Christian Character-Series

Introductory Message

“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.”~ Prov. 25:28

He is better than the mighty…that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”~ Prov. 16:32

For many years I preached a series of twelve messages on Christian Character. They were as well received as any of my sermons over these many years. My son Andrew has been after me to condense the content and post them on Substack. And so we will dispense with the husks, so to speak, and we will go directly to the kernel in this series. We will attempt to do the impossible, put an ocean in a teacup. 

Character is like walls around our lives: they can be used both to keep in and keep out. Nehemiah was a great wall-builder. Just as a wall is built so it is with character; you build character. As Peter tells us, we are to “add to our faith.” The Greek word for character is enduring marks. Remember in the resurrection of the just and unjust not only will our bodies be resurrected, but our character.

Building Christian character is a lifetime job; we’ll never finish the wall in this life. But like the boy shooting his BB gun at the sun, when told he’d never hit it, replied, “I know, but I’m getting a lot closer than those who don’t take aim.” As the old preacher said when asked if his life came up to his preaching, “No! But I’m not bringing my preaching down to my life; but my life up to my preaching!”

How grateful I am to old Dr. Bob Jones Sr. for starting me on the path of character building. Many of the bricks in my wall were provided by him. While just a novice preacher I remember so well such comments as: “The only thing worse than little character is no character”; “Reputation is what people think you are, but  character is what God knows you are.”; “You can borrow brains but you can’t borrow character.”; “The right road always ends up at the right place.”

The lost have character, most certainly then the Christian should. The difference is seen in the motive. The world says, “Honesty is the best policy.” But if your honest only because it is the best policy, your crooked as a hound dogs hind leg.

Birds reveal their nature by their song. Socrates said to a young boy, “Speak that I may see thee.” The metal of a bell is best known by its sound. And so it is with our lives; a man or woman is best known by their character.

How well I remember Dr. Bob saying, "You may not be a PhD. But if you have these characteristic traits you can make it in life." I whispered to myself, "I can do that." And so can you my friend!

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