure when he looks into the molten silver and can see his image and reflection in it. This is how Christ deals with us.

Conforming our character to the image of Christ’s character is not a process in sanctification, but a work of the Spirit of God in us. Character is important. We make a shipwreck when we rely on our gift and neglect our character. If we do not allow God to renew our character we become unfruitful and destroy our own work, with the same hands we used to build it.

Put on therefore, as elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; forbearing one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so do also. And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you are called and be thankful. (Col 3:12-15).
Here Paul says that because we are elect and because we are holy in Christ, therefore put on what we have in Him. We do this by faith. We walk in this by faith. This then works perfectness in character, meaning to wear as a garment what we have already been given in Christ. This is perfectness in the sense that it completes the purpose of God, i.e. that we love one another.

This love is expressed in service to one another, as Christ came to serve and not to be served. This should be our character and life style. Service replaces self-centeredness, self-importance, ease and self-pleasing.