Prayer and Christian Conduct.

Prayer governs conduct, and conduct makes character. Conduct is what we do; character is what we are. Conduct is the outward life; character is the unseen life, hidden within, yet evidenced by that which is seen. Conduct is external, seen from without; character is internal, operating within. In the economy of grace, conduct is the offspring of character. Character is the state of the heart; conduct is its outward expression. Character is the root of the tree; conduct is the fruit it bears.

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Prayer is related to all the gifts of grace. Its relationship to character and conduct is that of a helper. Prayer helps to establish character and to fashion conduct. Both, for their successful continuance, depend on prayer. There may be a certain degree of moral character and conduct independent of prayer, but there cannot be any distinctive religious character and Christian conduct without it. Prayer helps where all other aids fail. The more we pray, the better we are, and the purer and better out lives become.

In Christ's teaching, it is not simply works of charity and deeds of mercy that He insists upon, but inward spiritual character. This much is demanded, and nothing short of it will suffice. In the study of Paul's epistles, there is one thing that stands out clearly and unmistakable, the insistence on holiness of heart and righteousness of life. Paul did not seek to promote what is termed "personal work." The leading theme of his letters is not deeds of charity. Rather it is the condition of the human heart and the blamelessness of the personal life that form the burden of Paul's writings.

It is character and conduct that are most important elsewhere in the Scriptures, too. The Christian religion deals with men who are lacking spiritual character and are unholy in life. It aims to change them so that they become holy in heart and righteous in life. It aims to change bad men into good men.