Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Giving honors to God and our Savior Jesus Christ. To the Deacons of this church and every official, and those who make up this great congregation. To the pastor,and his sons and daughters in the gospel. I am grateful to come here and serve you today as a visiting shepherd. May the words of mouth lead you to living waters, and mediation of my heart send you to green pastures.
Today I would like to influence you as Christians, and those of you who are yet sinners, to acknowledge if you will, if you have the characteristics of a Christian. What they are, and where and how to receive them.
God sent another pastor into my life and told me in a conversation, not to get out of character. This forced me to find out what are the traits, or what is Christian character. These attributes of a Christian help you to realize that you are born again at times when you are not sure and you are looking for reassurance.
The Bible extensively discusses Christian character, highlighting qualities like love, humility, self-control, and forgiveness as essential for believers. These virtues are often presented as evidence of a transformed life and a close relationship with God. The Bible also emphasizes the importance of seeking God's will, obeying His commands, and striving to be more like Christ.
There are qualities of a Christian we should all possess. These are the characteristics that Jesus have.
Love:
Love is often described as the greatest commandment and the foundation of all Christian virtues (1 Corinthians 13). God is the epitome of love.the meaning of love. He is what love is.
The Bible also emphasizes how you can say you love God….
And to love thy Lord God with all thy heart ,soul, and mind…
Humility:
Humility is seen as the opposite of pride and arrogance, and is a key characteristic of a believer who is focused on God's will rather than their own desires (Philippians 2:3-8). These are humble ppl, not puffed up with pride and high minded thinking.
Self-control:
Being able to control one's thoughts, actions, and desires is crucial for resisting temptation and living a life that honors God (Galatians 5:22-23). This doesn't mean thoughts of all kinds will not come. Doesn't mean you don't want to go to wrong places or do the wrong things. But if you are saved and have self control, you will overcome much temptation. You can't say what you want when you feel like it. Amen…we must have self-controlI! Someone may say you are weak, but that's alright, stay in control.
Forgiveness:
Christians are called to forgive others as they have been forgiven by God (Colossians 3:13). There are more people of God on the way to hell for holding grudges and unforgiveness in their hearts than probably any other sin.
Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Mark 11:25 - And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Kindness and Gentleness:
These qualities reflect God's own character and are to be extended to others (Galatians 5:22-23). Some people wake up on the wrong side of the bed every day. Mad at everyone and everything. You be scared to talk to them at church….
Righteousness:
Living a life that is morally upright and pleasing to God is a central aspect of Christian character (1 John 3:7). Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
Do you practice what is right at all times, or do you pick it up when the pastor is around?
And listen, when you practice something, that means you have not gotten it yet, but you are trying to get it the best you can through practice. But the Bible says if you practice it, then you are righteous.
Faithfulness:
Being dependable and trustworthy in one's actions and relationships is a sign of a mature Christian (Galatians 5:22-23).
Now , I want you to understand there is a difference between having faith and being faithful. Being faithful is saying my faith in God is going to have me show up on time for Sunday school as well as worship service. My faith in Jesus Christ will not only get my heart desires, but also have me to be righteous faithfully in the things of God inside and outside the house of God ! Lots of christians have faith as a grain of mustard seed but no faithfulness when it comes to doing the will of God.
Faith grows our faithfulness! Faith in God will cause you to be faithful to your pastor and obey his guidance. Y'all Quiet now!
You see Christian character will produce
Growth and Development:
when Union with Christ: or United
The Bible teaches that believers are united with Christ through faith, which allows them to be transformed by His Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The Indwelling Spirit:
The Holy Spirit empowers Christians to live a life that is pleasing to God (Galatians 5:22-23). When we have these characteristics of chapter 5 we please our Lord and savior. Amen
Pleasing and obeying His commands causes Him to dwell within us.
Obedience to God's Word:
Christians are called to study and obey the teachings of the Bible, which provides guidance for our character and behavior (John 14:15).
Pursuing Holiness:
Christians are called to strive for holiness, which means living a life that is set apart for God and reflects His character (1 Peter 1:15-16).
Biblical Examples:
Jesus:
Jesus serves as the ultimate example of Christian character, demonstrating love, compassion, humility, and forgiveness throughout His ministry (John 13:1-5).
