Virtue is the embodiment of moral goodness, and it is characterized by the moral excellence in one’s behaviour and deeds. The Bible encourages us to add virtue as an essential complement to our faith so that it can abound in us and bear godly fruit. Let’s take a deep dive look at this Scripture:
2 Peter 1:5-9 (KJV):
And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
While virtue should ideally be guided by biblical principles and the leading of the Holy Spirit, we often attribute virtue to various activities. Practices like refraining from certain meats, observed in many religious traditions, are commonly regarded as symbols of moral virtue and adherents often perceive themselves as spiritually excellent for abiding by these rules. Additionally, there are individuals who are not bound by any religious beliefs who also adopt virtues based on their societal or personal moral standards and consequently, they demonstrate acts like charitable giving and being their brother’s keeper.
What happens though, when you hold dear to a particular virtue, and it clashes in opposition with what God asks you to do or say?
What happens when you believed and adhered to religious practices for so long and the Holy Spirit teaches you that it added no value to your faith and relationship with Him?
What happens when you do so much good on earth as an unbeliever and God still doesn’t know your name?
What happens when you say God knows your heart and God pronounces Jeremiah 17:9 (KLV) to you stating:
‘’The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?’’
Sometimes, these are the questions that tumble in my mind because God’s thoughts and ways are so far beyond ours that our understanding is of paramount failure without the impartations and impressions of the Holy Spirit within us. If you have walked with the Holy Spirit long enough, there is no doubt in my mind, that you would have found yourself in a conundrum at some point between your religious and personal virtues versus the leading of the Holy Spirit. Those who have walked closely with the Holy Spirit inevitably find themselves wrestling with the tension between their own convictions and the Spirit’s direction.
You see, God is a God of revelation not idealism and so it is never ideal to just read the Bible with the mere assumption that you know exactly what God means. I can guarantee you that you will not have the capacity to fathom the wondrous magnitude of every Word written without the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit who must find His abode within you.
Despite our intellectual prowess, it’s crucial to acknowledge that God, in His sovereignty, grants us abilities and unveils knowledge in alignment with His divine plan. We cannot however mistake our intellectualism for God’s revelation. Every facet of knowledge, talent, and blessing, whether financial or intellectual, emanates from God’s sovereignty and is bestowed upon all, just and unjust alike, as part of His grand design.
There is something extremely special about being in relationship with a God who reveals the unknown and unseen to you. It increases one’s trust and intimacy with Him and enables our dependency on His guidance and will.
Let’s check out a few Scriptures before I tell you a story about Saul.
Proverbs 28:26: He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
Proverbs 3:5: Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Luke 24:45: Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.
1 Corinthians 2:4-8: And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Consider the example of Saul, who prioritized his own virtue over God’s instructions. In 1 Samuel, Israel requests a king despite God being their true leader. God grants their request and appoints Saul, a man of exceptional qualities from the tribe of Benjamin, as their king. Samuel, the prophet, acting on God’s guidance, anoints Saul both privately and publicly. Samuel then warns the Israelites of the consequences of forsaking the Lord and urges them to remain obedient to God’s commands or face God’s wrath.
1 Samuel 12:14-15 (KJV):
If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God: But if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers.
Saul reigned as a promising King initially, but he faltered when he disobeyed the Lord’s strict commands. In 1 Samuel 13, Saul and his army were waiting for Samuel, the prophet to arrive to offer up a sacrifice before going to war with the Philistines. Facing imminent war with the Philistines and growing impatient at Samuel’s delay to Gilgal, Saul grew anxious waiting for Samuel to arrive. Samuel had not yet come, and many of the soldiers became apprehensive and began fleeing into hiding. Saul was not only then faced with adversity but also the pangs of uncertainty.
Despite patiently waiting the appointed seven days, when Samuel did not appear, Saul, driven by fear and impatience decided to offer up the burnt offering to God for himself. Such an offering was however a task strictly reserved for Samuel the prophet. The Scriptures do not depict Saul seeking God’s guidance through prayer; instead, he acted impulsively, hoping to secure victory at all costs in the impending war by personally performing the burnt offering. After all, he was King!
Saul failed to remember that even though he was King, he was not a priest or Levite who had the legal privilege to offer up sacrifices unto God. There is order in the House of God! Saul, forgot that God was the one in ultimate control and took matters into his own hands, losing sight of God’s divine sovereignty and order amidst the unfolding circumstances. This act of impulse, impatience and disobedience marked a critical turning point in Saul’s reign.
We can empathize with Saul’s predicament as the Philistines closed in, and Samuel remained absent. Fearing the imminent threat, Saul believed offering the burnt offering was a righteous act and a supplication to God for His favour, nonetheless. This situation prompts reflection on how often we rationalize disobedience to God’s instructions, deeming it minor if we incorporate God into the process through fasting, prayer, or financial offerings, hoping for leniency on the commands He instructed to us.
What occurs when our personal virtues and good intentions conflict with God’s instructions? Can we justify our actions, or does God’s sovereignty uphold His instructions above our perceived good deeds? Does disobeying God for a seemingly noble cause transform it into obedience or incur a lesser penalty compared to disobedience for less virtuous motives?
Let’s look at the consequence of that one act of presumptuous disobedience:
1 Samuel 13: 13-14 (KJV):
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.
It’s astonishing to think that one impulsive act led to Saul’s rejection by God. Despite believing he was acting virtuously in the face of adversity, Saul’s decision ultimately resulted in divine disfavour. Having good intentions alone is insufficient in God’s eyes; our intentions must align and translate into actions that conform to the strictness and good order of God’s commands.
Being self-reliant in the face of adversity is not the wisest course of action as a believer. Guard against presumption when your back is against the wall and when uncertainty looms, call on God in fervent prayer. Resist the urge to hastily do that which God never called or ordained you to do like Saul. While society often promotes stepping outside of the box and taking risks; with God, it is critical to know your identity and calling so you can act in accordance with His will. There is no stepping out of God’s will in His Kingdom agenda!
God encourages us to keep our eyes fixed on Him, regardless of the circumstances. Listen – God does not need your help – He needs your obedience. This is why God’s Word needs to be written on the tablet of our hearts so that at any moment’s notice, we can abide by what He has said.
There is one admonishment I would like to leave with you my dearest readers as we come to the close of Part 1. I do hope this read was enjoyable and insightful although it’s hitting home for some.
I would like to admonish you to follow this very simple principle: THINK AND CONSULT GOD BEFORE YOU ACT especially when you believe you have very noble intentions. The repercussions of a single act can derail your entire destiny and disqualify you from God’s intended destination.
