Friday 1 May 2020

Hallmarks

Hallmarks
The apostle John writes,
"Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.  
He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.  
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.  
This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." 1 John 3:7-10.
Here is a question we as Christians, believers in Christ Jesus need to be asking ourselves. Who is of God?
While the scriptures tells us not to judge. We do have a right to judge who is of God and who is not in order that we are following correct teaching. This is a especially true if they claim to be Christian. The apostle Paul writes,
"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
Paul tells us what a true believer in Christ should be exhibiting in their life when he writes,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22,23.
Coupled with what the apostle John wrote,
“This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." 1 John 3:10.
This gives us a good idea of who is of God. The above scriptures that I quoted are criteria that we should be applying to anyone who claims to be a Christian be they pastor, evangelist, teacher, someone sitting in the pew or anyone else.
These attributes,
Doing what is right, showing Love, Joy, Peace Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, self-control. Are the hallmarks of a true believer in Christ Jesus.
Are these the hallmarks you see in people you follow?
Are the hallmarks of your life?
Please think about it. 

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