A partial set of notes and Scriptures:

HERACLITUS: "Character is Destiny"

Logos, unifying force of the Universe
John picked on that for the use of the word.

Our response to the reward of the resurrection.
What is is we should be doing? HOW should we be living?

(Titus 2:11 Titus 2:11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
American King James Version×)  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
(Titus 2:12 Titus 2:12Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
American King James Version×)  teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,

(Micah 6:8 Micah 6:8He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
American King James Version×)  He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
We do this as a response to the GRACE we have received.
(Titus 2:13 Titus 2:13Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
American King James Version×)  looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

The INCREDIBLE reward that provides MOTIVATION for us to live as hereby instructed?

But WHAT are we talking about? CHARACTER

HOLY RIGHTEOUS CHARACTER... the CORE theme of God's Church teaching for decades.

So I want to talk about character as OUR RESPONSE to Grace, our duty...
But what does this mean daily, hourly, minute by minute living?

We are called into THE TRUTH of the Gospel, God's Plan and the future...

Romans 2:13 Romans 2:13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
American King James Version×  The DOERS of the Law will be JUSTIFIED.

SO, What is Character?
(Romans 5:1 Romans 5:1Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
American King James Version×)  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
(Romans 5:2 Romans 5:2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
American King James Version×)  through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
(Romans 5:3 Romans 5:3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience;
American King James Version×)  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
(Romans 5:4 Romans 5:4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
American King James Version×)  and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

So what does Character means?
8 definitions in Webster's Dictionary
Maclay: "Character if never found out"

What is BIBLICAL CHARACTER as mentioned in Romans 5:4 Romans 5:4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
American King James Version×?

Character speaks specifically.  Tribulations are part of the package of hope, grace, life experience, judgement, conclusions...

The feeling of "DUNKIRK" ... despair... 30,000 slaughtered but 300,000 escaped...

(Hebrews 11:24 Hebrews 11:24By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
American King James Version×)  By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
(Hebrews 11:25 Hebrews 11:25Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
American King James Version×)  choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

(Hebrews 11:26 Hebrews 11:26Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect to the recompense of the reward.
American King James Version×)  esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
CHARACTER is a Choice.
Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" my all time favorite.
Moses expelled, lost everything....
.... "his tortured mind wondering if he called, deserts hot breath. he cannot cool, scorching fury of the sun, neither bless nor curse the power that moves him, beaten into the dust from which he came..."

[After Moses is exiled from Egypt]

Into the blistering wilderness of Shur, the man who walked with kings...now walks alone.
Torn from the pinnacle of royal power; stripped of all rank and earthly wealth; a forsaken man without a country, without a hope; his soul in turmoil like the hot winds and raging sands that lash him with the fury of a taskmaster's whip. He is driven forward, always forward, by a god unknown, toward a land unseen…
Into the molten wilderness of sin where granite sentinels stand as towers of living death to bar his way.
Each night brings the black embrace of loneliness. In the mocking whisper of the wind, he hears the echoing voices of the dark. His tortured mind wondering if they call the memory of past triumphs or wail foreboding of disasters yet to come or whether the desert's hot breath has melted his reason into madness.
He cannot cool the burning kiss of thirst upon his lips nor shade the scorching fury of the sun. All about is desolation. He can neither bless not curse the power that moves him, for he does not know where it comes.
Learning that it can be more terrible to live than to die, he is driven onward through the burning crucible of desert, where holy men and prophets are cleansed and purged for God's great purpose, until at last, at the end of human strength, beaten into the dust from which he came. The metal is ready for the Maker's hand.

Approvedness = Character.
Character is PROOF, evidence, has been proven by definition.

(2Co 2:9)  For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.
(2Co 8:2)  that in a great the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.
(Php 2:22)  But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.
(Php 2:23)  Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me.

(2Co 9:13)  while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,

(Php 2:22)  But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.
(Php 2:23)  Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me.

(Romans 5:4 Romans 5:4And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
American King James Version×)  and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
(Romans 5:5 Romans 5:5And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.
American King James Version×)  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
These are all deeply related.

The vicious cycle gives you a pay off ... to tie you over, to anchor you to the next step in the vicious and destructive cycle.

The virtuous cycle gives a reward, the GRAND PRIZE!

(Colossians 1:21 Colossians 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has he reconciled
American King James Version×)  And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
(Colossians 1:22 Colossians 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless and unreproveable in his sight:
American King James Version×)  in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—
(Colossians 1:23 Colossians 1:23 If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
American King James Version×)  if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.

The vicious cycle moves us downward and AWAY from the HOPE of the Gospel.......

(Titus 2:1 Titus 2:1But speak you the things which become sound doctrine:
American King James Version×)  But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:
Young's literal translation: thou speak what makes for sound doctrine...

Sound doctrine MUST LEAD to ethical conduct in all.

Phillips translation:

SC  " "You can't talk yourself out of a problem that you behaved yourself into." ... The only way out is to behave your way out.". "No, but yoiu can behave yourself out of a problem you behaved yourself into... and often faster than you think."

(Titus 2:6 Titus 2:6Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
American King James Version×)  Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded,
(Titus 2:7 Titus 2:7In all things showing yourself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing soundness, gravity, sincerity,
American King James Version×)  in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
(Titus 2:8 Titus 2:8Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
American King James Version×)  sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
(Titus 2:9 Titus 2:9Exhort servants to be obedient to their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
American King James Version×)  Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back,
(Titus 2:10 Titus 2:10Not purloining, but showing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
American King James Version×)  not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
(Titus 2:11 Titus 2:11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
American King James Version×)  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

(Php 2:5)  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

We have been called to make decisions from HIS teaching.  In the end, what have we got?

There is a WHOLE serieso of human motivations as to WHY people won't change.

(Deuteronomy 11:26 Deuteronomy 11:26Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
American King James Version×)  "Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse:
(Deuteronomy 11:27 Deuteronomy 11:27A blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
American King James Version×)  the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you today;
(Deuteronomy 11:28 Deuteronomy 11:28And a curse, if you will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which you have not known.
American King James Version×)  and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.
Living outside of HIS instructions is just a "slow moving train wreck" ...  This train went of the rails 25 years ago with that decision, then that one 20 years ago... etc...

Deliberate, thoughtful choices, over and over again until such time that next trial comes GOD does not need to see what he/she will do. The evidence, pattern of behavior is established.

GOD wants that same level of commitment in all the angles and aspects of life and living. WE have to BEHAVE in a certain way by Holy, Righteous Character. "Judgment has begun in the House of God" ... Failure to act is a failure in the book of life.  

Character is destiny.