All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
What are the real deeper earmarks of a true Christian?
I know we've spoken on the fruits of the Spirit and various things that define a Christian, but how about a bit deeper...what are the real defining earmarks? Since we have Christians who are babies, those who are young men, those who are old men, each in a different area of growth, how would we define a true Christian? A baby Christian may not display enough fruit that one could even see unless they lived with that person. A mature Christian may still display some bad behaviors while everything else has changed as they are still failing in a particular area. So if we're judging by fruits alone and do not know where a person is in their walk, how do we judge?
The main earmark is love. If we have not love then Christ is not in us. But how does one define love? If a man loves his wife and yet gets angry over something she does to hurt him, yet he remains and tries to work it out...because he got angry, did that mean he didn't love her? He may not have loved what she did for good reason. Our kids do things we don't like and we punish them, but we don't stop loving them. So by this we can see that even Christians can get angry at one another. So by that...how do we determine if they love?
So many question their own salvation and/or the salvation of others because they don't see what they define as fruit or love. I went through the questions because I wasn't seeing growth, even though others were assuring me they saw growth. I couldn't understand what it was they were seeing then. And it may have been because I did get hurt when people hurt me, I had angry thoughts, sometimes I even spoke back out of hurt, but I didn't stop caring about them. I was also led to believe fruits were to have perfect patience, always have a smile on your face regardless of what was happening in your life, go out of your way for everyone while denying your own basic needs if need be, etc. And there are some who do those things after many many years of being trained by the Holy Spirit. But for those yet untrained...how would you assure them that they're a Christian? How would we honestly judge another?
All through scripture, love is the main theme, but when we question if we love or if another is showing love, how can we know? There is also if you remain in His Word, and other scriptures to the same idea that show we have to abide in the Word to grow. Therefore, is it possible to have love planted in our hearts but need to learn how to express it better since we've been taught so wrong for so many years?
I had an evangelist pray over me not too long ago that God was healing me from the inside out and I've not felt really healed in years. But lately, I can feel more and more is being healed than ever before. Yet for several years I was in that torment of not really knowing, questioning, feeling condemned over scriptures describing behaviors I hadn't attained despite all efforts to do so and all desire to want to. I'm actually coming to a place where I can even see some good of the situations of people who've hurt me and where I have a concern to pray for them more so than pray about the hurts they've caused. But in those years before, it caused a lot of inner turmoil because we all have the scriptures to tell us what a Christian should look like, but not always the wisdom to apply it appropriately.
So I'm just wanting to get your thoughts on how you would determine someone's Christianity, or even your own, regardless of what age one is to Christianity and what level their walk is.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by thewatchman on
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"Also must understand that there will be people who won't be saved, no matter what."
Just thought I'd clarify before being queried on this, as well.
Because they refuse to believe, they refuse to surrender, they refuse the Truth, they refuse the saving Grace. They turn away to all things concerning God.
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"And if they themselves are poor can't this leave them thinking they're failing to obey God?"
"There is always someone to whom you can minister. There is always something you can offer that is the lifeline and the healing to another. Jesus said that even a cup of cold water offered in His name has a reward. A big part of experiencing the wonderful powerful abundance that God gives is that the more you give, the more He gives you to give. Offer what you have, in love and grace, to God. Make your teapot, your time, your prayers, your encouragement available to God - to give to the needy. He will pour more into you. When you recognize a need, fill it with what you have. Peter came to a lame beggar at the temple gate who wanted (and needed) money. He didn't say "i'm too broke to help, you sorry I'm heading on." No, he offered what he had: attention, faith, prayer, belief, time, compassion. And what did God do with that? Miraculously, the answer to the lame beggar's needs also answered Peter's need. Peter needed to demonstrate God's power to the nation of Israel, the beggar merely needed a change in his situation. What I have learned is that God pours his grace out to those who are humbly willing to give Him what they have. There are many cases of this demonstrated in scripture. [I know the prosperity preachers exploit this and try to dupe people into sending them money, but the principle actually works when you put it into Jesus' hands.]"
Agree, we always need to demonstrate God's power in our life.
"And if you at times fall to temptation but learn from it, repent of it?"
"If you're going to fail, please learn from it! LOL. We all do that. But, learn by determining to grow. Try responding to that temptation differently. Make a decision in advance for how you will respond to that type of temptation again.
I challenge you to read James 4:1-11. Consider that this pastor (James) understands these issues intimately because he failed for his entire life to recognize that his older brother (Jesus) was the son of God. Consider that he tried to stop Jesus in his ministry. He was angry at Jesus for challenging the authorities. Then, bam, the resurrection shook him up and finally, he began to follow Jesus after Jesus has left! Think he felt like a failure ...just a little bit? Yep, you can be sure he did. James is telling you from experience that these things will change your life. "
:)
:) Love you all, and yes it will change your life, if you abide in Jesus. No other answer for anything.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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I like how Tozer prays for this: "Lord, keep me faithful to Your Word, give me understanding of the unfathomable truths contained therein, but deliver me from that danger of seeking some new insight to enhance my reputation as some kind of brilliant scholar. Amen."
I think that Hebrews 3 points to your #5 point and also includes #2 and #3:
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
When we need strength to endure, the support of our brothers and sisters is so important.
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