Thought Quotient

Here’s the problem. As humans, high moral character is not our “default setting.” Sin is. The settings of the human heart were corrupted in the Garden of Eden, so now we are drawn to sin like moths to a flame. But when we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit immediately begins the process of resetting our defaults, a process that lasts a lifetime.

So the bad news is, we aren’t born with sound character; it has to be learned. But here’s the good news. We can choose to be people of godly integrity! The Bible explains how. We are to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God (Romans 12:1). We are not to yield our bodies as instruments to sin (Romans 6:12-13) . . . but instead we are to pursue righteousness and godliness (1 Timothy 6:11). Add these up and you get self-control — which is so important that God lists it as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The exercise of this discipline prevents our desires from becoming dictators in our lives. As a result, we experience an inner transformation that others notice.
- Chuck Swindoll - Insight For Living ministries