Moral Excellence

Last week I read a true story to the boys entitled Glenda's Long Swim in "The Incredible Series." Glenda and Robert Lennon were four miles off the coast of Florida fishing alone from their yacht. Glenda decided to take a swim and soon found the current had carried her too far out from the boat. Her husband, hearing her cries, without thinking dove in and swam to her, but then realized they were both being carried out. He was a champion swimmer, but not she. They made a plan. He would swim against the tide to keep the boat in view until the tide ceased and he could reach the boat. She should save her strength and just float with the tide and he would come and get her. He fought the tide for six hours and just as the boat was about to disappear on the horizon the tide turned and his strokes carried him to the boat exhausted. The sun had set. His searching was futile—he could not find his wife. The next day on one last effort of search, the search party found his wife—twenty miles out and still alive. It was an incredible story.

What it illustrates is this: Christians who just float never stay in the same place. Christians who disobey verses 5–7 and do not apply themselves with diligence to bear the fruit of faith drift into great peril. We must strive even to stand still, the tide of temptation is so strong.

The effort towards virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly affection, and love is not dispensable icing on the cake of faith. If Robert had not swum with all his might, the yacht would have gone out of sight, and he and his wife would have drowned. I've said before and will say again: we do not judge a person's genuineness by how close he is to heaven but by how hard he is stroking. The evidence that God's power has been given to you by faith is that you are now making every effort (as verse 5 says) to advance in the qualities of Christ.

What is moral excellence

Gk. areten - uncommon character worthy of praise, excellence of character, exceptional civic virtue, uprightness(concern for people) and devotion(to God)

bring the finest character to your commitment

translated virtue (kjv), goodness (NIV)

moral courage and the determination to what is right

living a life that brings glory to God

courage to stand up and speak out, be counted for God

We are acknowledging that God’s nature is good, desirable, praiseworthy, and that which we wish to emulate

based on God’s nature

uncommon character - worthy of praise (exceptional, excellence) bringing the finest character to your commitment

used three other times in the NT

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (, NASB95)

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (, NASB95)

think on these things with a view of putting them into practice

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (, NASB95)

dedicated/committed to proclaim His greatness and more importantly living emulating his excellence

“seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” (, NASB95)

the pursuit of the moral will of God in every area of your life, includes: values, attitudes, priorities, goals, purposes, devotion, and Christ like character in the home, office, church , hobbies, entertainment

where is your moral compass?

are you proclaiming and emulating his excellencies?

The need for moral excellence

the world is full of people living for self

false teachers of Peters time

2 Pet. 2:10-16

leads to the practice of all sorts of evil behavior

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink, Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!” (, NASB95)

the source of moral excellence and how to develop it

based and centered in the knowledge of God

controlling our thoughts Phil. 4:8

start in the home: Jochebed, Eunice, Lois, Abraham

guarding our hearts

frequent repetition (practicing Christian virtues)

keeping good company

modeling others

Can your life be defined as one that exemplifies moral excellence?

Are you putting diligent effort to supply it to your faith?

I’m reminded of what James Garfield said to the man who asked him “at what age should I start to training my son religiously” to which he replied “how old is he” the man replied 6. Garfield then replied “then your a hundred years too late”

Moral Excellence

BE DILIGENT TO SUPPLY TO YOUR FAITH MORAL EXCELLENCE

Don't Float; Swim Hard