"By This Shall All Men Know…”

One of the things we see in most cowboy movies is the sheriff. And we know that he is the sheriff because he has a badge to identify himself as the sheriff. But the sheriff is not the only one who wears a badge that identifies him.

God’s Word says that there are some things that should identify us as the children of God, such as:

I. OUR LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHER

The Word of God says, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Our love for each other IDENTIFIES us as the children of God. In other words, the Bible tells us that the thing that should identify us as Christians is that we have, “love one to another.”

Perhaps someone is saying, “I know some people who profess to be Christians and they are always gossiping and talking bad about others.” Yes, this is true, but when you see people who are like this they are telling you something about themselves. According to the Word of God, most likely they are not one of the Lord’s disciples.

God’s Word says that one way you can IDENTIFY THE PEOPLE OF GOD is because they have, “love one to another,” not hate and jealousy!

Illus: Some folks who profess to be saved are like the Indian in Arizona who heard a man that professed to be saved preach his first sermon.

After he heard the sermon, someone asked him what he thought about the sermon. He replied, "Big wind! Loud thunder! No rain!"

Many professing Christians are the same way, “Big wind! Loud thunder! No rain!”

Every day, folks are looking for the badge of love that God’s Word says the lost world should know us by.

Illus: A woman was asked by a coworker, "What is it like to be a Christian?"

The woman replied, "It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc., and then He carves you a new smiling face, and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

Among many professing Christians, we can see that all the “Old Stuff” inside of them has not been removed, and you can not see the light of God’s love inside them. They are one thing in church, and something else once they are out of church.

Illus: A farmer drove his team of mules into town one day and was very late getting home.

His wife was very concerned about him, and as soon as he walked into the house she asked, "What took you so long?"

The farmer explained, "On the way to town I picked up the preacher and from then on, those mules of ours didn’t understand one word I said."

God wants us to learn that as Christians, we are to be different from the lost world. WE ARE TO BE OVERCOMERS!

Many who profess to be saved have the bad habit of hating people and wanting to destroy them with lies and gossip. God wants us to overcome the sin of gossip that destroys lives.

Illus: Los Angeles Dodger’s manager, Tommy Lasorda, describes his battle with bad habits:

• "I took a pack of cigarettes from my pocket, stared at it and said, ‘Who’s stronger, you or me?’ The answer was me. I stopped smoking.

• "Then I took a vodka martini and said to it, ‘Who’s stronger, you or me?’ Again the answer was me. I quit drinking.

• "Then I went on a diet. I looked at a big plate of linguine with clam sauce and said, ‘Who’s stronger, you or me?’ And a little clam looked up at me and answered, ‘I am.’ I can’t beat linguine."

Many folks are defeated by hate each day. God’s wants them to overcome HATE and start to love one another. The Word of God tells us we CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS US!

We can overcome bad habits and produce a life of love. OUR LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHER should identify us as being one of God’s children. But also, so should-

II. OUR HONESTY

One of the things that reveal we really know the Lord is OUR HONESTY!

1 Timothy 2: 2b, we read, “…In all godliness and honesty.”

CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE KNOWN FOR HONESTY IN THEIR SPEECH AND IN THEIR DEALINGS WITH OTHERS.

Politicians are known for their lying. They will tell you anything to get elected.

Illus: A bus load of politicians was driving down a country road when, all of a sudden, the bus ran off the road and crashed into a tree in an old farmer’s field.