5 CHARACTERISTICS OF A CHRISTIAN

The Bible has made it clear for us as Christians the kind of transformation that needs to be exhibited after we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and personal savior.

In this brief message for new Christians, we want to look at the five things that should characterize every Christian living in any part of the world.

1.       Studying the Word of God

The Bible is the sword of the spirit and also the ultimate Word of God to all mankind. As a new Christian just like any Christian, you should spend most of your time studying the Word of God. It is through the Word that the Will of God concerning our lives are revealed and manifested.

When the devil (our enemy) comes knocking at the door with temptations and challenges, it is the Word of God that we use to attack him.

Joshua 1:8

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

2.       Prayer is the Key

No one is too busy to pray. Prayer is communicating with God. God is in control therefore it wise to always speak to him. He is the BOSS! Prayer is the secret weapon we use to fight the evil in the world. A prayerless Christian is a weak Christian.  We exercise faith in God when we pray.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

3.       Fellowship with brethren always

As a newly convert, there is a need to fellowship with your new family ALWAYS! It is by so doing that you learn more about Christ and also get answers to questions. You need to be at Sunday Service, Bible Studies and Prayer Meeting ALWAYS! Do not separate yourself from the gathering of the saints.

Hebrews 10: 25

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

4.       Change of Character/ Hating Sin

There should be a different character personality as you have now become a Christian. All things and way of thinking are gone. The change of Character will make even unbelievers that note of you. There will always admire you secretly as you follow the Lord.  You have to hate the sin you were once use to. Hating them will directly prevent you from engaging in them.

Romans 12:2

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

5.       Bearing FRUITS

Every tree is expected to bear fruits in season. Therefore as a new Christian just like any other Christian, you have to bear fruits for the glory of God. Teaching the Word to others (Evangelize), serving in the Church, playing instruments, Ushering, Cleaning the Church, helping the poor, orphan, aged, widows etc can be ways you can bear fruits for the Lord.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

Fruits are the product of a seed which has been sown. Seeds are expected to be trees and then produce fruits for the community. The fruits the tree produces can either be good or bad depending on the environmental factors and other related activities.

God also expects Man (His Creation) to produce good fruits in other to give glory to His name. When bad fruits are produced then the Creator will have to cut down that tree so that it does not affect the other good trees.

Matthew 7:15- 20 says

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

We are either producing good fruits or bad fruits according the scripture. God sees that heart and he is the only person that can judge the motive and intentions of every human being. But Jesus gave us a how to identify a godly heart and people who care for him.

He said we should look at their deeds, actions, behavior, character and morals which make up the fruit of a person, in other to see what’s in the heart of the person.

So if a man proposes to you, and his actions do not match his fruits then you have to ignore such a person. The same applies to people to make promises and fail to redeem the promise. God says such people do not have a place in his kingdom.

Fortunately, this scripture does not only include false prophets and pastors but also Christians who fail to produce good fruits.

Matthew 12:33

"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

The sum of the whole is, that ordinarily, and generally speaking, as men are, so are the doctrines they preach, and by them they may be known, and judged to be what they are. Christ here, and in the preceding verses, is speaking not of men of bad lives and conversations, who take upon them to teach others; for there is not so much reason to caution good men against these; they are easily detected, and generally discarded; but of men that put on sheep's clothing, who pretended to much holiness of life and conversation, and strictness of religion; and under that disguise delivered out the most corrupt and unwholesome doctrines; which tended greatly to depreciate him and his grace, and to do damage to the souls of men.

SEX FOR JOB

Sexual temptations are difficult to withstand because they appeal to the normal and natural desires that God has given us but God has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us.

“Sex for Job” happens everywhere and anywhere, in the Church, School, Home, Work, Elections, etc. Women are the usual target and normally fall prey to men who follow their evil desires.

This generation sells everything with sex -from television, mobile phones, land, cars, chewing gum, shoes, clothes, food everything has been given a sexual appeal.

With the influx of high unemployment rate in the country, CEOs, Human Resource Managers, Directors, Marketing Managers, Presidents, Politicians and those in authority sometimes demands sex before they employ a qualified or unqualified person.

A Christian lady once said she was disqualified for a job because she refused to have sex with the manager. Another also said she resigned from her post because of the constant sexual harassment. 

As a Christian, the Bible has spoken clearly on such temptations which can occur to a career woman or man. We should not entertain anything evil in the sight of God.

Why we should refuse sex for job

God does not forbid sexual sin just because it is difficult. He knows its power to destroy us physically and spiritually. No one should underestimate the power of sexual immorality. It has devastated countless lives and destroyed families, churches, communities and even nations.

God wants to protect us from damaging ourselves and others and so he offers to fill us –our loneliness, our desires with himself.

Christians are free to be all they can be for God, but they are not free from God. God created sex to be beautiful and essentially ingredient of marriage, but sexual sin –sex outside the marriage relationship- always hurts someone.

It hurts God because it shows that we prefer following our desires instead of the leading of the Holy Spirit.

God said he will provide all our needs including jobs when we pray to him. Therefore, we should not corrupt our bodies by engaging in sexual immorality that ignores the power of God.

What to do when offered “sex for job”

1. Flee for all form of sexual temptations. That is, turn down the offer!
2. Tell him or her about your faith in God. Make the Bible your reference point and declare your fear of God to him or her.
3. Tell him or her the consequences of engaging in sexual immorality on his or her reputation, organization, Church, family or nation.
4. Disassociate yourself from such person, organization, family or nation.
5. Pray for him or her to come into the knowledge of the truth of the Word of God.

Bible Verse for “sex for job”

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

REPENTANCE

Repentance is the first step we take to receive the salvation that God offers to us in Christ Jesus. Without repentance we cannot accept the Lord Jesus as our redeemer thus impossible to enter into the pearls gate of Heaven.

Those who will be in Heaven are those who repented and accepted the Lord Jesus as their Lord and personal saviour. But those in Hell will be those who refused to repent therefore it is very important that all people come into repentance.

No one repents unless they feel guilty about their sin, but not all who feel guilty actually repents.

The first word from John the Baptist was “REPENT” and the first word from Jesus was “REPENT”. Therefore it is essentially important topic for Christians and unbelievers.

Acts 2:38

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

WHAT TRUE REPENTANCE IS?

1.     Being sorry to God for your sin

Psalm 51:1-4

¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins.
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
    Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
    it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
    and your judgment against me is just

2.      Being TRUTHFUL about the sin

Psalm 32:5

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
    and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
    And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

3.     Turning away from the sin

Proverbs 28:13

People who conceal their sins will not prosper,
    but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

4.     Hating Sin

Hebrews 1:9

You love justice and hate evil.
    Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you,
    pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”

5.     When Possible, paying back to others what you owe.

Luke 19:8

Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

6.     Turning to righteous living

Romans 6:13

Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.