Traits that Mark the Genuine Follower of Christ

If you ask the average person on the street what the marks of a true Christian are, you will likely get various responses: loving people, feeding the hungry, caring for the homeless & impoverished, tending the sick, contributing to other benevolent causes, or otherwise, living a good clean life of truth and honesty.  The fact of the matter is many non-Christian people do all those things, so are they the real telltale signs?

Jesus taught – I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).  The word abide means “to remain in a state of being.”  It refers to the consistency of a faithful relationship with Jesus Christ, illustrated by a branch attached to its vine.  In that connection, the life source of the vine extends through the branch, and whatever fruit the vine produces, the branch bears that fruit, which is why apart from the vine, the branch can do nothing.  Accordingly, Jesus affirms – You will know them (true Christians) by their fruits (Matthew 7:16, 7:20).  So, Jesus makes it clear that people should be able to observe a person’s life and, by that observation, gain a confident perspective that they are indeed a genuine follower of Christ.

Apart from all the religious activity a person might be involved in, what are the credible traits that characterize a steadfast, genuine faith commitment in Christ?  No matter what else he or she might do, there are at least four traits I believe every true Christ follower will manifest convincingly in their life.

ENDURANCE:  You have a sincere desire & determination to live a Godly, holy life.

A person who has experienced a genuine faith commitment in Jesus Christ has undergone an authentic spiritual transformation.  The Apostle Paul described it this way – If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (II Corinthians 5:17).  Simply stated, their life changes radically.  The way they used to be is not how they are any longer.  Before coming to Christ, they – lived in the lusts of (their) flesh, indulging the desires of (their) flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3).  With the spiritual transformation salvation brings, those sinful desires and lustful drives no longer control them.  They don’t hang with the old crowd and continue the old habits.  Their thoughts, perspectives & opinions undergo reform, their vocabulary changes, and their choices and lifestyle behaviors are carried out in a different value system, one grounded in Biblical truth.

Peter admonishes believers – as obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance (I Peter 1:14).  While it may be a strong word, ignorance refers to a person’s lack of spiritual knowledge outside of a personal relationship with Christ.  Being conformed has to do with fashioning oneself according to another’s pattern of behavior, in this context, that which characterized the person before coming to Christ. Yes, unfortunately, obedient children can still give in to their former lusts and relapse into old ways that don’t reflect their newfound character in Christ.  Many onlookers struggle with this reality.  They say, “How can someone who calls himself a Christian do such a thing?” and use that inconsistency to justify their own rejection of Christianity as non-genuine – an eternally dangerous assumption!

I wish I could tell you that your old sinful nature goes away when you make a faith commitment to Jesus Christ, but I can’t.  It’s just not true.  It still exists within you, but it no longer has control over you since the Holy Spirit now dwells in you with His presence and power (John 14:17).  Both of these realities stage a domineering battle within you at all times.

Surely you can relate to how Paul described this raging conflict within him - For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do…no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. (Romans 7:15-21).  Every true believer endures this daily struggle whether he wants to admit to it or not.

So, how do we persevere?  Paul discovered the solution and shares it with us – do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  For those who (walk) according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who (walk) according to the Spirit (set their minds on) the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:4-5).  Obedience to God’s Word, will, and ways is always a personal choice of the will, and every true believer has a sincere desire and determination to make that choice.  We choose to walk according to the Spirit, or to walk according to the flesh.  We choose to set our minds on the things of the Spirit or on the things of the flesh.  But we do the walking and the setting one way or the other.  The secret to walking in the Spirit is to set our minds on the things of the Spirit.  That takes dedication, discipline, and determination motivated by a desire to do so.

