What Should a Christian Look Like?

No, no. We're not speaking of physical appearance here, or how we dress. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God tells us that He does not look at "outward" appearance, but rather He looks at the "heart." What we want to look at is what should the attitude and heart of a Christian look like, and what it should not look like. In Galatians chapter 5 the word of God, the bible, tells us the attributes of a Christian, and the attributes of the flesh, the world. Let's see what He says:

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."

What should a Christian look like? When someone encounters us what characteristics should be readily evident to them? These fruits of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, should be. If we are indeed saved and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and we have surrendered our will to Him and allowed the Spirit to fill us, our lives should be characterized by these attributes. These attributes are an attitude of our heart. They reflect the character of Jesus Christ, whom we are called to show to the world in our daily walk.

They all are an example of agape love, the type of love God shows for us and expects us to show to others. Jesus said "I give to you a new commandment, to love each other as I have loved you." When we demonstrate these qualities in our life we show ourselves to be living and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. When we love as Jesus did; have joy in our hearts and praise God even during difficult times; enjoy peace throughout toils and troubles; are longsuffering and patient; exhibit kindness in our approach; pursue goodness as we obey God; remain steadfast in faithfulness in the face of opposition; display gentleness in our dealings with people; and exercise self-control, and say no to temptation and sin; we have walked with the Spirit of Christ. Do these attributes describe you, or do these:

The Works of the Flesh

Galatians 5:19-21, "Now the works of the flesh are evident(obvious), which are: adultery(marital or spiritual unfaithfulness), fornication(all sex before marriage), uncleanness(unholy attitude), lewdness(crude behavior), idolatry(anything in our life before God), sorcery(includes drug use), hatred, contentions(instigating disputes), jealousies, outbursts of wrath(uncontrolled anger), selfish ambitions, dissentions(causing divisions), heresies(contradicting sound doctrine), envy(to covet), murders, drunkeness, revelries(carousing lifestyle), and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice(live this sort of lifestyle) such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Just as the "Fruit of the Spirit" will be evident in a Christians life, so will the works of the flesh in a backslidden Christian or unbeliever. And if we look to Jesus in the sermon on the mount we learn that "murders" can be constituted by anger toward another in our hearts, and "adultery" by lusting after another. These attributes are not and cannot be the things that define a person who calls themselves a Christian, as they directly contradict the things of the Spirit of God.

At a pastors conference last November one speaker asked the question; "Do most of the people in our churches look like how the bible describes they should look?" The answer was a unanimous no. Now first and foremost us pastors must exude the "Fruit of the Spirit," but all of us have a responsibility to examine our hearts and lives to make sure we look the part that we claim, CHRISTIAN.

Notice God's exhortation and warning that concludes each of these sections of scripture. For the "Fruit of the Spirit," the bible reads "against such there is no law." We are free to do these things as often as possible. But, for the "works of the flesh," "those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." If we continuously live in one of these lifestyles we show ourselves not to be of God. These words should resonate with us. When we look in the mirror, what do we see? Someone living and looking like a Christian, or someone living and looking like a child of the devil. You see, with God, there is no middle ground. We are either for Him or against Him, and how we live in and look to the world is the evidence of where we stand.