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“I am not religious, but I know I am a pretty good person, so I am okay.”   This is a sentiment we hear all too often in today’s world. People have their personal views of virtuosity or morality that are informed by pop culture, politics, or the general worldview of their friends and family. Is virtue really this arbitrary and flexible? What does it mean to live a good, virtuous life according to the Bible?   Merriam-Webster defines “virtue” as “conformity to a standard of right” or “a particular moral excellence.” Both of these secular definitions can help inform what the general consensus is on what exactly virtue is. The first definition, for example, indicates that being virtuous involves conforming to a standard, but the obvious question is “which/whose standard?” This is precisely the issue with a postmodern, relativistic view of morality. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard someone say something along the lines of “well, they are not hurting anyone so they can do whatever they want.” What a low bar for what is considered good! As long as no one comes away harmed, everyone can do whatever they want! I would venture to say most people, if they were to take a step back and think about the implications of a world where everyone did whatever they wanted to do, would see how that line of thinking could easily get out of hand. How then, does the Bible describe virtuous living?   Peter speaks extensively about Christian living in 2 Peter 1 , where He describes the way in which God has called us to share in “His own glory and excellence”—a reminder of our dictionary definition—and how we have escaped/been rescued “from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” ( vss. 3-4 ). Jesus came to this world to humble Himself to die on the cross and be raised up not only in His bodily resurrection, but back to the glory of Heaven! Peter uses this image of Christ’s glory to explain why Christians should demonstrate moral excellence in their lives:   “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins” ( vss. 5-9 ).   Peter gives Christians a list of the types of qualities they should be exemplifying in their lives, including virtue that is built on faith. This means in part that the way we act is directly informed by who Jesus is. Peter continues to say that our morals should also lead us to want to know Christ better, demonstrate self-control, and steadfastly follow Him. All of this eventually culminates in love. In short, moral excellence is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself” ( Luke 10:27 ). Ultimately, our devotion to God will be demonstrable not because we say all the right things in a deceitful way, but because we take extreme care to be honest, loving, and humble in all circumstances. Notice how harshly Peter talks about those who claim Christ but do not live this way: they are “so nearsighted they are blind.” That is to say, if we are only focused on ourselves and our status of “righteous,” but neglect our calling to continue to demonstrate that righteousness meekly and consistently, as Jesus did, we have totally lost it! This is why Peter encourages the brethren in verse 10 to be “all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”   Peter is abundantly clear: if we do not want to lose our souls and “fall from grace,” so-to-speak, we must be people who speak kindly, carry themselves humbly, and obey God faithfully. We must resist all temptations to lie, deceive, lust, gossip, or anything else ungodly at all costs.   The good news is, other Christians are there to help us! Just as Peter reminded the first century Christians of these things both by writing to them and “stirring them up” in person, we too, should be surrounding ourselves with godly, virtuous examples that make us strive for excellence better and better every day.   While the Bible’s standard for virtue and morality is much higher than the worlds, but our Savior showed us the way, promised to be with us, and gave us each other to lean on.

