5 Signs of Being a Christian

5  Signs of Being a Christian                                        Kelly Durant

Colossians 3:11-12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

2. There is a saying in English that goes: If it walks like a duck, if it swims in the water like a duck, if it quacks like a duck; then it must be a duck! In other words, people are known by their characteristics and for the most part it is true, you can make a judgement call on whether a person is a Christian or not based on their lifestyle, actions, and love for God and others.

Today I will explore 5 things that identify a person as being a Christian. Ask yourself today, do I have these characteristics in my life? Am I really a Christian? Some people we can observe have gone to church all their lives but with little or no spiritual revolution in their lives! I can tell you all about the day I took Jesus in and how my life changed after that! And the more I practiced these things here, the more truth and purpose God led me to.

What do you consider to be the most important things for a Christian to do?

Let’s explore them. These are very general attributes most all denominations agree on and practice weekly, but these things should be a part of us every day.

3. #1) Prayer!  When you become a Christian you become a Son of God, and what do sons and daughters do? They communicate with their Father! Observe what Jesus first comments were on prayer in the sermon on the Mount:

Matt 6:5-8

5 "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

The obvious here is Jesus is desiring that we pray but not in a way to show off spiritually in front of others. It is a private communication with you and the Lord. However, it is also something we do collectively in group settings. So don’t ramble and babble or repeat a phrase over and over which is identified by Jesus as pagan practice, pray sincerely from your heart.

4. Right after these verses is the Prayer of, “Our Father, hallowed be thy name”;  So right after prayer in importance is worship, the recognition of God’s Holy name so that you have all your passion and energy busy with adoring God.

#2) Worshiping God should be at the top in our priority list!

Luke 4:8 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"

In this verse Jesus is quoting to Satan who is tempting Him. The trick of Satan is to get us to worship anything that is not God!  

How do you know you are not worshipping God? What do you worship? Your personal things? Your family? Your own pride of intellect and accomplishments?

Worship is defined as: An extreme devotion or intense love or admiration of any kind such as in reverence to a deity.

5. Some people worship money and materialism, some people worship spiritual leaders, bt the worship of anything not God Jehovah is idolatry and lust and is condemned in the 10 commandments! God made us to only be satisfied in our spirits if we are worshipping Him alone.

So what more does Jesus say:

John 4:23-24

23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

God is love and He wants all your love! He wants you spending time with Him loving and worshipping! He wants you passionate for Him! Are you passionate for Him?

When you light a candle in the darkness of a room you have a little light, but when you light 100 candles like we have here on Sunday, all worshiping together, you have a bonfire of light! Worshiping God with praises and songs and in prayer is what a Christian does on Sunday, and it is something a Christian does in his personal time any day at any moment!

So a sign that you are in the right relationship with God is if you are worshipping Him!

6. Lets refer back to the verse we just read in Luke 4:8

8 Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'

So what do we conclude after we pray and worship God?

#3) We must serve God! And Him only!

Where else does Jesus use the word serve? Matt 6:24

24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Jesus was always clear to show the difference. He could see all humanity is concerned with is the physical things of this life, what they will eat, what they will wear, and our money needs. He made the distinction that we have need of those things and God will provide, but the idea is that we should serve God and then trust Him as our Father to supply those things!

Eph 6:7-8

7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

7. Jesus made it clear how to serve God: You serve God by taking care of mankind which He created! We serve each other in love and we serve the suffering people too!

Matt 25:35-40

5 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

When was the last time you served another in need? To be honorable with God you must be more than self-serving, and in that point many people fail God!

8. So now is the question, how will we know God’s will in order to serve Him the right way?

#4) We must study His word! Everyday you and I discover more about how God’s character is, and what He wants from us!

2 Tim 2:15

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  How well do you know your Bible?

Heb 4:12

12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Does God’s word convict you of your sins when you do wrong?

Ps 119:9-12

9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

9. Only by study of the Bible will be gain the knowledge to have our souls cleaned with the light of God’s word! His word teaches us prayer, worship, and how to serve! And finally…

#5) Faithfulness (stewardship, & consistency) is the final attribute!

Rev 2:10

be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Matt 25:21

21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

1 Cor 4:2

2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

Faithfulness implies maintaining your salvation and relationship with God with being consistent. If God sees you are faithful with prayer, worship, with learning and teaching his word, plus faithful serving Him and others: then He will bless you in this life and in the life to come! Imagine people who will face God and say, well I was faithful to you God going to church sometimes! God will say, I gave you 70 years and you only gave me the equivalent to less than one?! How God measures is not how we as righteous-in-our-own-eyes measure!

Those that come a few weeks or months and then get lost are not being faithful to God!

10. With God it is like a marriage, He wants all of you, all the time, all of your love, and all your resources! And just like in a good marriage, God will offer you His faithfulness and security, and there will be (within His will) prosperity, but the best part is you will have a love that will make you walk on the clouds! Life in the Spirit, being obedient is extremely rewarding!

Rom 7:4

4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. Faithfulness to God’s work also means you give Him your tithes and offerings with generosity. Just like in a marriage, the woman will not like it if the man spends all the money on himself and does not bring home what is needed to support the home and pay the bills, and pay for the new Christian children hanging on your feet!

Loving God also implies giving money to support His work! Reflect today, just how dedicated are you in each one of these points with God.

What are the 5 sighs of being a Christian?

Prayer- Worship- Service- Study of God’s Word- Faithfulness