Do we succeed in choosing the Spirit over our flesh?  Many times, yes, and often times, no.  That is hard for some people to comprehend, but born-again Christians are still imperfect people who will occasionally make bad choices and engage in sinful, rebellious behavior until their sinful nature is eradicated in eternal glorification.  When we do sin, God graciously provides us with a merciful promise – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9).  True confession is an unchallenged acknowledgment that we have sinned in our choices accompanied by a sincere intent toward repentance, striving to cease and abandon that sinful behavior.  That action prompts God’s immediate forgiveness and divine help.

Peter issues this command to all believers – like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior (I Peter 1:15).  Obedience to live your life according to God’s righteous standard is an act of your will.  You choose Godliness in both your inward thoughts & values and your outward living.  So, a fundamental trait of all genuine followers of Christ is a desire and determination to live a holy life.  Peter admonishes us to do – the will of God (I Peter 4:2) because – the one who does the will of God lives forever (I John 2:17).  As true believers, we are compelled by the Spirit of God through the Word of God to live a Godly, holy life.  It is the outward manifestation of a genuine spiritual transformation that has occurred within us.  Having that desire and determination is the first and foremost trait of a true follower of Christ.

ENRICHMENT:  You have an insatiable thirst in your soul & spirit for Bible study and prayer.

The Psalmist poetically likens our thirst for God to - the deer (that) pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God (Psalm 42:1).  The Hebrew word for pants means “to long for.”  Peter uses a similar Greek word when he compels us – like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation (I Peter 2:2).  Without food and water, no human life or animal would survive.  Just as our physical bodies demand nourishment and hydration, our spiritual lives require the milk of the word to sustain us and enable us to grow in our faith.

True believers have a passion and priority for maintaining a time & place where they meet God in Bible study and prayer.  In the Kendrick Brothers motion picture, the character “Sister Clara” called her special place the “war room” (“War Room,” TriStar Pictures, 2015).

Moses called his time and place the “tent of meeting” - Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. (Exodus 33:7)… Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the LORD would speak with Moses. (Exodus 33:9)… Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. (Exodus 33:11).

Notice some important aspects of the “tent of meeting.”  First, Moses established that time & place a good distance away from the camp.  That assured his time there would not be distracted from the hustle & bustle of the Hebrew settlement, nor disrupted by persons except on those occasions when someone sought the Lord there with Moses.  Secondly, when Moses entered that special place, God met him there, manifested by the pillar of cloud that would descend upon the entrance of the tent.  Thirdly, God and Moses had an intimate encounter in that place.  It is where God would speak with Moses.  It was such a deep, enriching visit between the two that Moses described it like two lifelong friends sitting across a cup of coffee and talking to each other face to face.

Prayer is a natural by-product of communication with God.  Just as God spoke in ancient ways to Moses in the tent, God speaks to us through the pages of Scripture.  Through prayer, we speak with God.  Paul instructs us to – pray at all times in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18) and to pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17).  While our prayer closet is the natural place for us to pray, we can certainly remain in a spirit of prayer throughout our day.  We can pray while driving, walking in the park, sipping coffee on the deck, or waiting for an appointment.  As we scroll through social media and come across a prayer request, we can pause right then and bear our friend’s need to the throne of God in prayer.  The genuine follower of Christ doesn’t just pray when he is in trouble or needs a miracle; he prays at all times because prayer is a characteristic of his spiritual life.

We are not to – be anxious for (anything), but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let (our) requests be made know to God (Philippians 4:6).  Sometimes the challenges we bear are overwhelming and we don’t know how to pray.  It is during these times that we should remember – Christ Jesus is He…who is at the right hand of God, who intercedes for us (Romans 8:34).  Not only that but – in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26).  Great power and provision enriches our prayer times when we realize Jesus and His Holy Spirit are both praying with us and for us in perfect accord with God’s will, plan and purpose for our lives.

The Bible is a unique book in a special class all its own – For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12).  Many books can provide vast amounts of knowledge and history.  They can invoke great depths of passion and emotion, but not a single book that has ever topped the New York Times Best Seller List can do what God’s Word can do.  It is not just words on a page; it is alive.  It has the unique ability to cut through everything superficial and get deep into the true content of our character.

