Why is it so difficult to be good?

In Part 3 of That They May Have Life, we move deeper into the heart of Christian morality. Because of original sin, our intellect is darkened, our will is weakened, and our passions are disordered. Yet Christ does not leave us there. He gives us grace.

This session explores how virtue forms us from within, how conscience guides our moral decisions, and how law and grace work together to transform us into the image of Christ.

Christian morality is not about “white-knuckling” holiness. It is about becoming the kind of person who can choose what is good quickly, joyfully, and with ease.

Topics Covered

• Original sin and concupiscence
• How conscience works (and how it can be malformed)
• The definition of virtue as a firm, habitual disposition
• The cardinal virtues: prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance
• The theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity
• The role of the passions (love, joy, hope, anger, sorrow)
• Vice, virtue, continence, and moral struggle
• Natural law, the Old Law, and the New Law
• Sanctifying grace vs. actual grace

Key Takeaways

• Virtue perfects freedom.
• Law trains us toward the good.
• Grace transforms us from within.
• Holiness requires cooperation with God.