Marks of a Christian

Typically my posts are several paragraphs unpacking a Bible passage or some Christian topic.  I thought that for this week I'd do something different.  I was in prayer for my congregation this morning (as I am every day), as well as some other congregations I'm familiar with around my area, and I had a couple of thoughts:  1.) In a lot of congregations, the gospel is so assumed that no one really even knows what it is anymore, and 2.) I'm very blessed in that I have a church that hungers and thirsts to know the gospel better. 

So whereas I usually am writing posts that are (hopefully) gospel-centered (meaning that they focus on Christ's person and work as Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, etc.), I thought I'd make a list of how the gospel bears fruit in a Christian's life.

My assumption is that in seeing the fruit, we can understand more clearly the Source of the fruit.  And here, we're at the heart of the gospel, because the Source is Christ, who is Himself the Gospel!

So I jotted down in my journal some different passages that speak to to the "Marks of a Christian".  I'd encourage you to (along with myself) use this post as a reference to specific Bible passages that speak to each "fruit", and perhaps pray over and meditate on it in your prayer time.  Allow the Word to examine you and question you (Hebrews 4:12-13), to see whether or not  you bear this fruit--and if not, repent and bring it to Jesus in humble subjection, where you can be sure you'll be helped by Him who is our High Priest (4:14-16). 

The Marks of a Christian
A Christian....
--Loves Jesus, and keeps His commands (John 14:15, 23)
--Loves God with heart, soul, mind and strength, which quickens loving their neighbors (Matt. 22:36-40)
--Is humble and lowly (Matt. 5:3,5; Luke 18:10-14)
--Doesn't worry (Matt. 6:25-34)
--Prays earnestly, in submission to God's will and Kingdom (Matt. 6:9-10)
--Has a solid prayer life, marked by humble quietness (Ps. 46:10, Isaiah 30:15, Ecclesiastes 5:2, Matt. 6:5-8)
--Lives as "shining light" in the world, for the sake of their Father alone (Matt. 5:14-16)
--Doesn't judge rashly, but with humble and correct judgment (Matt. 7:1-5, cf. John 7:24)
--Hungers and thirsts for Christ's righteousness and holiness (Matt. 5:6, Philippians 3:8-11, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 12:1-2, 1 Pet. 1:14-16)
--Loves even their enemies (Matt. 5:44-47)
--Watches their anger and doesn't hold grudges (Matt. 5:22-24)
--Gives generously to those in need, because their treasure is in Christ alone (Matt. 6:2-4, 19-21; Luke 10:30-37)
--Bears good fruit, which also bears good fruit (John 15:5-8, Galatians 5:22-24, Ephesians 2:10, James 2:14-26)
--Is willing to suffer for Christ (because He did it for them) (Matt. 5:39, 10:16-22; John 15:18-25; Romans 8:16-17, 35; 1 Peter 1:6-7, 3:9-17, 4:12-19; James 1:2-4)
--Lives a life of repentance (Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38, 3:19, 11:18; Rom. 6:1-4, 15-16)
--Hates their sin (Rom. 7:14-25) and continually puts it to death (8:13)
--Perseveres until the end (John 10:27-30; Romans 8:11; Ephesians 1:13-14; Philippians 1:6, 2:12-13; Hebrews 3:6,14, 6:9)
--Honors those in authority and prays for them (Mark 12:15-17, Rom. 13:1-7, 1 Tim. 2:1-4)
--Sticks with their commitments (Matt. 5:33-37, Mark 10:1-7)
--Loves God's Word (Psalm 119, Matt. 4:4, cf. Deuteronomy 8:3)
--Counts others better than their self (Matt. 7:12, Philippians 2:3-4)
--Cares about doctrine and theology (1 Timothy 4:15-16, 6:2-4; 2 Tim. 4:1-4; Titus 2)
--Is different than the world, and different than they used to be (Luke 19:9-10, Rom. 12:1-2, Eph. 4:17-25; 1 Pet. 1:16-17)
--Has faith (Rom. 3:26-4:22, Gal. 3:7-14)
--Has the Trinitarian God living inside of them (John 14:16-23, Gal. 2:20)
--Is a doer of the Word, and not just a hearer (James 1:22-24)
--Husband loves and serves his wife; wife loves and submits to her husband; parent raises their children in the Lord (Deut. 6:20-25, Eph. 5:22-6:4, 1 Pet. 3:1-7)
--Talks a lot about Jesus (Acts 1-28(!))
--Knows that Jesus sustains them as a Christian (Matt. 28:20, John 6:39-40, 10:27-30, 15:5, 17:14-18; 2 Tim. 1:12, Jude 24)
--Takes rebuke/discipline, and comes to Jesus (Hebrews 12:5-11, Revelation 3:15-21)

In Christ, and to Him be glory,
Scott