Prayer is not just whispered words in nursery rhymes; it is a divine language that has power – the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:16).  When there is little else we can do, we often say, “All we can do is pray about it.”  Prayer is not the avenue of last resort; prayer is first and foremost because it is the most powerful tool in our spiritual arsenal.

A trait of every true, genuine follower of Christ is to spend personal, private time with God in His Word and engage in the power of prayer.

ENJOIN:  You have a high passion & priority for corporate fellowship and worship with God’s people in God’s church.

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a million times: “You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.”  That is not exactly true.  While attending church will not save you, many people hear the Gospel and make their profession of faith in Christ while attending a church service.  When we follow the example of Jesus in believer’s baptism, we participate in that special testimony of our faith within this meaningful ordinance of the church.

How do you define the word, Christian?  If we define it as being Christlike, then attending church takes on a more significant meaning.  Luke’s gospel reports - Now during the day (Jesus) was teaching in the temple, but at evening He would go out and spend the night on the mount that is called Olivet. And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him. (Luke 21:37-38).  Did you notice?  Jesus taught in the temple.  People would go to hear His teaching in the temple.  Yes, He also taught on the hillsides, in the villages, and on the seashores, but He spent a great deal of His time teaching in the temple.

When Jesus was only 12 years old, He became separated from his parents and family as they were leaving Jerusalem after having attended the Feast of the Passover.  They had traveled a full day before realizing Jesus was not with them – They returned to Jerusalem looking for Him.  Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers (Luke 2:41-47).  When they found Him, His mother Mary expressed great concern – “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You." And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" (Luke 2:48-49).  It was a natural thing for Jesus to be in His Father’s house (the temple), and that is the same value and priority of each true believer today – to be enjoined with other believers in the church.

The writer of Hebrews urges us - not to forsake our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:25).  The Greek word translated forsake means “to totally abandon, or utterly forsake.”  Too many are buying into the excuse that an authentic faith and attending church regularly are not necessary compliments.  According to a Gallup poll released just this year, only 20% of Americans attend church services once per week (down from 32% in 2000).  41% attend once a month or so, while 57% of Americans seldom or never attend a church service.  So, on any given Sunday, more than half our population is not in anyone’s church anywhere in our country!  No wonder our nation is in such moral decline.

Attending worship with other believers provides us the opportunity – to stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24) and to strengthen us not to – go on sinning (10:24).  Not only is the worship in singing together uplifting, but the highlight of worship is the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.  The Psalmist declared – Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee (Psalm 119:11).  The message shared Sunday after Sunday from the pulpit of our church enlightens us with Scriptural insight, guides us in righteous truth, corrects our opinions & perspectives, and strengthens us against sinful living.  These virtues are important, and we don’t get them in any other arena of life like we do when gathered with other believers in church.

Those of us blessed to have been raised by parents who placed a priority on church attendance understand the impact our upbringing in church has made on the passages of our lives.  Bill Gaither captured this rich legacy in the lyrics of his songwriting:

This is the place where we pray.

This is the place where we cry.

This is the place where we start,

'Til death do us part;

Where we say goodbye.

Here, we leave all our pain.

Find forgiveness and grace.

Here we walk down the aisle,

Dedicate every child.

Here in this sacred place.

(This Is the Place, 2019, Gaither Vocal Band)

Genuine followers of Christ simply need and desire to gather with fellow believers in worship, Bible study, and service together in the church.  It is a passion and priority of their life and a value & conviction of their spiritual legacy.

ENGAGEMENT:  You sense a compelling mandate to serve in the work of God’s Kingdom and ministry.

No true follower of Christ can just sit back and do nothing for the Kingdom.  We are mandated in Scripture to - Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth. (Acts 1:8).  This missional assignment is not an option; it is a mandate, and true Christians take it very seriously.