Have you ever known someone who was endlessly negative for no reason? Or maybe they had a reason, but their pessimism or cynicism seemed to far outweigh the circumstances they find themselves in. I would imagine we all know someone we would describe as a “Debbie Downer” or “Negative Nelly.” Maybe that person is us! We can sometimes look at a situation around us or be frustrated by something in our lives and be tempted to despair. The Bible repeatedly warns against “grumbling, complaining, and disputing,” but does that mean we are never allowed to be upset ever? Certainly not. Let’s look at a few examples.   Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians from a prison cell. In this letter, he is clear-eyed about the pros and cons of his situation, and writes to them: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise, you also should be glad and rejoice with me…”   I don’t know about you, but I cannot think of anything that would make me more sheepish than an apostle who had endured as much suffering as Paul writing me a letter from prison telling me not to whine or complain! Paul’s positivity despite his circumstances is infectious in his Philippian letter, and he does not at all complain about his imprisonment, but rather expresses gratitude for the opportunity to tell his fellow inmates and guards about Jesus ( 1:12-14 )! It is clear throughout Paul’s life that he is optimistic at every turn about the ways the gospel is advancing and the hope that he has in Christ despite whatever he is going through in his life. As he states so poignantly in Romans 8:18 , “[f]or I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” We are eagerly awaiting something eternally better than any of the negative that this world could throw at us. In the words of the author of Hebrews, quoting from Psalm 118:6 , “the Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” In other words: we belong to God and He is watching out for us; what is there to complain about?   To put it bluntly: God’s people are not whiners!   However, I want to be clear: there is nothing wrong with experiencing sorrow, loss, and heartbreak, and sharing those things with God. There was nothing wrong with Job sitting on the ash heap, devastated and silent. There was nothing wrong with the Psalmist in Psalm 88 pouring out his heart to God and nothing at all positive coming to mind at the time.  There was nothing wrong with David weeping, fasting, and desperately praying that his child would live when God told him that he would not. There was, however, a major issue with Job’s wife’s response to their great loss being “curse God and die” ( 2:9 ). There was, in fact, a problem with Jonah being angry with God for extending His great mercy to the Ninevites. There is an issue with, like Sarah, laughing in God’s face when He promises to do something remarkable and unexpected. It is sinful, in fact, to be so ungrateful for God’s former deliverance and provision that we gripe and blame and despair when we are required to have patience or do not get our way immediately, like the Israelites in the wilderness.   Despite the fact that God certainly wants us to cry out to Him in times of trouble, we should never be the type of people who complain in a way that is rooted in bitterness, ungratefulness, or disdain for our fellow man. We are to demonstrate the fruit of the spirit—“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”—and always speak graciously, in a way that is “seasoned with salt” ( Galatians 5:22-23 , Colossians 4:6 ). As we see so powerfully demonstrated in the life of Paul, the Christian life is one rooted in thankfulness for immeasurable forgiveness, innumerable blessings, and ultimately, eternal life.   With the cross behind us and heaven before us, how could we complain?

If I were to ask you who Noah was, what would your answer be? If you’re like me—or like many others—you’d probably say, “Oh, he’s the guy who built the ark!” But what if I followed up with: Tell me something else about him. Once we point out that Noah built the ark… what else do we really have to say about him? The Bible certainly has more to say. Take a look at Hebrews 11:7 : “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Are you familiar with this verse—or at least the chapter? Hebrews 11 is often called the “Hall of Faith.” It’s a list of men and women who stand out key individuals when it comes to faithfulness to God. So if Noah is listed among them, why is it that the only thing we usually remember about him is the ark? Noah was one of 16 people highlighted in Hebrews 11 .  Clearly, there was a lot right about his life. Clearly, he is a great example for anyone who seeks to follow God. Noah’s Obedience Was Complete Noah wasn’t just a builder—he was obedient to every command God gave: Genesis 6:22  – “He did all that God commanded him.” Genesis 7:5   – “Noah did all that the LORD had commanded.” Genesis 6:14–16  – God gave specific instructions: three decks, one window, one door—and Noah didn’t add or subtract a thing. Noah respected God’s Word enough to follow every detail. He didn’t modify, question, or improve on God’s plan. He simply obeyed. We may not be called to build arks, but we are called to follow God’s commands with the same respect and precision. He Obeyed Through The Unknown Think about how wild the request must have sounded: “Build a massive boat to survive water falling from the sky and flooding the earth.” Yet Noah did it. The ark was 450 feet long , and building it likely took years. He gathered animals, prepared food, and stayed committed—all while probably being mocked. And he did it all alone . Genesis 6:12–13  says the world was corrupt, but God found favor with Noah and saved only his family. He Was a Preacher in a Wicked World 2 Peter 2:5  calls Noah a preacher of righteousness . We don’t have a record of what he said, but you can imagine the ridicule he faced. People likely saw him as crazy as he warned of an impending world-wide flood. But Noah stood firm—even when no one else did. He obeyed fully, unconditionally, and from the heart. After the flood, Genesis 8:20  says he built an altar in thankfulness, and Hebrews 11:7  notes he was “moved with godly fear.” Final Thoughts Noah wasn’t just an ark builder—he was a man of total obedience. He did all God commanded, without question, even when it was hard, even when it meant being alone. Today, God isn’t asking us to build a boat, but he would expect the same kind of Obedience.