MARKS AND MEASUREMENTS OF GENUINE CHRISTIANS (1).
Acts 11:26; 2 Cor. 5:17; 6:14-17; 1 John 2:3; 5:1
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:35.
And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more: Amos 7:8
These are the days of mixed multitudes and numbers that help increase church attendance without sincere identification as members. We are faced with an increasing challenge on how to identify and measure who truly a Christian is. Being baptized into a particular church, possessing a tithe record and a confirmation card etc as good as these appear, none can guarantee a true status of a member nor give a conferment on the true position for our search criteria.
A plumbline is a critical instrument used by builders to ensure that the walls and structures are perfectly straight. God still uses a plumbline today.
It is common to step into an environment and identify people by their tribal marks, local garments worn at special occasions, certain exclamations or pronunciation (Judges 12:6), peculiar facial look (Japanese), stature, dress code etc. In some rare cases a Nigerian can easily be known outside the country by his exclamation when light fails. Cultural beliefs too are notable identification marks and measurements that people can easily be aligned with.
BASIC FOUNDATIONAL SEARCH QUESTIONS FOR MARKS AND MEASUREMENTS
1. Is there a genuine spiritual transformation of life through being BORN AGAIN as a key function and not necessarily being a church number? John 3:1-8; 2 Cor. 5:17; 1 Peter 1:23.
2. Have your old sinful patterns lost dominance over you or you are still inundated with the struggle from addictions? Prov. 14:14; Gal. 2:18; 2 Peter 2:13-22
3. Is there a new affection for Christ and scriptures which provides spiritual grounds for doctrinal formation? Prov. 4:1-4; John 12:20-21; Eph. 2:20; Col. 3:1; 1 Peter 2:4-8
4. Do you understand that being born again is not a mere moral reform but a spiritual rebirth that kills and destroys the old Adamic nature thus evolving a new man in you? Gal. 2:17-20;
5. Do we have a spiritual cultural alignment that marks us out as a distinguished people from the norm? From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the MARKS of the Lord Jesus. Galatians 6:17
6. Do people in the community know you as one who will not yield to certain customs and traditions in the area of burial rites, marriage settlement, Child naming ceremony etc? Matt 15:3, 6; Rom 12:2; Luke 1:59-65
May people not put you under pressure to obey tradition more than God’s instructions. John the Baptist would have missed his purpose and God given identity and Ministry through the custodians of custom who attended the naming ceremony and insisted it should be according to the demands of their traditions.
What marks do you bear that people identify you with? As good as it is for us to carry along with us our KJV of the Bible which sadly many no longer do so, and also put on our pastoral collar. It is important to let others see Christ in us beyond these physical insignia or emblems.
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