"THE FIVE MAJOR VIRTUES OF CHRISTIANITY"

For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. 1 Corinthians 4.20.

     The dictionary defines Michaelis of Portuguese that Christianity is the foundation of modern civilization, I want to go further and highlight under the Holy Bible, the name began as Christianity was in Antioch, where the disciples were assembled, for the first time were called Christians. Acts 11.26. This means that to be a Christian, you have to be a follower of Christ, or rather disciple of Christ, and also the servant of Christ. There is some force in it, to be a Christian? Consider the testimony of certain citizen, successful in life, and international fame, named John Lennon, musician, composer, writer and activist British, gained worldwide notoriety as one of the founders of the rock group The Beatles, and, in 1966 he said that Christianity would end up, since he (John Lennon) was more popular than Jesus Christ, as God's mercy is great, God gave Lennon 14 years for him to recant, or beg forgiveness its blasphemy and disrespect to the Almighty, but he continued in his ignorance, and his fame continued to rise, raising further your ego, no turning back, and continuing with their blasphemy of the Lord Jesus, on 8 December 1980, in the afternoon John Lennon was surrounded by fans, handing out autographs, comes a 25 year-old by the name of Mark Chapman, and asked to autograph an album cover of the singer called Double Fantasy, thence, to Lennon following his recording studio, returning to his home around 23 hours, accompanied by his wife Yoko Ono, and Lennon gave when entry into his residence in the building Dakona in New York, the same young man approaches and calls him by name, shouting Mister Lennon, and pulls out a gun, firing five shots at Lennon, and he falls into the reception of the building, then the doorman of the building disarmed Chapman and kicked the gun away, and asked him: "You know what you did? ". Mark Chapman calmly replied: "Yes, I shot John Lennon." Lennon was rescued, taken to hospital, but losing a lot of blood, died, and thus silenced his popularity, ask now! And Jesus Christ? I answer with pleasure; remains the same yesterday today and forever. Hebrews 13.8.

     As for Christianity, has not stopped growing since Jesus said to Peter, about his church, which is Christianity: Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it . Matthew 16:18. It should say that the stone that Jesus said, was not Peter, but Jesus himself, Peter was just a fragment of stone, not stone. Nobody bar the growth of Christianity, whose foundation is the son of God, we will see the five greatest virtues of Christianity. 1st greatest virtue; Grace of God: For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Titus 2.11. The grace of God is one of the virtues of Christianity, opening the door to salvation, Paul describes his companion Titus, probably in the year AD 66, a year before his death, his heart was jubilant satisfaction in announcing the favor unmerited of God for humanity, which is his amazing grace brings salvation to all men, since God making a balance, about humanity, the earth looked from heaven, and saw no one wants a fair, for all have sinned and were deprived of the glory of God. Romans 3:23. However, God's mercy is infinite and unlimited. This works great virtue in the lives of those who seek to enter the door of Grace, which is Jesus. 2nd greatest virtue; Jesus' blood: But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1.7. The blood of Jesus is a glorious view of Christianity, because it purifies us from all sin committed by us, when will the Lord, begging her forgiveness. We glorify God, because the Blood of Jesus is the one and only who has the power to clean any dirt lodged in the Koran spiritual human being, and yet it is the only one who can cleanse our soul and spirit, as our whole being , becoming whiter than snow, about 760 years before Christ, the prophet Isaiah had already announced this virtue, and so the text says: Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow: though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1.18. 3rd greatest virtue; Faith: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1. Faith is more a virtue in the lives of those who serve the Lord, contrary to logic, and leaving the people without answers, because Jesus said: If ye have faith as small as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there, and pass away: and nothing shall be impossible. Matthew 17.20. The fruit of faith is trust, believing that the impossible will happen, is to believe that the final word is that everything can, and for him there is nothing impossible. Luke 1.37, is believing when the doctor says, there's way more, exercise faith, and Jesus says, "Trust me, everything that I have not yet given the final word," and then we glorify God for more a victory achieved, ie why; Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Hebrews 12.2. Even the writer of Hebrews tells us: But without faith it is impossible to please God, because it is necessary that he who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11.6. This proves that the just shall live by faith, and we will do everything in spiritual life, one must have faith, faith to pray, praise God for faith, faith to worship the Lord, faith to offer our contributions to not happen the same what happened to Cain, who offered to God without faith, and God refused his offer, that means that whatever we do for God, without faith is sin.

     4th highest virtue; Love: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4.8. God demonstrated His love toward us, while we were yet sinners, and the Apostle Paul tells us in his second letter to the Corinthians 5.14, that love of Christ constrains us, that love is in the hearts of those who serve Christ, is a virtue that neither the world, and no one can erase the contrary, only tends to increase when the true Christian is, as Paul says: And the Lord will grow, and grow in love one toward another, and toward all , as we do for you. 1 Thessalonians 3.12. Ultimately, everything we do for God, or for our neighbors, it has to be for love, otherwise, is sin. 5th biggest virtue: Authority: Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10.19. This authority is known as the one who received all power in heaven and on earth also distributed to Christians, regardless of race, tribe, nation, rich or poor, and yes, those who have shaped their lives in the holy gospel, ie , the true worshipers and disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, and not in word, and not human wisdom, much less bought with money, as happened to the Apostles, pray with laying on of hands, and those who received the impositions of hands received the Holy Spirit, and Simon Magus, who wore the practices of Gnosticism, had converted to the gospel, however, still not understanding what life was like Christian saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit, but Peter said to him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money . Acts 8, 14-20. (After the rebuke of the apostle Peter, Simon repented and asked forgiveness). Here, we confirmed the 5 greatest virtues of Christianity, but there are many other virtues, that only those who serve God, can testify to this effect in their lives, as true witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are virtues that the world does not know, nor understand, because it seems to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1.18. Even the apostle Paul declares: Because it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the inquirer of this century? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? That in the wisdom of God the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God to save believers through the foolishness of preaching. 1 Corinthians 1: 19-21. Someone may ask how to unravel the mystery of these virtues, and be a partaker of them? I say it is not as simple as many think, because the keywords are, disclaimers, and cross, as Jesus himself will clarify in his sermon to his disciples saying: Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me, because whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16: 24-26.

    Even the Holy Bible, as Christians manual, teaches us that to be possessed of these virtues, beyond the resignations, also there needs to be a major transformation, as described by Paul to the Ephesians: For about the last deal, have put off the old man , which is being corrupted by the lusts of deceit, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, by which falsehood, speak truth each one with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but let him labor, working with his hands what is good, so you have something to share about what you need, not out of your mouth any unwholesome talk, but only such as is good for promoting edification, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Ephesians 4: 22-30. All these changes are necessary in the lives of those who adhere serve God, they are not simply labeled as Christians, as Jesus said; Not every one that saith unto me, Lord! Enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21. So Christians to be righteous, we must do the will of God, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and as the other things will be added. Amen EROTIDES Franciso DE LIMA.