The Apostle Paul:
Paul's letters provide practical guidance on Christian character and behavior, emphasizing the importance of love, unity, and spiritual growth (1 Corinthians 13, Philippians 2).
Living Out Christian Character: Now as we live daily we should show some signs that we been born again by our character.
Self-reflection:
Christians should regularly examine their own hearts and minds to identify areas where they need to grow in character (Psalm 139:23-24).
Accountability:
Having other Christians in one's life who can offer support, encouragement, and guidance is essential for growth (Hebrews 10:24-25). Get with God fearing people who will help you stay God fearing.
Saying you are God fearing is easy, but when I see your righteousness that's the ticket.
Continuous Improvement:
Christian character is not a destination but a journey, and believers should strive for ongoing growth and transformation throughout their lives (Philippians 3:12-14).
When we speak of Christian character we speak of that which is different from people who act and portray characters in film. You can't act your way into heaven or into being a Christian. Numbers 32:22 teaches us to be careful for our sins will find us out. As people of God, we can not go in and out of character,..People are watching, listening, and reading about Us. They can't wait to hear some kind of dirt to bring you down. Don't lay your crown down talking about giving someone a peace of your mind, or whipping someone, then want to pick your salvation up again. You might not make it back out of that situation.
This is why it's important for us to stay faithful and focus. People will try to bring you out from under the blood by allowing Satan to use them. Saying all manner of things about you. Meddling in your business or messing with your material things that Christ Jesus has given you. Lying on your job and continuing trying to put a foot on your neck. But we must stay saved. We don't have To act or pretend, just be righteous.
As I close, one of my greatest actors is Denzel Washington. His character on Training Day was so well played that I felt so sorry that he got shot up like that at the end. Just as he made me believe that character was real, we must believe everything in the Bible to gain the uttermost Christian character! Amen
Our life as a child of God should shine like the sun on an astronaut's journey to the moon.
If you get out of character easily then you need to check in with God. Y'all ain't saying nothing! If someone steps on your toe and your first word is the “N” word then you need to check your character. If you have a loved one who was offended by another person and you put down your religious beliefs to handle the situation, you may need to check your character.
If you find it hard to love your pastor because he told you nothing but the truth you may need to check your character!
I remember a few years ago, a pastor was working or using a Mother in the church pretty hard one time. HE HAD HER, Singing, preaching, offerings, praise team…etc.
One of her grandson became inflamed with anger, came up in the church telling the pastor as he interrupted worship service that he was going to kill him if he kept mistreating his grandmother. The pastor favored the woman, but the young man didn't have Godly character. He had no self control and embarrassed his family in the church. The men in the church had to tackle him to the floor and escort him out of the church.
It's easy to get out of character and curse, act out, and mistreat people without remorse. Calling folks crazy, lunatic, hypocrite, no good, never going to be nothing. Jesus was always encouraging, not discouraging. So we as Christians need to make sure we are who we portray to be.
We as Christians must be monotheistic not polytheistic. .You must believe in one God, one deity.
So I ask you today,..have you been born again? Have you got your business fixed? I heard someone say, that for God I live and for God I die, but have you truly been born again. Praying on Sunday, oh Lord,... and cussing on Monday! Can I get witnesses here….ect,
Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, …but if you don't possess these characters in your life, to make up your Christian character you need to make your way to the altar.
Some of you have lost your Christian character and don't even know it…it's like when you got married and your mate gave you a big shiny diamond ring. Now you are more in love with the ring, than your husband. He or she paid your way through college or bought you a nice car. You are more in love with your possessions than the person who gave it to you.
Jesus died on the cross for you and you’re compromising your character to have a few moments of pleasure or just to have your way. Make your way to the altar.
As you make your way remember this. You can not possess these characteristics nor build them any other way unless you were born again. One can not have wine without the fermentation process. Diamonds only form through the time and pressure of the earth. The only way to get through the tunnels to the other side of Tennessee and Carolina is go through them.
In order for you to have these characteristics you must be born again. Go through the temptation of life, trials, tribulations, the pressing. To build Christian character there will be adding, subtracting, loneliness, mistreatment, alienation , hammering, cutting, and measuring to build you into a pleasing vessel for Christ Jesus. So when He pours in the only way out is through the overflow! Amen …come!
