The law of opposition-Oswald Chambers

Summary: Doing the right thing takes effort but is necessary

(My add: Enter by the narrow gate. Show me your faith without works.,..ok, ok, not my add, from scripture)




Life without war is impossible in the natural or the supernatural realm. It is a fact that there is a continuing struggle in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual areas of life.
Health is the balance between the physical parts of my body and all the things and forces surrounding me. To maintain good health I must have sufficient internal strength to fight off the things that are external. Everything outside my physical life is designed to cause my death. The very elements that sustain me while I am alive work to decay and disintegrate my body once it is dead. If I have enough inner strength to fight, I help to produce the balance needed for health. The same is true of the mental life. If I want to maintain a strong and active mental life, I have to fight. This struggle produces the mental balance called thought.
Morally it is the same. Anything that does not strengthen me morally is the enemy of virtue within me. Whether I overcome, thereby producing virtue, depends on the level of moral excellence in my life. But we must fight to be moral. Morality does not happen by accident; moral virtue is acquired.
And spiritually it is also the same. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation…” (John 16:33). This means that anything which is not spiritual leads to my downfall. Jesus went on to say, “…but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” I must learn to fight against and overcome the things that come against me, and in that way produce the balance of holiness. Then it becomes a delight to meet opposition.
Holiness is the balance between my nature and the law of God as expressed in Jesus Christ.

Real nice post here with possibly some definition of virtue which is mentioned in 6 verses in the KJV but not defined. This would be a great topic. I was looking for verses in the Bible to explain virtue and came up empty. Maybe you will start a thread on this and see if anyone can find some Bible verses to define virtue. I never did look for synonyms. Not being presumptuous, I hope. Up to you or me maybe. I'm fairly new at all this and a bit squirrelly at times.

Faith is another interesting word that only occurs 2 times in the OT of KJV and 245 times in the NT but it seems that 'trust' is a possible synonym used 107 times in the OT and 27 times in the NT. And when the 11th chapter of the book to the Hebrews goes on about the faith of their fathers it seems a bit unusual that the word 'faith' is not mentioned except in Deuteronomy and Habakkuk.

Mark 5:30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
Luke 6:19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.
Luke 8:46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
2 Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;