Characteristics of a Born-Again Christian
How do you know you are born again?
How does a born-again person look like?
John the Apostle gives us five characteristics of a person who is born again:
- Love for God
“God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 John 4:16).
He desires to worship God, read His Word, pray, and seek God’s will for his life and conduct. He desires to glorify God in and with his life. He enjoys God and His love for him.
- Faith in God
“Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:4).
He puts his wholehearted trust in God. No matter the circumstances, no matter what people say about the circumstances or about him, he wants to know what God says and how he should do.
He believes that God is real. He behaves knowing that God is with him. He knows that God sees everything. Therefore, he seeks to do God’s will.
- Joy of the Lord
“And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete” (1 John 1:4).
He has joy and peace in him. He rests securely in the Lord. He knows that God is in control of every circumstance in his life.
- Walk in righteousness
“Everyone who practices righteousness has been born of Him” (1 John 2:29).
He seeks to grow deeper in his personal experience with God. He departs from ways of evil and loves righteousness, holiness, and godliness.
- Love for others
“Whoever loves had been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7)
“We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brothers” (1 John 3:14).
He is considerate, humble, caring, thinking of others. He seeks to bless others, even his enemies. He loves others because he knows that though he is unworthy, yet he is loved by God.
We may not exhibit all these five characteristics immediately upon salvation.
These five characteristics are areas for our spiritual growth. We don’t bear these characteristics automatically. We grow these characteristics with time.
But as we yield to the Lord, God will do His work in us.
Ask the Lord for His power to work in us to love Him, exercise faith in Him, experience His joy, walk in righteousness, and love others.
(MT)