Prioritize Character Success

Joseph Prince advocates for a fundamental shift in spiritual focus, urging believers to prioritize character success over circumstantial success. Drawing heavily from Scripture, he provides a detailed defense of the Gospel of Grace, clarifying how true righteousness is a gift and why victory over sin is achieved not through human effort, but by reckoning oneself dead to the guilt of sin.

God’s Priority: Character Success Over Circumstantial Success

The paramount priority of God is always the believer’s character success versus outward or circumstantial success. While many read the Bible seeking profitability and financial gain, its core purpose is to bring believers into character success.

Prince argues that outward success (financial prosperity, relationship health) naturally follows genuine character success. Character success is demonstrated by doing things with integrity, refusing to hold grudges, bitterness, or resentment. In the place where there is no bitterness or resentment, God commands a blessing.

The Example of Isaac and Forgiveness

The story of Isaac illustrates the priority of character success. Isaac reaped a hundredfold in a year of famine and became extremely rich, making him an object of jealousy. Before this prosperity, however, the Bible details Isaac’s character, noting he had a good relationship with his wife, Rebecca (even displaying public affection when they were elderly), and a yielding spirit toward the Philistines. When the Philistines unjustly claimed the wells Isaac had dug, he chose to forgive, move, and dig elsewhere, rather than fighting. This unity and forgiveness brought forth the commanded blessing.

Putting What You Have in God’s Hands

God operates through what believers already possess, not what they lack. When ministering to the children of Israel, Moses felt inadequate, stating he was not eloquent. God simply asked, “What is that in your hand?”. Though Moses held a mere rod, once it was surrendered to the Lord, it became known as “the rod of God,” demonstrating that whatever is put into the Lord’s hands becomes holy, set apart, and used for His glory.

This principle of multiplication is also seen in the story of the poor widow with Elisha. She was told to borrow vessels from her neighbors, with the specific instruction: “Do not borrow only a few”. The resulting miracle oil flowed until all the borrowed vessels were full. The limitation of the supply was not on God’s side, but on the side of the people, who did not borrow enough vessels. Similarly, when Jesus preached from Simon Peter’s empty boat, that same boat, which had caught nothing all night, subsequently received a catch so massive the nets began to break and the boat began to sink.

The Contention: Defending the Gospel of Grace

The Gospel of Grace, which is the only true gospel and is also called the Gospel of Peace, has historically faced the accusation that it encourages sin. Critics raise the question found in Romans 6:1: “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?”.

Law vs. Grace: Definitions and Purpose

Prince clarifies the distinction between Law and Grace:

The Law “entered” (pariscomi—came in on the site as an addendum). It was not God’s main agenda but was brought in so that the offense might “abound”. This abundance of offense was necessary to show man his deep need for a Savior, allowing him to truly appreciate the grace of God. The Law entered so that “where sin abounded [increased], grace abounded much more” (hooper paricio—super abounding grace).

Jesus’s strongest statements were reserved for the religious leaders (Pharisees) who believed their works contributed to their standing with God, calling them a “brood of vipers,” rather than against overt sinners.