True Christian Virtue

The Bible says that a true Christian must have “virtue.” What exactly does this mean? Dictionaries, encyclopedias and commentaries give us a wide variety of definitions, but what is correct and what is in error? In the New Testament, the Greek word, commonly translated as “virtue,” is only used five times. On two occasions, it refers to God, and in three places, it addresses Christians. In the Old Testament, the corresponding Hebrew word is used in many different ways, conveying a variety of meanings. Since Christians must have “virtue,” we need to know what, exactly, it is that we must manifest in our lives.