7 Characteristics of A Christian

 

Hello, this is Multiply a podcast, that provides a word of encouragement for village church planters. This is Daneille Snowden and I am excited to share with you about the 7 characteristics of a Christian as well as a church planter.

Join me in reading …

Colossians 3: 12-14

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”

To say someone has a good character we are meaning; features that make up and distinguish an individual, who most of time are exhibiting moral excellence. 

Let us dig-in to this portion of scripture and pull out what the Apostle Paul is teaching all of us even for today. Paul is addressing this letter to

God’s Chosen Ones Who are Holy; which means to be set apart for His purpose.

Paul says to them that they are VERY LOVED by God.

And then he speaks of the HEART WHICH IS THE CENTER FLOW OF God’s characteristic to pump throughout our lives.

When God created man and animals He made the heart to pump blood through the entire body. In comparison, God’s characteristics here can constantly flow as we stay close to Him.

The first characteristic is-

Compassion- which is having sympathy and concern for others.

Next is: Kindness and that is characterized by having sympathy towards other people.

Also he listed the characteristic of Humility which means to put others needs before our own. Being humble as we use gifts and skills God has instilled into each one of us.

Next is Gentleness- and that is being tender in what we say and do.

And then everyone’s favorite character (as I say with a smile on my face) is Patience; and it means to not complain, but forbear in trials and difficulties.

Why is Paul stressing God’s people to put these characteristics on? My answer is Because THEY GIVE THE POWER TO ENDURE WHATEVER INJUSTICE OR UNPLEASANTNESS that may come our way.

The more we serve, means the more we will move into places and even into lives the enemy (satan) has had control of for a long time. Satan will fight us; yet our response or shall I say; how we react in certain situations; will be the key to winning or possibly losing the battles we face.

Paul’s instructions continue instructing that We are also to be….

Gracious with one another- meaning to be courteous, kind, and pleasant.

In addition; we are to be Forgiving of one another; this is the same kind of forgiveness the Lord gives. We must also let go of whatever hurt, or misdeed that has happened to us. We are to forgive as Jesus forgave and pardoned us.

Thus, the importance of these 7 characteristics; is to allow them to pump through our character as the heart pumps blood throughout our veins; these will bring about a godly life that will give great power to overcome.

Lastly, Paul instructs us in verse 14;

To wrap all of this up with UNSELFISH-LOVE.

This type of love is what a perfected bond of unity is!

How so? Verse 14 in the Amplified version of the Bible is written this way; “…for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others.”

That is what Perfect love is like as it binds or wraps us all together as one to be used to serve our Lord Who in turn, shows His love to the entire world through us.

There will be no disputing this type of godly love and character. People from near and far will easily distinguish this from any other. They will indeed see Jesus in these characteristics we are to put on and live by.

In Jn. 13:35 it says:

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I challenge myself and all of us who are chosen and loved by God to put on these characteristics and continue to let them flow through all our lives.

 This is the podcast: Multiply, that offers a word of encouragement to village church planters.

Visit our website at: www.vcpencouragement.org

Also visit our new podcast on Podbean at: multiplyvcp.podbean.com

Thank you and be blessed!

#EncouragementforVillageChurchPlanters #Colossians #CharacteristicsofaChristian