THE FRUIT OF THE SOUL!

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER...
Who are you when no one is watching?

We are living in the end times, when Jesus could come at any moment... If He tarries, though, the Church will likely face intensified persecution... I believe the ability to withstand persecution will revolve around what we might term, “Christian character...”

Our character has to do with who we are when no one is watching... Our reputation, on the other hand, concerns our behavior as it is seen or perceived by others...

“Good” behavior without character becomes hypocrisy...

This was revealed to the church at Sardis: “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” (Revelation 3:1).

The Book of Revelation was written, to a great degree, as a prophecy of the end times... It was also given as a warning to the Church... We, as Christians, are the Church...

Since Jesus could come at any moment, we should pay attention to the warnings... God’s message to Sardis was that they had a name—a good reputation—but were dead... They were living in hypocrisy... A good name is important; we want to have that... The basis of our reputation, though, should be Christian character... That is what will help us to withstand any persecution we might face. ..

God is never fooled
God is concerned about who we really are... Sometimes we can be fooled by something that looks good on the outside, but God is never fooled...

You see, we may be fooled by appearance, but God is not.

In the Old Testament, we read that the Prophet Samuel was instructed by God to go to the house of Jesse and anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be king...

When Samuel met Jesse’s eldest son, he saw that he was a goodly young man and felt sure that he was the Lord’s anointed... The Lord responded, “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” God knows what is inside, and had chosen the youngest son instead...

Good deeds not sufficient
We cannot manufacture spiritual fruit in our lives any more than the farmer can make fruit on his trees... God is the One who made the seed... He is the One who causes the tree to grow, the branches and leaves to appear, the buds to blossom, and the fruit to form... The farmer cannot do it; he just cooperates with God... The same is true spiritually...

The Bible tells us specifically that, as Christians, we should do certain things... Action is involved... God is more concerned, however, with who we are than with what we do... Good works will not save us... We could do every good deed we have heard of, and it would not be enough... We can be very careful to contribute to the missionary fund... We can give change to the homeless man on the corner... We can serve at our local soup kitchen... But if, at the same time, we are degrading our wives or neglecting our children, something is wrong... Character is something that comes from the heart... Good character will produce good fruit, but tacking on good deeds when the heart is not right is like putting paint over rotten wood... It might look fine, but it is not any good inside, or underneath...

We will never get the Lord into our lives by doing good works, but once we get the Lord into our lives, there will be good works—good fruit...

Consider virtue—one of the character attributes we are to possess... In 2 Peter 1:5 we are told, “Add to your faith, virtue . . .” How do we add virtue? By doing something virtuous? Maybe we decide to be very careful about dressing modestly... We might do that ever so virtuously but then turn around and criticize, argue, or complain... If that is the case, then something is wrong! No matter what we say, which good deeds we do, or what people think of us, if we do not have a heart that wants to do the right thing, there is something wrong... We want to have the fruit that comes out of the soul, because that is what will hold us up in the perilous times... An outward show will not do a thing for us when the testing comes...

Some of our folks are getting older and facing pain, suffering, and loneliness—circumstances that would get them down if they did not have something real in their hearts... Instead of complaining, though, they say, “I’ve still got the Lord!” Sometimes disease comes on and destroys the body or the mind, but it cannot take from the heart what God has done... That is Christian character... When everything else is gone, we still have what is in our hearts...

There will be evidence
When we have Christian character, the evidence will be in our behavior... When a person is saved, there is evidence of salvation... If someone says, “I’m saved,” but they continue to lie, steal, and live immorally, it is quite evident they are not saved... If you are saved, your behavior changes as evidence that something changed on the inside—in the heart...

We read in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” If there is no behavior change, then the heart did not change...

Sanctification, too, is a definite experience that brings a difference in our lives... God’s Word teaches us that sanctification provides cleansing from the inward nature of sin with which everyone is born... There will be evidence in your life that you have been sanctified—purity on the inside that will show in your daily life...

When you get the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you will know it, and so will others... The baptism will make a difference in you... There will be a new power in your life... Your relationship with God will move to a new level, because the Comforter will be dwelling in you... It will show!

More than trying to do better
Good character traits are not learned in a ten-step program or from a self-help book... They are more than just trying to do better... They come through the work of God in the heart... The thing that will hold us together in the time of persecution and peril will be something God has given to us, not something we have tried to develop on our own... The secret is found in 2 Peter 1:3, which says that “his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.”

God said, “Be ye holy...” He did not say for us to do something in order to look holy... He said, “Be” holy...

You cannot make yourself holy any more than you can save yourself, but when you get God’s holiness on the inside, your life and behavior will be holy and pleasing to God...

The Book of 2 Peter is not the only place in the Bible where we find this instruction to be, rather than merely to do... Yes, there are certain things God tells us to do, but there are more things He tells us to be...

Philippians 2:15 says, “Be blameless...”

Revelation 2:10 says, “Be faithful...”

Revelation 3:2 says, “Be watchful.”

Is it your desire to be what God wants you to be? The Lord’s help is available... This is a high standard, and God wants us to press toward it... We need that security for the end times... We need it if we are going to be ready when Jesus comes... We need it if we are going to stand true and faithful through times of persecution and peril...

Will your Christian character stand the test?

Don't just put paint over the rotten wood in your life but put on Christ who is able to change us from the inside out...

In Jesus Name...amen

Rev. Robert N. Graves, Sr. Fisherman for Christ