Virtue

2 Peter 1:5-8
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Original Word: ἀρέτη
Transliteration: areté
Phonetic Spelling: (ar-et'-ay)
Short Definition: praise

Word Origin of uncertain origin
Definitio nmoral goodness, i.e. virtue
NASB Word Usageexcellence (2), excellencies (1), moral excellence (2).

Virtue ~ Moral goodness; the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice, or a conformity of life and conversation to the moral law. In this sense, virtue may be, and in many instances must be, distinguished from religion. The practice of moral duties merely from motives of convenience, or from compulsion, or from regard to reputation, is virtue, as distinct from religion. The practice of moral duties from sincere love to God and his laws, is virtue and religion. In this sense it is true,

That virtue only makes our bliss below.

Virtue is nothing but voluntary obedience to truth.

My Notes: I think these definitions make it plain to us what virtue is. I love the part of the definition that is careful to seperate religion from virtue. Good people that do not know the Lord can have virtue. They can have good morals and try to do good things, as the definition says, from motives of convenience, or from compulsion, or from regard to reputation. We need to make sure the roots of our virtue are in the Lord, coming from our relationship with Him and what we have learned from His word. I also love the idea that virtue is more than "good morals" it is moral excellence. There is no room for mediocrity. Seems that this definition would make a good measuring stick for us. Is this movie, book, song, conversation, etc. morally excellent? Proverbs 31 tells us that a virtuous (or morally excellent woman) is hard to find. Kind of made me think of a diamond in the rough....so that's my challenge for you today...From this moment on allow the Lord and His Word to begin the polishing and grinding and chipping away needed to make you that diamond.