Finding Freedom Through Virtue

 Followers of Jesus are to live with virtue. To live with virtue is to be a person of character that is defined by the high moral qualities of love, honesty, compassion, mercy, and faith. These are the qualities that empower us to demonstrate God’s character in the world.

The Bible, through the teaching of the Holy Spirit, provides us with the wisdom we need to be people of Christian virtue. One of the ways the Bible provides us with wisdom is through examples. These examples are not always good examples, but God intends for them challenge us in how we live. The are to get us to think about how we can live faithful lives in our situations.

One such example can be found in the book of Exodus.

Exodus is the story of the Israelites, who experienced a life of slavery for over 400 years. Their existence was marked by suffering, oppression, and forced labor. Yet, it is in this painful reality that God grew the clan of Jacob into a nation.

When the time was right, God had a plan to set them free. This plan was built around a man named Moses. He was born to Hebrew parents and raised in by Pharaoh’s daughter. This gave Moses a unique perspective on the situation, but before Moses was fully prepared to lead Israel, he spent 40 years in the wilderness herding sheep. All these experiences molded Moses into the leader God would use to lead Israel out of a life of slavery and into a life of freedom.

Not only did the Israelites need to be freed from their physical enslavement, they also needed to be freed from their spiritual enslavement. They had been living in a pagan culture that worshiped false gods, and as a result, they had become enslaved to the sinful practices and values of that culture.

God knew that in order to truly be free, the Israelites needed to be transformed from the inside out. They needed to turn away from their sinful ways and embrace a life of virtue. God’s desire was for Israel to be a light to the nations by demonstrating His character.

Through Moses, God created a covenant with Israel. The moral foundation of this covenant is summed up in what we call the Ten Commandments. This covenant would serve as a guide for living a virtuous life. These terms of the covenant were not given to enslave the Israelites, but rather to guide them away from the terrible cultural practices that enslaved their neighbors and kept them living in darkness.

In Deuteronomy 30:19-20, Moses told the Israelites:

“I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, love the LORD your God, obey him, and remain faithful to him. For he is your life, and he will prolong your days as you live in the land the LORD swore to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (CSB)

The virtuous life requires making a choice: following God’s will or doing what seems best to us. This is the choice that set before all of us, and it is crucial that we make the right choice.

To live with virtue means choosing the way of God even when it is difficult and we don’t have all the answers. It means choosing to love God and to love our neighbors, even when it requires sacrifice. And it means putting aside our own selfish desires and ambitions, in order to serve those around us.

When we live with virtue, we find freedom from the consequences of bad choices that would otherwise lead us into slavery. We become free to serve others, just as Jesus came to serve us.

In John 13:14-15, Jesus told his disciples,

“So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you.” (CSB)

Jesus, who is the perfect image of God, lived a loving and humble life which empowered him to serve people. If we are going to demonstrate God’s character in this world then we need to follow the example of Jesus.

This is why virtue is crucial for Christians.

Living a life of virtue requires humility, selflessness, and treating others the way we want to be treated. When we live like this, we find the freedom God has promised to His people. We are free to love, free to serve, and free to make a difference in the world around us.

Living with virtue is not about being perfect or never making mistakes. It's about making choices that align with God's will, and seeking to live a life that reflects his love and grace.

When we do this, we find freedom from the consequences of bad choices that would otherwise lead us into the slavery of sin. And in that freedom, we are free to help and serve those around us, just as King Jesus did for us.

EDC Wednesday: EDC Mistakes

Since Everyday Carry (EDC) is about the items that we carry with us on a daily basis, a lot of focus is placed on gear. It is the gear, more than anything else, that has created the EDC Community.

It is true that we want to have the tools necessary to tackle the jobs that pop up during the day, but we also want cool tools to do those jobs. There are tons of cool gears that we can buy to create an EDC kit, and that can translate into hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

To prevent you from spending lots of money on things that only sit in a drawer and collect dust, here are some common mistakes people make when it comes to EDC.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when creating an EDC:

1. Carrying too much: This was a big mistake when I first started carrying an intentional EDC. I watched YouTube videos and saw what other people were doing and thought, “I need to carry that too.” I had my pockets full of stuff that I never used: a lighter, screwdriver, Allen wrench, and a few other pieces of gear. One of the things that was happening is that I would put my phone in the pocket, and all the stuff in my pockets would crack the screen protector. I went through three or four protectors before I figured out what was happening. Just because someone else carries it or you can find a pocket version of some tool doesn’t mean you should add it to your carry.
2. Not considering your daily routine: Your EDC should be tailored to your daily routine. For instance, if you work in an office, you may not need to carry a heavy-duty knife or a multitool. You only need to carry those things that make sense for your day-to-day life. There is no reason to carry a bunch of stuff around that never comes out of your pocket except when it is time to go to bed.
3. Focusing on brand names rather than quality: This is huge. There are plenty of good quality knives that are made by “budget” companies. My most expensive knife (Buck Sprint Pro) is also the knife that has the most problems, and I never carry it because of that. In that instance, I had the opportunity to buy it, and I did based on the brand. If I had done my regular research, I would have discovered that the problem I have with the knife is a common problem, and I wouldn’t have bought it. The lesson is to do research and find stuff that is quality.
4. Creating a carry around a theme: This is by far the biggest mistake I made. One of the things people love to do with their EDC is to create it based on a certain theme: color (olive green), movie (Star Wars), material (brass), or team (Denver Broncos). So I started creating a wishlist of things that fell into the themes (I imagined having these different themes) instead of what I really enjoyed carrying. Now, five years or so into EDC, the theme is secondary. I have things that are in a theme that I never carry because I don’t like the items. This is not “Never create your EDC around a theme,” rather it is “Find out what you like before finding the items to make up your themed carry.”

