It is not that if we keep these lists, we can get saved and earn God’s approval. We keep these lists because we are already saved by God’s grace, and living such lives demonstrates our saving faith. As the virtue list in Gal. 5 informs us, these are the fruit of the Spirit. It is after we have been born again and have Christ by his Spirit living within us that we can begin to fully please God. It is only then that we are able to say no to what is found in the sin lists and are able to live virtuous lives as found in the virtue lists.
This article deals with the New Testament and various lists of virtues that we find scattered throughout. I have recently written a piece on the contrasting vice lists, or sin lists, that are also found in the New Testament, and stated that I should cover both sides of the coin – thus this article. The earlier piece can be found here: billmuehlenberg.com/2020/11/24/on-sin-lists/
As I mentioned in my previous article, these lists are not meant to be exhaustive, but are simply representative. They are not all-inclusive, but are illustrative. There would be far more sins to avoid and far more virtues to be pursued than any one of these lists offer.
And a few more general things can be said about these lists. One important point is that it is not that if we keep these lists, we can get saved and earn God’s approval. We keep these lists because we are already saved by God’s grace, and living such lives demonstrates our saving faith. As the virtue list in Gal. 5 informs us, these are the fruit of the Spirit.
So it is not a matter of trying really hard to avoid the sins and trying really hard to work up the virtues in order to gain God’s nod of approval. As sinners who are spiritually dead, we do not have the power in ourselves to fully choose the good and reject the evil.
It is after we have been born again and have Christ by his Spirit living within us that we can begin to fully please God. It is only then that we are able to say no to what is found in the sin lists and are able to live virtuous lives as found in the virtue lists.
Let me then offer some of these virtue lists. They would include:
Luke 6:20-23
Romans 12:9-21
Romans 13:8-14
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, 13
Galatians 5:22-25
Ephesians 4:25-32
Colossians 3:12-17
1 Thessalonians 5:12-22
1 Timothy 3:2-11
1 Timothy 6:3-12
Titus 1:6-9
Titus 3:1-3
James 3:17-18
1 Peter 3:8-9
2 Peter 1:5-7
Let me focus on just two of these passages, which would be representative of the others. The Galatians 5:22-25 list is the most famous perhaps, being the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ list. It can be offered here without any further commentary:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
But I will bring some commentary to bear on the Colossians 3:12-17 passage which says this:
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
One thing to note here is the idea of putting off and putting on. The verses prior to this speak of putting off the old man, of dying to self, and of renouncing various vices. Now we are told what to put on. So both sides of the coin are needed in order for the Christian to grow and mature.
