Growing in virtue: Rom 1:29-31

In describing those who are under the judgment of God, Paul writes that they are “full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers,  haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful” (Rom. 1:29-31). In verse 31, Paul uses two interesting Greek words that are here translated as “without understanding” and “untrustworthy.” In each case, Paul takes a common Greek noun and prepends it with a negation and the preposition “with” to mean “without.” Literally, Paul says that these people are without understanding and without trustfulness. It is not that they are not understanding or not trustful, but that they lack understanding and trust as virtues in their lives. There is a deficiency in their character when it comes to understanding and trust.

This reminds me of what Peter said, “make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). Salvation is not the end result in a person’s life. Rather, God intends that, as we walk with the Lord, we begin to add virtues to our life, virtues like understanding and trustfulness, as well as the other virtues mentioned here by Peter. Throughout our Christian life, we should be adding, nurturing, and maturing Christian virtues in our life. Our life is not to be static, but a dynamic life as we grow in God. Peter goes on to give a promise to those who pursue growth in their life, stating, “if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8). Let us not remain children forever, lacking in virtue and abounding in vice. Rather, let us press on to maturity, adding virtues as we eradicate vice from our lives.

David Robison