In a world where everyone looks Christian and speaks Christianese, what are the biblical traits of a Christian?
The first place we find the word Christian used is in Acts 11:26. Let’s read the verse below:
And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Acts 11:26 NKJV
Traits of a Christian
As you see from the verse, Jesus’ disciples were the first ones to be called Christians. These men sat at Jesus’ feet and learnt from Him. They left the worldly pleasures and followed Jesus.
Even after Jesus had left, they tarried for the arrival of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were empowered to take the Gospel to all the nations.
I encourage you to read Acts 11, so you get the full picture. However to summarise, a Christian:
- Is saved i.e. Confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that He was raised from the dead. Romans 10:9-10
- Spends time with God (Studying the word & praying) 2 Timothy 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:17
- Leaves worldly pleasures behind Matthew 10:39
- Has the Holy Spirit in them John 14:17
- Is a witness i.e. tells others about Jesus Matthew 28: 19 – 20
Having read the portion above, let’s consider who a Christian is not.
Who a Christian is not
A Christian is not someone who refers to God all the time, yet the fruits are lacking. Also, wearing a cross on one’s neck doesn’t make anyone Christian.
Coming to Church doesn’t mean I’m Christian. Likewise, singing songs that refer to God doesn’t mean you’re Christian either. The list goes on.
The point of this article is to help you and I recall the main traits of a Christian as described in Acts 11.
“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.”
Matthew 7:18 NKJV
If you find yourself lacking in any of the traits, God is calling out to you today. Will you answer?
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Thank you for reading – Funmi
