Marks of a True Christian

Is it enough for a professing Christian to read their Bible, pray, and attend Sunday service? Often, whenever a Christian–or even ourselves–falls into sin, we question the authenticity of their faith. They usually say that when you walk or bark like a dog, chances are you are one. Can we safely deduce the same for professing Christians who constantly fall into sin? Could it be that they were not Christians in the first place? 

We live in a society that is more fixated on aesthetics (outward appearance) than what they cannot see (the inward person). We know that man was created for good works, which God prepared beforehand so we would walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). How can we tell a faithful Christian from a false ‘Christian’? What should we look out for? One way of knowing someone beyond their appearance is by observing their behaviour, love for others, and how they deal with hardship or suffering. Christianity is a lifestyle. Our outward life reflects our relationship with God. Isn’t it in Scripture where we read that our faith (our relationship with God) is justified by our works, too(James 2:24)? The following paragraphs will attempt to demonstrate some pointers that we can look out for to measure others and, most especially, ourselves. 

Loves Sincerely

Love is not just part of a Christian’s life but the cornerstone. As the classic hymn goes, ”And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” Love encapsulates the Christian journey (1 Corinthians 13:13), for the one who loves has fulfilled the Law (Romans 13:8). Paul emphasizes that one defining trait of a true Christian is their love (Romans 12:9). Jesus, in Luke 10:27, teaches that keeping the law is loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and loving your neighbour as yourself. Christ’s disciples are recognized by their love for others (John 13:34-35). Love must be genuine, not hypocritical. The authenticity of our love mirrors the genuineness of our Christianity (2 Corinthians 8:8).

A Christian’s love is not a mere sentiment; it is practical (1 John 3:18). The attitude of a Christian’s love for God and others is not marked by hypocrisy or pretence. Genuine love is pure, understanding, patient, kind, sincere and driven by the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 6:6). It is not self-seeking but sacrificial. It is a love that stems from a pure heart, a clear conscience and genuine faith (1 Timothy 1:5). Christians are to love one another fervently (1 Peter 1:22, 4:8). Remember, our show of love will not save us. We have authentic love for God and others because it has a source. We love because Christ, the purest form of love, first loved us (John 13:34, 1 John 4:19). 

Hates Evil

The world’s definition of love often blurs the line between right and wrong. We sometimes enable sin and shy away from calling it out in the name of love. Those who boldly call it out, on the other hand, are often labelled hateful, judgmental, unloving, and harsh. However, the fact is that it is impossible to love both God and evil (Psalm 97:10). Do you hate sin, or do you tolerate it and make excuses for it? A genuine Christian should hate sin and love righteousness( Romans 12:9b). Whoever is from God imitates good rather than evil (3 John 11). The Psalmist, in Psalm 101, highlights a life of hating sin and walking righteously. He says he will walk with integrity of heart (Psalm 101:2) and stay away from evil (Psalm 101:4). The fear of God will manifest through hatred of evil (Proverbs 8:13). This’ fear of the Lord’ is not the kind that is of terror or dread, but one of deep reverence and respect for God’s holiness with a desire to live in a way that pleases him. 

In the days of Amos, the Israelites rejected justice and righteousness (Amos 5:7). They did so by denying the truth, trampling the poor and disregarding the innocent (Amos 5:10-13). God, through Amos, calls them to seek good and hate evil (Amos 5:14-15) so that they may live and the LORD of hosts may be with them. God does not overlook sin, and those who are his are to be holy as he is holy (1 Peter 1:8, 13-21). Christ achieved salvation for us so that we could live a righteous life (Ephesians 2:4-10). 

Joyful and Patient in Trial

Interestingly, every place in the Bible that talks about trials or tribulations encourages Christians to endure patiently and be joyful in the process. It is unnatural to be joyful when faced with hardship. Our flesh would easily tend to fall into despair and wish away the suffering. Tribulation is normal. Some we share with unbelievers (sickness, natural calamities, loss and grief), while others are unique to Christians alone (persecution for the sake of the gospel). But God calls the Christian to rejoice in his tribulation. We are not told to rejoice because we do not suffer but because we do. Why? We know tribulation is God’s means to perfect and mature our faith (Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-4). Note that joy here is not a happy face; it is an attitude of the heart. 

The maturing of our faith is a process that must be marked by perseverance (Romans 5:3, James 1:3). In suffering, we learn endurance, which develops our character in Christ, and finally, a mature character grows our hope in God (Romans 5:3-5). Faith is like a muscle. Muscle growth requires a painful and uncomfortable process. It is suffering that proves, strengthens and deepens our faith. So, we rejoice in our suffering because we know trials are a refining place for the perfection of our faith (1 Peter 1:6-7, James 1:2-4). We rejoice because we hope for a day when we will see Christ, behold him and then, all our sorrows shall pass away (John 16:22, Revelation 21:4). Our greatest comfort should be drawn from knowing that even these trials can never separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39). 

Prayerful

We all have struggles praying consistently. However, a prayerful life should mark the life of all Christians. Pastor John Piper sums it up adeptly, “Prayer is God’s way of keeping us in close, conscious, personal dependence on him.” Yes, God does work all things according to the counsel of his will and knows everything present, past and future. However, our praying affirms God’s sovereignty and our dependence on him. By asking us to pray unceasingly (1 Thessalonians 5:17), God invites us to make our requests to him through prayer and supplication (Philippians 4:6). Prayer affirms that we are conscious of God’s steadfast presence with us. Hence, we readily yield ourselves to him to work his will in and through us when we pray. 

Prayer should not merely entail asking God for things. As we pray, we should adore and praise him for who he is and what he has achieved through Jesus Christ. We should also confess and plead for the forgiveness of our sins and our continuous sanctification. In our prayers, we should thank God for his provision, protection, unwavering love, and faithfulness towards us. Praying is an act of obedience. Prayer must be soaked in faith. We pray knowing that prayer works (James 4:2, 5:16). Prayer is a lifestyle. Our sovereign God delights in listening to his children. When your prayers go unanswered, pray all the more. Prayer changes us; it teaches our hearts to be attentive to God’s leading and strengthens our dependence on him. Do you want to enjoy a sweet, growing communion with God? Never stop praying (Romans 12:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:17). 

One who is truly Christian will manifest outwardly the regeneration process happening inside. The love of Christ compels us to no longer live for ourselves–as we did before–but for him who died and was raised for our sake (Galatians 2:20).

Categories

Share

What Is a Good Leader?

In this article, we shall delve into this matter…

What Is a Good Leader?

God Holds Leaders Accountable

A deep dive into scripture will help show us…

God Holds Leaders Accountable

Why Do You Believe in God?

In this article, we will examine why people claim…

Why Do You Believe in God?

Skip to content