DISPLAYING THE MARKS OF A TRUE CHRISTIAN

Supportive scripture: Romans 12th Chapter
In the 12th chapter of Romans, we find Apostle Paul speaking to the Christian and gentiles in Rome. He is discussing how Christians should interact together, the various gifts people can have, actions and attitudes discouraged, and encouraged positive actions and attitudes. He states that True worship is seen as a presentation of the self to God. The body is the vehicle of presentation.
In my Christian life I’ve found that there is two ways to look at this sinful world around us.
1) One way is to see people hatred & disgust toward others and despair. (Ex); “It’s no use, why even bother, it won’t make a difference, I got to look out for me and mine, or I can’t take nobody with me so I got to make my way to heaven for myself.”
2) Another way to see it is; you see the same needs and failures but you think of the possibilities for improvement and the Devine resource behind it all.
Some Christians foster the idea that serious faith carries with it an outlook of worry, despair, doom and gloom. But, as a true Christian, we must live out our lives with the hope we have found in Christ and do it with joy. By doing this, we will cause others to crave what they see. (That’s not to say we as Christians don’t have our ups and downs. We have a savior to fall upon in our down moments. )
Yes! Sin thrives, but Grace flourishes even more, and Yes! Sin may win some occasional battles, but Gods’ Righteousness will win the war! We as Christian have a duty to uphold in this sinful world, an example to non-believers. What we believe must affect how we live. If it doesn’t, then the world has every right to question the values we believe. If our faith in Christ is making no real difference in our lives, why should others embrace it?
It is tempting to think only about ourselves. But Paul reminds us that a Christian continually has others’ interests in mind. He uses the illustration of a body with many parts to illustrate the concern each Christian should have for another. A Christian’s response to others should be filled with concern and compassion—a stark contrast to the world’s selfish patterns. As Ambassadors of Christ, We are called:
To follow in faith . . . . . . . . . . like Abraham
To lead with integrity . . . . . . like David
To respond with grace . . . . .like Joseph
To hope in Christ . . . . . . . . . . like Simeon
To fish for men . . . . . . . . . . . . .like the Disciples
To repent from sin . . . . . . . . . like Matthew
To tell the good news . . . . . . .like the twelve
To become as a child. . . . . . . .like the Disciples
To overcome grief. . . . . . . . . . .like Ruth
To overcome doubt . . . . . . . . . like Nicodemus
To overcome pride. . . . . . . . . . like Naaman
To overcome prejudice . . . . . . like the Samaritan woman
To give 100% . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . like JESUS!
This week ask yourself;
Are you a Christian that throw out the life line but pull in the life preserver before it can be reached?
Are you a Christian that spread the gospel or spread the gossip?
Are you a Christian that others crave to know what you have and how to get it too?
In what specific area this week will you focus more on others’ needs than your own? What is your reasonable service?
Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
In your reading time I encourage you to read Romans chapter 12 in its entirety. Now go out there and show them what we’re made of!