What does it look like to live the life of a “True Christian”? How do we know if we’re on track or lacking? The Apostle Paul provides a useful list in the book of Romans.
The following scripture is from Romans 12:9-21 from the ESV translation:
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,[a] serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.[b] Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it[c] to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
This passage contains a list of behaviors and attitudes we are to adopt if we are “True Christians”, as the heading preceding these verses in the ESV bible notes. Here is a list of those behaviors and attitudes extracted from the text:
- Love (vv 9-10)
- Passion (v 11)
- Heavenly-minded (v 12)
- Hospitable (v 13)
- Forgiving (v 14)
- Encouraging (v 15)
- Others-centered (v 16)
- Upright (v 17)
- Peaceful (v 18)
- Patient (v 19)
- Generous (v 20)
- Victorious (v 21)
With knowledge of these, we can examine ourselves and one another to put his / her faith under scrutiny – is it legit, deep or lacking?
However, as we examine ourselves, how clear and accurate is this self-assessment? We do know our own hearts, desires, feelings and secret thought life, which may all be masked from the outsider. So, a personal inventory DOES provide a perspective.
Yet, we also must ask other faithful Follower how we are experienced by him / her as the ability to be fully self-aware is not possible for any of us. Therefore, both tests are useful.
So, for the results and actions to move ahead. With both honest and open assessments in hand (the self assessment and that of one Believer) we mark both the good and the bad, where we shine as it relates to the standard laid out by Paul, and where we come up short. Most will gravitate to the list of faults and magnify them to determine what “right” behavior may be in contrast to our own. We may have a new resolve to “double down” on our efforts to conform to this standard, in the hope we pass the next examination. This method is doomed to fail from the start!
The only true way to create sustainable change following the recognition of the need to do so, is through humble acknowledgement to our Savior that we have missed the mark, expressing our desire to realign our life and plead for the strength and whatever else may be necessary to undergo the needed changes.
The behaviors and attitudes are not the root issue.
The behaviors and attitudes are not the root issue. This is a matter of the heart, with the outward manifestations – behaviors and attitudes – providing the window in which we gain the capacity to peer into our true self. If you look through a dirty window into a messy house, wiping the window only provides a clear view of the mess, while it makes no improvement to the disaster inside the home.
We address this as a matter of the heart, symbolic of our core true self, through humble admission, the desire to change and submitting to and asking for God’s provision to “clean our house” from the inside.
This passage is a great place to camp out in your study of scripture for a while. Use this to move closer to living the life of Christ, through the sanctification process provided by his Holy Spirit. Lean on him to be your guide and helper to make the needed changes in your life – attitudes and behaviors – so the light of Christ shines brightly in your life.
Richard Bahr 