Lesson 352: “The Line Between Virtue and Vanity"
How do the virtues listed in 2 Peter 1:5-11 relate to people today? In relationship to Christians, the seven traits listed in this passage should be the same today as yesteryear since God does not change and is the same yesterday, today and forever (Mal. 3:6, Heb. 13:8). Faith in Jesus Christ is what separates Christians from all other people. The seven traits Peter added to faith are goodness (virtue/moral excellence); knowledge (spiritual knowledge from the Holy Spirit); self control (do not allow passions of false teachers misguide you); perseverance (stay under the power of the Holy Spirit and within the will of God); godliness (Man’s obligation of reverence toward God); brotherly kindness (fervent practical caring for others); love (agape love/the kind of love God shows for sinners).
What virtue means to the Christian can only be understood in reference to the character of Jesus Christ who is the incarnate image of God (Col. 1:15). What is important is that virtue not be separated from character and the character of the believer is to be formed after the image of God and the virtues are the habits which form that character (Gal. 4:19, Phil. 3:17, 1 Thess. 1:6, 2:14). Virtue is an ability or disposition toward excellence, usually in the moral sense (Pro. 12:4, Phil. 4:8, 2 Pet. 1:5-9).
Vanity is nothing more than foolish pride in oneself! This is what caused the fall of Lucifer from Heaven and we came to know him as Satan (Isa. 14:12-15). Vanity is arrogance which God condemns (Jer. 13:15) and says He hates (Pro. 8:13) because when pride comes then comes disgrace (Pro. 11:2). The pride of your heart will deceive you and the Lord will bring you down (Obadiah 1:2-4). James 4:10 and 1 Peter 5:6 plainly state that we are to humble ourselves and Isaiah 66:2 says God will esteem he who is humble and trembles at His Word.
We can be proud of ourselves and humble ourselves before the Lord and stay on the “good side” of the line. If pride gets in the way of our walk with God then we have crossed the line. “Those who walk in pride He is able to humble” (Dan. 4:37). Crossing the line between virtue and vanity can be as simple as patting yourself on the back because you possess the seven traits that Peter lists. Be careful you do not break your own arm!