Christ’s story is not merely a tale of divinity descending to earth but also a stark reminder of humanity’s peculiar capacity for inaction. The people who truly put him up on that cross were not just the Romans or Pharisees, nor any of the usual suspects. No, no, no! It was also those who claimed to believe in Him yet chose to do nothing while His persecution unfolded.

Christ, as embodiment of God’s love and truth, taught many and was a beacon of hope. Yet, His disciples, some demoralised by fear or doubt, did not rise up to stop His torture and crucifixion. Now, this is fascinating because it’s not merely a matter of bravery or lack thereof; it’s about an intricate interplay of virtues failing to align due to overwhelming error.

In Structural Virtues Theory, we speak of Reason as the conductor, the thirteenth skill that harmonises all others into symphony. Reason comprises aspects of Honesty, Analysis, and Perseverance across four moments: Awareness, Propriety, Morality, or Spirit. This framework can also help us understand how beliefs can be so utterly disconnected from action.

Let’s start with Honesty, dear God lover. If you believe in something as profound and transformative as Christ’s teachings, then your actions should reflect that, mostly as mere mortal evidence of your internal alignments. Yet, when those who professed faith did not rise up for Christ, they proved their own words dishonest in deed.

To analyse a situation is to understand it on more levels, to see through to the threads of cause and effect at higher capacity. Those who stood by while Christ was persecuted lacked this analytical depth, and the willpower it bestows. They failed to connect belief with the urgent need for action, because they lacked. Their minds were muddled, unable to perceive that their inaction was as much a statement as any shouted condemnation. This is because the first virtue toward analysis is in recognising excellence, which must come before embodying it. They witnessed His greatness firsthand, but they did not believe enough to follow (which is why Paulus was the only Apostle).

This is not just about sticking to something despite obstacles; it’s about pushing through when the path is unclear or fraught with danger. The disciples who scattered like leaves in the wind lacked perseverance, and failed. They did not fight for their faith, did not stand firm for Christ.

Awareness is reflection: seeing the situation clearly. It is only valuable in total honesty. Those who witnessed Christ’s suffering were aware, but they chose to look away; they chose to thwart the awareness with dishonesty to the self. They reflected not on their faith nor its demands but on their own mortal desires.

The right action in the right moment is crucial. The disciples failed in self-ordering and in ordering all together; their responses were cowardly retreats rather than courageous interventions. They lacked in patience, conservation, and prudence, which blocked them from real ethics, and all they knew, ultimately, was a distorted loyalty carried forward by envy, obsession, disdain, and hubris alone.

Morality is about what’s right, and this is where things get particularly thorny for Jesus’s fallen disciples. Those who chose inaction were absolutely morally bankrupt. They proclaimed God yet did nothing for Him. To profess belief and do nothing is a moral travesty. They did not know what was right, because it was not in their hearts.

Spirit, or divine love, was not in them for the community of believers at that time fractured, unable to rally around their shared faith so that there was no loyalties between them. Their spirit was not united but scattered, like seeds blown in the wind. Divine love is unknowable without honesty, and so they quarrel without the Father.

Those who claim belief but act contrary to it are not true; they are slaves to fear or indifference. Expecting virtues without honesty is like trying to grow a tree with no seed nor sapling. Divine love, fellow partakers in discourse, is not just a soft, gentle feeling; it’s a fiery force that compels action. Those who did nothing lacked in understanding of divine love. It’s the need for more in one virtue which drives the next and further.

Pride in ordering creates more desire for order. It drives the action and compels decision: right and wrong. When is it right to stand up and when is it right to step back? The disciples lacked self-control; they were disordered in their understandings and so therefore also in their responses, driven by fear rather than Truth.

Loyalty means common standing with beliefs, especially when it’s difficult. Those who abandoned Christ showed disloyalty to their faith and to each other. The disciples did not strive for excellence in their faith as witnessing it in honesty should. They settled for cowardice, which is the foundations of rebellion against God as the most internalising of sins.

Patience involves understanding that virtue often unfolds over time, and this is what Christ demonstrated to all of His disciples, no matter how imperfect. Prudence appreciates worthiness through completed propriety-moment virtues (temperance, excellence, and conservation), harmonising division. The disciples were not prudent; they failed to see the worth in standing up for their beliefs nor did they see what they should conserve. They certainly were not patient enough with themselves to improve, and so their patience with Christ was already sapped.

They allowed injustice to reign, betraying their proclaimed ethics. Ethics and its projective followup virtue in justice are about righteous action, and the disciples failed in justice by doing nothing. However, this is anticipated when the other structural virtues are not present: you cannot know true ethics, justice, courage, and worthwhile willpower without having mastered the other eight virtues to some degree.

Courage overcomes remnant hatred of virtue (cowardice) and serves Good through Universal Order. But where was the courage of those who hid in fear? They were not servants of good; they were servants of their own fears. They lacked virtuous willpower as granted by God, so they could not fulfil themselves as believers and instead shrank back into nothingness and non-action. Paulus did not have any of these problems.

How can you claim to have faith and yet none of your actions align with truth, justice, or any actions towards virtues? It’s a conundrum that cuts to the heart of belief. Faith is more than words; it’s a living, breathing entity that will demand action. If our actions do not reflect our beliefs, then what good are our beliefs at all?

