WESTSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH
PASTOR: TERRY VAUGHAN
SERMON TITLE: CHRISTIAN CHARACTER
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:16-18
TEXT VERSE: HEBREWS 6:8-9 “BUT THAT WHICH BEARETH THORNS AND BRIERS IS REJECTED, AND IS NIGH UNTO CURSING; WHOSE END IS TO BE BURNED. BUT BELOVED WE ARE PERSUADED BETTER THINGS OF YOU, AND THINGS THAT ACCOMPANY SALVATION, THOU WE THUS SPEAK.”
I want to preach to you on Christian character. The Lord does expect better things out of us that are saved than he does out of those that are lost. We have to be in a position and in a place in our lives so we know what the Lord wants out of us. I begged God this week to give us a message that would help us to be better Christians and better soul winners and help us to be better servants.
First Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” There’s a lot of Christians in the world that act like little children. Instead of being on the meat of the word, their on the milk. There’s a lot of Christians that need to grow up. All these childish things will not get you any merit with God. Too many childish Christians walking around doing what they want instead of what God wants. I’m not here to be the boss. I’m here to be the Shepherd and lead god’s flock. Christian character is very important not only to you but to him and to lost people. It’s also important to our brothers and sisters in Christ. I’m going to cover about six things that go along with Christian character.
NUMBER ONE: Christian Credibility.
Luke 9:62 “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.”
There’s a lot of Christians who get started but they never finish. There’s a lot of Christians who are quitting on God. There’s a lot of churches folding up and falling under because of Christians quitting on God.
When you go to apply for a job they look for what you’ve done in your past. They’ll look at where you worked at and how long you worked there and how many days you missed. That’s kind of the way God looks at us. He looks at some of those Christians and says there in a while and out awhile. Then He looks and sees those that just keep on going for Him. That’s credibility.
John 8:31-32 “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” Every morning when I get up, before I kneel down to talk to God, the devil comes along and says it’s time to quit. He says that nobody is listening and nobody cares but I have to do what God says and God says to keep on going. God is always going to have His way. Always! I’m at that age when my bones hurt and everything is slowing down and I wonder if tomorrow will be it for me. But I’m ready to go. But while w’re here we have to be about the fathers business.
Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised). Let me interpret that for you in laymens terms. If you say your saved, then act like it. If you’re going to profess to be a Christian then you ought to live like one. he also said without wavering. There’s a lot of Christians wavering. They say they can’t get what they want at the Baptist Church so they’re going to go try out the Pentecostal Church. Listen, if you can’t get it from God then you can’t get it from some church. We have to have some Christian credibility about us in our Christian Character.
NUMBER TWO: We have to have Christian Conduct.
There’s a lot of Christians in the world today that sure don’t act like it. If you have to fake it and act like it, you’re probably not saved. First Timothy 3:15 “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” We’re supposed to know how to behave ourselves in the house of God. I’m not talking about Westside Baptist Church. I’m talking about ourselves. We are God’s house. That means no matter who we’re around we’re supposed to have a good Christian conduct. There’s a lot of Christians in this world that will get off with some backsliders and all of a sudden they start acting like that crowd. Peter did it in the book of Galatians. There’s some sloppy Christian living going on in the United States today. It’s sad. We’re all going to live in Heaven together and we can’t even get along down here. Black, white, mexican; it don’t matter. If their saved, their all part of God’s family. If their God’s people, we ought to be able to get along.
Titus 2:2-3 “That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things.” he’s not talking about how old you are. He’s talking about those that have spiritually grown and matured in the Lord.
Philippians 1:11 “Be filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ.” Be filled! If we walked out in the orchard and they were filled with only weeds, I guarantee you, you wouldn’t eat of it. That’s how Christians should be. We should eat of the fruit and not of the weeds. If lost people see us a blooming tree, they’re going to want some of what we have. If all we grow is weeds then they aren’t going to want what we have. Sometimes I look at other Christians and I definately wouldn’t want what they have.
NUMBER THREE: We need to have Christian control.
There’s more Christians that are out of control than there are that are in control. Christians get out of control when they want to control instead of letting Him control. They want to be the Pilot and let God be the Co-pilot. We need to have good Christian control to have good Christian character in our lives.
