How would you respond if I told you my tomato plant had some peppers growing on it? You will probably think I’d lost my mind. Your reason for thinking that is simple: every tree or plant is naturally supposed to bear fruit like the original plant. In other words, the fruit you see tells you the kind of plant you’re looking at. In addition, if you see a tree and are not sure what kind it is, give it time; once it starts to bear fruit, you’ll have your answer.
By the same token, one should be able to identify a Christian by their characteristics—the fruit they bear. No one would expect to find fruit where there’s no tree or plant. So, a person has to claim to be a Christian before we should look for Christian characteristics in their life. On the other hand, if we know what Christian characteristics are, we can often tell whether someone is a Christian.
But who is a Christian, and how does one become one, and what fruit is he or she supposed to bear? The answers to all these questions are important because there are many false claims out there; many people claim to be Christians based on something totally different from what the Bible teaches. Below is a list of some of the unbiblical reasons people give. They think they are Christians because:
● They were born Christians.
● They’ve always attended church.
● They sing in the choir.
● A family member is a pastor.
● They are good people.
● They obey the ten commandments.
You have probably heard some of these claims. But sadly, the Bible does not teach that any of these things makes one a Christian. What it teaches is below:
● Each person has to agree with God that they are a sinner: “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standards” (Romans 3:23). Disagreeing with what God says about you won’t change anything; it won’t excuse you from the clearly stated consequence: “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6: 23).
● Each person has to repent of (be sorry for) their sins, and ask God for forgiveness through Jesus Christ: “God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood” (Romans 3:25).
● God sends the Holy Spirit into our hearts when we believe as evidence of our oneness with Him (see Ephesians 1:13). When we repent, He adopts us as His children: “God sent him {Jesus} to buy our freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Galatians 4:5-6).
When you accept God’s salvation through Jesus, God calls you a new creation: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). According to the apostle Paul, what counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation (see Galatians 6:15). And because of the transformation that takes place during conversion, the Holy Spirit directs our lives through the Word of God. Our allegiance, interests, and way of life begin to change, and we become more Christ-like, which is the goal: “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ” (Ephesians 5:1).
Becoming Christ-like is where fruit bearing becomes necessary; we should be doing and responding to situations like Jesus would. The way we can succeed in fruit-bearing is to “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind… Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37). If you love God the way you should, you’ll obey Him and that will also result in loving others.
Jesus used the tree and fruit illustration when He warned His disciples about false prophets: “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act… A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit” (Matthew 7:16-18). So, those who claim to be Christians must bear Christ-like fruit by following the Spirit’s leading in all areas of our lives. Likewise, without announcing your faith, people should still be able to notice the difference in your behavior and way of life as compared to the general population.
Do you claim to be a Christian? How are you living? How do people see you? Has anybody ever made a comment about you to this effect, “I thought he or she was a Christian!” This comment is an indication your life is not consistent with what the Bible says. According to the Bible, the kind of fruit the Spirit produces in our lives is “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22). However, we can’t bear fruit on our own: we need to constantly depend on the Holy Spirit. As Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Some people claim to be Christians but do not put much effort into being Spirit-led; they continue to live in sin day after day. No matter what claims you make, if there is no evidence of change in your life, there is a problem. Please start all over! The Scriptures make it clear: “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because they are children of God” (1 John 3:9). Also, if sinning does not bother you, there’s a problem, and it means you have not been born into God’s family. Reassess your claim, and remember Jesus told His disciples, “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21).
In conclusion, if you do not have a Father/child relationship with God through Jesus, you are not a Christian. If you claim to be a Christian but are not living in obedience to the Word of God, your claim is questionable. But take heart, as long as you are reading this, you still have time to call on Jesus for forgiveness. Please do it soon, preferably today. Time is running out; don’t postpone getting into a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, His Son. And then, let the whole world know Whose you are!
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