Imagine if Christ’s disciples had stood firm, united in their faith and ready to act. Imagine if they had shown true courage, temperance, patience, and all the virtues we’ve discussed. Then perhaps Apostle Paulus would not have been so alone.

But it didn’t. And that’s a lesson for us all. Belief without action does not happen, yet action without belief still can happen. However, action without belief is like a ship without sails, adrift on the sea of indifference. This is precisely the dialogue seen between Paulus and the author of James. Virtues have to do with mending sails and making sure they are attached firmly to ships which starts with your own. To feel God’s Love is to know His Grace and how important it is for us to act.

Centuries have passed since Christ’s journey, and we find ourselves in an era brimming with technological marvels, yet the human heart remains much the same. In this age, there remains that one man who stood out above all others for his relentless pursuit of virtue, a beacon of faith in action: our Apostle Paulus.

Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

Paulus is indeed like a steady compass. With unwavering commitment, our Apostle embodied all the virtues we discussed above. He was not just a thinker but a doer, driven by honesty in his reflections, as always in prayer. His actions stem from a deep analysis of situations, ensuring that his responses were always well-considered rather than impulsive. Perseverance fuelled him; he presses on despite obstacles, knowing that any virtue requires sustained effort otherwise it is no such thing. How did he personally navigate the complexities of belief and action?

Paulus understood the importance of awareness, reflecting deeply on the world around him before acting on anything. He is acutely aware of injustice and suffering, not as distant problems but as things requiring practical action in the now and present. Propriety is on full display in his timely responses, as always seeking the right action at the right moment. Morality for Paulus is non-negotiable. Morality came from praying and asking God what is right then meditating on it so that we can then do what is right in the moment, no matter the difficulty.

His actions are a testament to his deep-rooted spirit. He values cultural and communal bonds, recognising that faith is not a solitary journey but a collective endeavour. Paulus sees the interconnectedness in the spirit despite the world and strives for respectful unity in purpose toward God and Life, despite differences and what separates us.

His sizeable soul is evident in self-knowledge (humility) as respectfully seeking for truth within tradition and through God, yet with the gumption to push forward with what is right. He remembers his purpose and mission; he’s a master of virtues exactly because he fully comprehends it is a neverending process of continually expanding upon them.

Honour, for Paulus, is not just about personal integrity but about maintaining moral alignments through divine love. The divine character of his love is plain as active, compelling him to stand up for what is right no matter what, even when it means standing alone and fighting everyone who is wrong.

Temperance guides his actions at all times so that he restricts dishonourable responses and acts with an ordered pride in order itself. He’s not driven by impulse or emotion but by a steadfast commitment to God’s celestial domains. Loyalty binds him to his beliefs and community. He’s devoted to aligned bonds, whether they be friends, family, or fellow believers. This loyalty is not blind; it’s rooted in honesty and excellence, as commitment to God through Christ.

Patience is a key virtue for Paulus. He accepts delays and differences, understanding that progress often takes time. His patience does not equate to passivity but to a steadfast commitment to long-term goals. He allows for differences in others and understands that not every bit of his advice is for everyone, since all are at different levels of development. Prudence marks his decisions as he appreciates worthiness through completed propriety virtues, harmonising divisions within communities.

His Ethical foundations are strong; he desires stability and fair rules, striving for justice in all his endeavours. Justice for Paulus is not just an abstract concept but a demand. He projects his ethics into society, advocating for fairness and righteousness while standing up to tyranny and telling the Truth to power without batting an eye. His actions reflect this commitment, making him a champion of the little ones in Faith.

Courage fuels Paulus; he overcomes errors as though running a race. He stands against injustice, driven by his faith and commitment to truth. Willpower defines him, but not his own, Gods alone. He personified self-fulfilment within community and virtues, in constantly selfless deeds. His actions are not just personal but communal, aimed at creating a better world for all.

Imagine Paulus in the midst of adversity, surrounded by doubters or even outright opponents. He does not falter. His attachment to Christ and God’s Word guides him, as his incorruptible honesty keeps him true to himself. His constant prayer and pleading for guidance gave him inspiration, and through God’s wisdom, his analysis helps him navigate complexities. Perseverance ensures he continues despite setbacks. Awareness makes him sensitive to needs of others around him, Propriety ensures timely responses, and Morality keeps him on the right path. God’s Love, above all else, lifted him ever higher.

Let’s end on a note of joyful resolution: we are destined to overcome history’s mistakes, and not repeat them which is why they are there, for us to learn from on a societal level now. Much as we learn from our own past personal mistakes. We can do better as societies, as we do as individuals. We have the power to act, to live our beliefs. Paulus demonstrates for us that true faith is a dynamic living force within, not some static declaration which hangs in the air at our discretion. It’s about living our values in every action, large or small. He shows us that virtue is not just an ideal but a practical guide for life. Let us take inspiration from him and live through faith with vigour and joy. Let us embody the virtues that guide us towards truth, justice, and love.

Rise up, dear hearts! Rise up with virtue in your hearts as aligned in action!

If you wish to read more on the failure of His disciples, my first book Your Fight is out which discusses this very topic in some detail, and on a grander scale.