Download Christian Character Construction

Christian Character Construction
2 Peter 3:10-18
1. What Is Character?
“A Fixed Predictable Image”
Real Character shows under pressure……
2. Spirituality Is Seen Through Character, Not Spiritual Gifts!
1 Corinthians 13:8 (NKJV)
1 Timothy 3:1 - 7 (NKJV)
3. How Do You Construct Character?
It is a Decision
By Beating or Chipping With Chisel and/or Hammer
By Heating or Melting Down
Character Is Constructed By Making “Right Choices Under
Pressure”
4. Christian Character
Our Character Shows Who We Really are:
Proverbs 27:19 (NKJV)
Matthew 12:33 - 35 (NKJV)
Luke 6:43 - 45
Christian Character Construction
2 Peter 3:10-18
10
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the
heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with
fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
11
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
12
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which
the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with
fervent heat?
13
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a
new earth in which righteousness dwells.
14
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be
found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
15
and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our
beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to
you,
16
as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are
some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to
their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
17
You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you
also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the
wicked;
18
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.
Introduction:
Chapter talks about the end of the earth as we know it – when everything will
melt with fire….
Heart of message is in verse 11: “Therefore, since all these things will be
dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and
godliness,”
Nothing will exist except our conduct (who we really are) and Godliness…
Page 2
1. What Is Character?
A. “A Fixed Predictable Image”
1. Fixed = firm; unmoveable; unchangeable
2. Predictable = tell in advance, guessable
3. Image = popular conception; picture
B. Best described by a statue or constructed object
1. It is always constant
EX = painting, building,
house,
car,
2. It may be bad or good
EX = god / goddess statues, poorly designed building
3. Position, place, surroundings, weather, etc may change, but the
statue, object, “fixed predictable image” remains the same!
C. Character is Constant 1. Good Character or Bad Character:
a. Image of God and good
b. Image of Sin and evil
2. Character will manifest itself in time
a. Good Character always shows!
a. An evil, mean, sinful character cannot be hid indefinitely
– it will expose itself…
3. Real Character shows under pressure……
Page 3
2. Spirituality Is Seen Through Character, Not Spiritual Gifts!
A. Prophecy, tongues, and knowledge shall cease:
1 Corinthians 13:8 (NKJV) Love never fails. But whether there are
prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether
there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
B. The directions given to spiritual leaders involves character
and choice – not spiritual gifts:
1 Timothy 3:1 - 7 (NKJV)
1
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a
good work.
2
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, soberminded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3
not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not
quarrelsome, not covetous;
4
one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all
reverence
5
(for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care
of the church of God?);
6
not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same
condemnation as the devil.
7
Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest
he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
C. We Will Stand Before God For Who We Are – our Character
– not what we want others to ‘think’ we are?
1. Too many put on a show
2. Jesus said some wouldn’t make it who had ‘cast out devils in
His name’
Page 4
3. How Do You Construct Character?
A. It is a Decision - A Daily Decision
B. It Comes By Discipline
a. Makes you say NO when everyone else says yes
EXAMPLE = Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego
= Men & Women turning a deaf ear to filthy jokes and sin
C. By Beating or Chipping With Chisel and/or Hammer
D. By Heating or Melting Down and Forming Into A Mold.
E. Character Is Constructed By Making “Right Choices Under
Pressure”
4. Christian Character
A. Character = Characteristics; Quality; Makeup;
B. What is your “Fixed Predictable Image?”
C. How Do You Act Under Pressure?
1. What choices do you make?
2. What Do you say?
Page 5
Conclusion:
1. Our Character Shows Who We Really are:
Proverbs 27:19 (NKJV) As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart
reveals the man.
2. Jesus said “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
Matthew 12:33 - 35 (NKJV)
33
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and
its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.
34
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things,
and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
3. Jesus talks about getting the ‘plank’ out of your eye before trying
to get the ‘splinter’ out of your brother’s eye… Then:
Luke 6:43 - 45
43
“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good
fruit.
44
For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from
thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and
an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the
abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.