First Thessalonians 4:4 “That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor.” If you don’t know how to rule your own house, how can you take care of the house of God? A lot of Christians don’t know how to possess their own vessel. God allows us to control our flesh and He controls our Spirit. We can’t blast the Holy Spirit on you when you come to church but we can control our flesh. We’re supposed to crucify our flesh. That’s what Christian control is, being able to contain ourselves.
First Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it unto subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
If you’re not controlling your flesh, you’ll start doing all kinds of wild things. No wonder backsliders turn to their wicked ways. Their not controlling their flesh. It’s not because God left them. It’s because they’ve left God. Their not controlling their flesh to let the Spirit rule. Who are we to blow up in front of lost people and who are we to do things that are not right in front of lost people. That’s gives them an opportunity to say, “They call themselves a Christian?” That’s why they call us Hypocrites. If that’s the way we are living our lives, then we are hypocrites.
Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” We’re free to control the flesh. He’s free to give us of His Spirit. That’s the only time I can tell you of that the Spirit is not abiding in our lives and it’s when we’re not controlling our flesh.
NUMBER FOUR: We have to have good Christian Communications.
A lot of times when a Christian hears a preacher talk about communications they begin to think about cursing. God is always watching you.
Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
If we thought about that every time before we spoke, our mouths would stay closed most of the time. Most of the time we’re talking, we’re in the flesh.
First Peter 1:15 “But as He which hath called you is Holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.”
If we can’t say something good about somebody, we shouldn’t say it at all. We can’t tame our tongues but we need to have good Christian communications every where we’re at.
Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come to see you, or else be absebt, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving for the faith of the gospel.” If you aren’t talking about the gospel, it’s in vain. Don’t say it. Some people not only have foul mouths, they have corrupt mouths. They delight in putting down people. They did that to Moses and Aaron and God consumed them.
NUMBER FIVE: We need to have good Christian Choices.
God allows us to make decisions in our lives. But we’re supposed to decide on the one that we’re led by the Spirit of God. But so many Christians make the wrong decisions. God tells them to go right and they go left. If we’re going to make decisions, let it be a Godly decision.
Ephesians 5:17 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” People who don’t act like God, don’t spend enough time with Him. A lot of people make the wrong choices because they’re listening to people and not God. When you make the wrong decision, the Lord will Chastise you.
James 1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” They can’t make up their mind. They go back and forth. This is not a game. Paul said I am not here to please men. I’m here to please God.
First Corinthians 10:21 “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” But people are trying to live both lives. They try to please God and man. Their unstable. Their not making the correct Christian choices in their life and their suffering for it.
NUMBER SIX: We need to have Christian courage.
Christians are afraid of a lot of things. They run and hide when they get afraid. When they do that, their not doing anything for God. Don’t be afraid. God’s on your side. Don’t worry about what man can do. Worry more about what God will do.
First Peter 3:14 “But if ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye. And be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.”
The disciples were on a boat and a storm came up and they were afraid. They said, Lord, don’t you care that we perish? All they could see was the storm coming. They didn’t realize that Jesus was right there with them walking on the waves. We have a tendancy to see the storm but not the peace. We always want to look at the bad things and we forget about the good things. If we wanted to go around finding fault with each other, none of us is worthy enough to merit anything from God. We’ll never be able to be perfect. If we wanted to find fault, we could. But should we? No. Jesus said, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast the stone. We cannot go around looking at the negative all the time.
Psalms 27:1-3 “The Lord is my light and my Salvation: whom shall I fear? the Lord is the shepherd of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”
How many people have that kind of courage?
Psalms 3:6 “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about.”
We need some Christians who aren’t afraid to witness. Fear not them that can kill the body but fear Him that can kill they body and the soul and cast it into Hell.
In order for us to have some good Christian Character in our lives we need these six things: Credibility, Conduct, Control, Communications, Choices and courage.
Let Us Pray: Lord, thank you for this message. Thank you for the things you’ve shown me here today. Help me to live that life which is pleasing unto you and not unto man. Help me to be a good Christian with these six Christian Characters. In Jesus Name. Amen.
