marks-of-a-christian
Click on the above link to download the slideshow “Marks of a True Christian†(487 KB)
Preview:-
Sitting in McDonald’s for a few hours won’t make you a hamburger and …..Sitting in church won’t make you a Christian. You must take some action. You don’t just want to talk the talk, you want to walk the walk. The old time version said, sitting in a hen house won’t make you a chicken. The times have changed, but the concept is the same.
This calling challenges us to live a life worthy of that calling. It is expressed in a very similar fashion in three different verses. Philippians 1:27, tells us to walk or live “worthy of the gospel of Christ”. Colossians 1:10 admonishes us, “to lead a life worthy of the Lord”. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 reiterates, “to lead a life worthy of the God who calls”.
We have established that we are to walk worthy, now we turn to some specifics of that calling. First, humility. ” Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
The term for humility literally means, lowliness of mind. It is set in contrast to “highmindedness.” It is a person who is willing to put himself down in a positive sort of way. One who is willing to take a lower position to show love for others. In the mind of the people of that day, that was weakness. It may represent much the say for people today. However, that is not the way that God views it. Matthew 5:5 says, Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. And Matthew 23:12 states, For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. The person who becomes like a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The true Christian doesn’t have to go around bragging on what they have done, they are able to show true humility.
The Christian is to exhibit gentleness. Gentleness is a fruit of the spirit. In church, the true Christian should not be terribly hard to get along with. “Cantankerous” is not a good adjective for the Christian. In Christianity, even when we are right, we are not supposed to go around arguing about everything. Instead, we are to go about with gentle instruction.
Eph 4:3 – Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
There is one body and one Spirit- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-“. There are no lone ranger Christians. We must live as a part of the community of the faithful.
Eph 4:5 – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Remember that talking the talk is not the same as walking the walk. Just being baptized is not all there is to it, you must not just start the journey, you must finish it.
