Unless otherwise noted, all quotes come from EM Bounds’ book, The Necessity of Prayer.
What Do We Mean by Character and Conduct?
“Prayer governs conduct, and conduct makes character. Conduct is what we do; character is what we are.”
“Character is the state of the heart, conduct is the outward expression. Character is the root of the tree, conduct, the fruit it bears.”
What is the Goal of the Atoning Work of Christ?
“The very end and purpose of the atoning work of Christ is to create religious character and to make Christian conduct.” (See Titus 2:14)
“There may be a certain degree of moral character and conduct independent of prayer, but there cannot be anything like distinctive religious character and Christian conduct without it.”
“In Christ’s teaching, it is not simply works of charity and deeds of mercy upon which he insists, but inward spiritual character. This much is demanded, and nothing short of it at all will suffice.”
“Paul does not seek, so much, to promote what is termed ‘personal work’, nor is the leading theme of his letters deeds of charity. It is the condition of the human heart and the blamelessness of the personal life, which form the burden of the writings of Paul.”
“The Christian religion… aims to change bad men into good men; it deals with inward badness, and works to change it into inward goodness. And it is just here where prayer enters and demonstrates its wonderful power and fruit. Prayer drives toward this specific end.”
“For the change from badness to goodness is not wrought “by works of righteousness which we have done” but according to God’s mercy which saves us “by the washing of regeneration”.
“Any alleged form of Christianity which does not effect this change in the hearts of men is a delusion and a snare.”
How Does Prayer Relate to Character and Conduct?
“The office of prayer is to change the character and conduct of men.”
“The church is God’s manufactory on earth, and its primary duty is to create and foster righteousness of character. This is its very first business. Primarily, its work is not to acquire members, nor amass numbers, nor aim at money-getting, nor engage in deeds of charity and works of mercy, but to produce righteousness of character and purity of outward life.”
“Unrighteous conduct is born of prayerlessness; the two go hand-in-hand. Prayer and sinning cannot keep company with each other.”
“Bad living means bad praying and, in the end, no praying at all. We pray feebly because we live feebly.”
“The prayer-closet cannot become sanctified unto God, when the life is alien to His precepts and purpose.”
“Praying which does not result in right thinking and right living, is a farce.”
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