Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
Ephesians 5:1"A noble character is not inherited.
It does not come to us by accident.
A noble character is earned by individual effort through the merits and grace of Christ.
God gives the talents,
the powers of the mind;
we form the character.
It is formed by hard, stern battles with self. Conflict after conflict must be waged against hereditary tendencies."
Christ's Object Lessons p. 331 E.G.W.