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God's nature defines moral values. He did not merely
"invent" them.
Nor are they something
we are "free" to define for ourselves. A righteous or upright moral
character is a reflection of God's character; a depraved or
corrupt moral character is anything that goes against, or is contrary
to, God's character.
Values influence conduct. What
you believe will influence what
you do. You may be able to hide your
true values, character and motives for a while; but when you do so, you
merely introduce another character trait into your life - hypocrisy! And
you cannot hide it forever: In the end, the
day will come in which your true character will be exposed and
known to all (1 Timothy 5:24).
The articles in this section tend to have a greater focus on
the general concepts of values, love and basic character qualities, which we
should (or shouldn't) have. Other sections (such
as "Love for God"
and "Love for Neighbor") have a greater focus on
the application of values
to specific areas of life. Most likely, you will conclude that some of
the articles overlap, for it is difficult to separate what you value
and how you live.
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Values Conflicts & PRIORITIES
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Because of sin's influence, we live in a world that is filled
with conflicting values. Sometimes this involves a conflict between godly
values and sinful conduct, when we (as sinners) value sinful things more highly than we
value the things of God. At other times, this conflict involves two values that
both appear to be godly. Either way, God's Word teaches us the right
way to respond.
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CHARACTER Qualities
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This section focuses on specific character qualities
which we are required to have (or which are forbidden to have). Sometimes, a
character quality may be either good or bad, depending on the
context in which it occurs!
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A Focus on LOVE
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The word "love" is often highly distorted.
Many reduce it to little more than "lust"; others leave it as a
nebulous, undefined (and therefore meaningless) concept. These articles focus on the general topic of
"love" - which summarizes all that we are obligated to do in life.
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What does the Bible say about the world's values?
What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight. (Luke
16:15b)
The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of
God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)
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