We are not helpless in this endeavor.  God has given each of us His Word to equip us, the indwelling presence & power of His Holy Spirit to empower us, and the relational opportunities to engage us in spreading the Gospel across our nation and world.  We simply have to do it, and the genuine relationship we have with Christ compels us to do so.

We are each equipped with a spiritual machine necessary to drive us in our work – God has allotted to each a measure of faith…gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us to exercise them accordingly (Romans 12:3-8)…to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (I Corinthians 12:7)…distributing to each one individually just as He wills (12:11)…for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12)…the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).  God doesn’t change His mind about His gift of salvation nor how He empowers His followers for Kingdom service.  He expects His people to roll up their sleeves and dive in.  True believers gratefully oblige.

When you were born again, God gave you not only the gift of salvation but also a primary spiritual gift designed to energize your ministry work for Him.  We don’t all have the same gift(s), but we all have one.  It is your responsibility as a believer to seek God in discovering your spiritual gift and the will of God in finding where you can best engage your spiritual gift in service.  The genuine believer in Christ is actively involved in serving God with his ministry gifts because that is part of what brings the greatest fulfillment in our walk with Christ.

Paul warns us – Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you (I Timothy 4:14); and if you have faltered in your engagement of ministry work – kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you (II Timothy 1:6), so that you can commit yourself once again to the task of God’s will, plan, and purpose for your own life.  The faithful follower of Christ cannot ignore or negate this vital call in his life; He must be engaged in Kingdom ministry to find ultimate fulfillment in his walk of faith.

In 1924, B.B. McKinney wrote the popular  hymn “Let Others See Jesus in You.”  Several phrases throughout the hymn capture the essence of my thoughts in this blog:  “While passing through this world of sin and others your life shall view; be clean and pure without, within; let others see Jesus in you.”  Another phrase reads, “Your life’s a book before their eyes, they’re reading through and through; say, does it point them to the skies, do others see Jesus in you?”  Yet another verse compels us, “Then live for Christ both day and night, be faithful, be brave, be true; and lead the lost to life and light, let others see Jesus in you.”  The chorus ends with this reminder:  “Keep telling the story, be faithful and true; let others see Jesus in you.”

Jesus was the prime example in each trait we have listed.  He lived a perfect life even though tempted to sin in every way that we are.  He never missed an opportunity to steal away to some quiet hillside, mountaintop, or secluded garden to meet His heavenly Father in prayer.  He received the Word from His Father in heaven, disclosed it to His Holy Spirit who then reveals God’s righteous truth to us.  He never stopped serving the Kingdom of God as He went about ministering to people, forgiving sin, and imparting the gift of eternal life to all who would receive and believe in Him.

So, I encourage you to initiate some honest fruit inspection on your own life.  What is your true, sincere desire in life?  Is it to please God and walk in faithful obedience to His Word, will, and ways?  Do you strive as best you can with God’s help to live a life of Godliness and holiness?

Where is that special time and place where you meet regularly with God so that you can enrich your life with the wisdom of His Word and the intimacy of talking to Him in prayer?  What local church is the place of worship and fellowship you call home?  Where you attend and faithfully support, encourage, support and help each other in the body of faith?  The spiritual house where you are raising your children to value as they grow?  How are you serving the Kingdom of God with your spiritual gifts in and through your church and community ministry?

Remember that Jesus emphasized, “You will know them by their fruits.”  You can run a food & clothes closet, administer a benevolent fund, give impressive donations to social programs, serve on boards, and parade about as a political activist, but how does your life manifest a genuine spiritual transformation?  All those things make you look good and earn you accolades in the community, but striving to live a holy life, being an avid student & advocate of God’s Word, a powerful prayer warrior, a faithful member of a Bible-believing church, and serving God’s Kingdom with the talents & gifts He has given to you are the things that mark your true, genuine faith.  How do you measure up? Does your life bear the trait marks of a genuine follower of Christ?

Striving to Abide,

Rick M. Smith