Christian Character

August 15, 2010

Ephesians 4:17-24

The question before us today –

          What is your character like?

It is popular to be a Christian to day. But what exactly does it mean to be a Christian?

We know how to act Christian (dress, talk, shout) but Christian means to be Christ-like. It means to be a follower of Jesus. It means to act like Jesus.

Being a Christian is knowing the Savior – One’s life changed because you have met the Savior.

We make the mistake of confusing character and conduct. Our character is revealed in our conduct. What and how we think (Character) is revealed in our conduct. What we believe shaped how we think and is revealed by what we do. If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit is shaping our character.

The New Testament has:
           
27 books, 4 Gospels, 1 History, 1 Revelation, and 21 Letters on how to live the Christian Life.

Christian Character is who I am after I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.

Christian conduct is how I behave (what I do) after I have been born again.

Focus: What shapes Christian Character?

1. Faith – What I believe
2. God’s Word – Read God’s Word (Meditate, memorize)
3. Surrender to God’s truth revealed in the Bible – God’s knows best
4. Obedience to the Word of God – Do what God directs us to do

Only as we choose to allow God to have our heart can He shape our character. We don’t have to teach a baby to do the wrong thing! As we surrender to God as a baby in the arms of his or her parents, we can know that we are safe. The Lord will never divorce us – even when we walk away from Him.

Summary:

Christian Character is who I am in Jesus Christ as I allow the Holy Spirit to work Christ-likeness in me and work out my sinful character out of my life.

Surrender today to a life in Christ Jesus and watch how you will be changed.

Pastor Pete