It is easy to spend a lot of money on creating an EDC. It is impossible not to spend money on gear that you end up never using. The reality is that we can’t know how useful something is until it is part of our daily system.

It is possible, with a little bit of time, thought, and research, to create an EDC with items that fit you perfectly without also having a drawer full of stuff that never gets used.

Do you have any other mistakes that you would add to the list?

Follow Jesus’ Example of a Faithful Life

 

As Christians, we are called to live a faithful life.

What does that entail, and how can we ensure that we are living in accordance with God's will?

The answer lies in following the example of Jesus. In John 6:38 (CSB), Jesus said:

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me."

Thus, living a faithful life involves doing God's will, just as Jesus did.

The foundation of a faithful life is following Jesus' teachings such as loving our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31), forgiving those who wrong us (Matthew 6:14-15), and serving others (Mark 10:45).

However, staying on the path of righteousness can be challenging. We may encounter trials and temptations that make it difficult to remain faithful to Jesus’ way of life.

I think we can find encouragement in knowing that even Jesus faced challenges during his time on earth. In Matthew 26:39 (CSB), Jesus prayed :

“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

In this moment, Jesus was faced with an incredibly difficult task, the task of dying on the cross and taking on our sin. In that moment Jesus chose to submit to God's will above his own desires.

This example shows us that we too must choose to submit to God’s will, even in the face of hardship.

When we face trials and temptations, we can turn to God for strength and guidance, just as Jesus did. Through a deepening faith in God that comes from the practice of spiritual disciplines, we can find the strength to stay on the path of righteousness and honor God in all that we do.

This requires that we know what God’s will is.

We are able to discern God's will for our lives, by turning to the Bible, which contains God's truth for how we should live. Not only should we turn to the Bible, but we also need to pray and ask God for guidance. James 1:5 (CSB) states:

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God — who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly — and it will be given to him.

Wisdom, the knowledge of living well in God’s world, is a gift from God. This is why wisdom is the product of both our faithful study of the Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds.

Living a faithful life requires daily devotion and commitment. It means surrendering our own desires and ambitions to follow Jesus. We do this because of the conviction that following Jesus is the absolute best way to live.

Thinking Right and Worship

 

Worship is an essential part of the Christian life. It is the act of recognizing and praising God for who He is and what He has done. Worship is not just singing songs or attending church services; it is a way of life that centers on the recognition of God's greatness and our utter dependence on Him.

N. T. Wright, in his book Simply Christian wrote,

"Worship is at the very center of all Christian living. One of the main reasons that theology (trying to think straight about who God is) matters is that we are called to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. It matters that we learn more about who God is so that we can praise him more appropriately." (pp. 148-49)

In this quote Wright highlights the importance of theology in worship. He points out that the more we understand who God is, the more we can love and praise Him.

This idea is supported by Jesus' teach ing on the most important commandment found in Mark 12:30 (CSB):

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

In other words, to mature in our worship of God, we must engage our entire being, including our intellect. Our love for God is not just an emotional response; it is grounded in a knowledge of who God is and what He has done for us.

Theology, the study of God and His character, helps us understand God's nature, His attributes, and His actions.

As we learn more about God, our worship becomes more meaningful and authentic. To properly worship God we need to grow in our understanding of who God is. This allows us to praise Him for His holiness, His love, His mercy, His justice, and His faithfulness. Theology informs our understanding of God so we can sing songs that reflect those truths and offer prayers that are in line with His character.

Good theology also helps us avoid false worship. It helps us discern between true and false teachings and helps us avoid worshipping idols. It reminds us that our worship is not just about what we want or feel but is primarily about honoring God.

Worship is not a passive activity but a vital aspect of the Christian life. To worship God fully, we must engage our heart, soul, mind, and strength.


Theology is not an activity reserved for academics, but it is a vital part of a Christian’s worship of God. Theology helps us understand who God is and what He has done, which empowers us to praise Him more fully and avoid worshipping a false god created in our own image.

As we continue to grow in our knowledge of God, our worship will become more authentic, meaningful, and life-giving. We shouldn’t neglect theology, but instead we need to let it inform our worship of God.