Please Help Us Keep These Thousands of Blog Posts Growing and Free for All

$5.00

Understanding Virtue and Its Importance

Modern-day dictionaries define “virtue” as “moral excellence; goodness.” It encompasses right action and thinking, reflecting a goodness of character. Lexicographer Marvin R. Vincent explains that the original classical sense of the Greek word rendered “virtue” denotes “excellence of any kind.” Consequently, virtues include prudence, courage, self-discipline, fairness, compassion, perseverance, honesty, humility, and loyalty. Virtue is also defined as “conformity to a standard of right.”

For Christians, the question arises: To whose standard of excellence, goodness, and right should we conform? As Newsweek magazine notes, the skepticism engendered by the Enlightenment has reduced all ideas of right and wrong to matters of personal taste, emotional preference, or cultural choice. However, mere taste or preference is not a satisfactory way of determining right and wrong. To cultivate virtue, Christians need a reliable standard of good and bad—a standard by which a certain act, attitude, or quality may be judged right or wrong.

The Only True Source of Moral Standards

The only true source for standards of morality is Jehovah God, the Creator of mankind. Shortly after creating the first man, Adam, Jehovah laid this command upon him: “From every tree of the garden you may freely eat, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). This command illustrated God’s exclusive right to decide what is good and bad for His creatures. God’s standards of good and bad thus became the basis for judgment, or evaluation, of a person’s deeds, outlook, and personality traits. Without such standards, we could not correctly distinguish right from wrong.

The command concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and bad set before Adam and Eve a choice—to obey or not to obey. For them, virtue meant obedience to that command. Over time, Jehovah further revealed what pleases Him and what displeases Him, recording this information in the Bible. Cultivating virtue, then, entails conforming to Jehovah’s righteous standards set out in the Scriptures.

Get Fully Acquainted With God’s Standards

Since God has determined the standards of good and bad and has revealed them in the Bible, it is crucial to become fully acquainted with them. The apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be fully competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Bible encourages modesty and counsels against overconfidence and presumptuousness (Proverbs 11:2; Micah 6:8). When outlining the qualifications for “an overseer,” Paul spoke of “reaching out” for that privilege (1 Timothy 3:1). This reaching out should be done without being boastful or presumptuous but also without needlessly putting oneself down.

Moral Excellence in the Business Arena

What does the Bible say about moral excellence in the business world? Employing questionable methods or cutting corners on government regulations and tax laws is common practice today. However, the Bible standard is to “conduct ourselves honestly in all things” (Hebrews 13:18). We cultivate virtue by being honest and fair with employers, employees, customers, and secular governments (Deuteronomy 25:13-16; Romans 13:1; Titus 2:9-10). Honesty promotes trust and goodwill. Putting agreements in writing often prevents misunderstandings and complexities that may arise due to “unexpected events” (Ecclesiastes 9:11; James 4:13-14).

Virtue in Dress and Grooming

Dress and grooming choices also reflect virtue. Clothing styles vary by culture, and there may be strong pressure to keep up with the latest trends. However, the Bible admonishes us to quit being “conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2). Paul wrote, “women are to adorn themselves with appropriate clothing, with modesty and soundness of mind, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but with what is proper for women professing godly reverence, by means of good works” (1 Timothy 2:9-10). This standard applies to both men and women, allowing for cultural and personal preferences within the bounds of modesty and soundness of mind.

Avoiding Immoral Practices

The Bible explicitly condemns certain immoral practices. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 warns, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men of passive homosexual acts, nor men of active homosexual acts,[1] nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.” This scripture helped Maria, a woman struggling with an immoral relationship, realize that her actions were wrong according to God’s standards. To cultivate virtue, we need to familiarize ourselves thoroughly with Jehovah’s standards.

[1] The two Greek terms refer to passive men partners and active men partners in consensual homosexual acts. “nor men of passive homosexual acts [μαλακοὶ], nor men of active homosexual acts [ἀρσενοκοῖται]”

Learn With the Heart

Virtue is not merely a passive avoidance of what is bad. It has moral power and involves active goodness. A virtuous person has intrinsic goodness. Virtue needs to be learned with the heart as well as the head. Thus, cultivating virtue entails more than intellectual knowledge of God’s Word. It requires meditation on Scripture to fill our hearts with gratitude for Jehovah and motivate us to apply biblical principles in our lives.

The psalmist exclaimed, “How I do love your law! All day long it is my concern” (Psalm 119:97). King David wrote, ” I remember the days of old; I meditate on all your doings; I ponder the work of your hands” (Psalm 143:5). Prayerful meditation should be an integral part of our Bible study.

Making time for diligent study and meditation can be challenging, but it is essential for cultivating virtue. Ephesians 5:15-16 advises us to “buy out the time” from other activities. We can start by waking up 30 minutes earlier to read and meditate on the Bible. Meditation helps us align our feelings with Jehovah’s and adopt His views.

Meditation includes considering the consequences of our actions. Paul urges Christians to abstain from fornication and exercise self-control so that “no man transgress and wrong his brother” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7). Reflecting on questions such as, “What damage would this act cause to myself, my family, or others?” can strengthen our resolve to act virtuously.

Learn From Examples

The debate over whether virtue can be taught in a classroom has persisted for millennia. Plato leaned towards thinking it can, while Aristotle believed virtue is gained through practice. A journalist summarized the issue: “Good character comes from living in communities where virtue is encouraged and rewarded.” The Bible provides numerous examples of virtuous individuals, offering more reliable role models than cultural myths.

The most outstanding example of virtue is God Himself. He always acts righteously and does what is good. By becoming “imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1), we can cultivate virtue. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, “left us a model for us to follow his steps closely” (1 Peter 2:21). The Bible also recounts the faithfulness of individuals like Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, Ruth, Job, Daniel, and his three companions, as well as modern-day servants of Jehovah.

We Can Succeed

Can we succeed in doing what is virtuous in God’s eyes? Although we have inherited imperfection and may struggle between our mind and flesh (Romans 5:12; 7:13-23), we can win this battle with God’s help (Romans 7:24-25). Jehovah has provided His Word and Bible-based publications. Through diligent study and prayerful meditation, we can become pure in heart, and from such a heart can come virtuous thoughts, words, and actions (Luke 6:45).

By following the examples of Jehovah and Jesus, and learning from faithful individuals, we can cultivate a godly personality. Paul exhorted his readers to “continue considering” virtue and other praiseworthy things, promising that doing so will result in God’s blessing (Philippians 4:8-9). With Jehovah’s help, we can succeed in cultivating virtue.

About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).