Marks Of A True Christian, Part 1: Be Genuine

What are the marks of a “true Christian? In the first of this five part series, Steph Nickel explores Romans 12, and reminds us to be genuine, abhor evil, and care for each other.

What Are The Marks Of A True Christian?

In the English Standard Version, the latter half of Romans 12 is subtitled “Marks of a True Christian.” I will spend the next five devotionals looking at what they are and how they apply to this month’s topic: love.

Verses 12:9-20 say, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink …”

I’ve discussed 1 Corinthians 13 this month … and Ron Hughes has done an in-depth study of God’s definition of true love from the same chapter.

Today’s passage gives us practical ways to put this kind of love into practice. I was originally going to try to cover these verses in two days. That’s not going to work. We’ll dig into them for the next week and a half.

A True Christian Shows Genuine Love

Let’s get started.

The first mark of a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is genuine love. Before we go any further, let me remind you that Christians are flawed—not a big surprise, I know. Sometimes we don’t do a good job of expressing godly love, but as we mature in Christ, we will do so better and better.

We must ask ourselves some probing questions: Do I have the other person’s best interests at heart? Am I willing to put their needs ahead of my own? Do my actions and verbal declarations of love line up?

Will we always get it right? Definitely not. Will God strengthen us to be conduits of His love to those He brings into our lives? Absolutely.

A True Christian Abhors Evil

Second on the list of marks of a true believer is an abhorrence for what is evil. We don’t use that word very often anymore. We may throw the word hate around and not mean it as intensely as we would the word abhorrence. Google defines “abhor” as to regard something with disgust or hatred.

If we sit around and consider the state of the world and dwell on those who have hurt us, we may work up feelings of abhorrence. But, of course, that does not line up with other commands the Lord issues in His Word.

Be On Guard For Evil

First, we must be on guard against evil in our own lives. As we look into the Scriptures, we must ask God to shine the spotlight of truth onto our own actions, thoughts, and motives. When we recognize evil within ourselves, we must thank God that because of His Son’s sacrificial death and His resurrection, we as Christians have been forgiven. We must ask the Lord for the strength and determination to walk away from any evil that has hold of us. Only then can we rightly recognize the evil around us and help others to escape it.

Hold Fast To What Is Good

Next, we are to hold fast to what is good. We must study God’s Word to know what is right and good and we must cling to it—no matter what or who tries to tug it from our grasp. We can only do so with God’s help—and it helps a great deal if we have the encouragement and support of fellow believers.

A True Christian Genuinely Cares For Others

The last mark of a true Christian we’ll discuss today is brotherly affection. Despite the fact that my two sons annoyed each other from time to time and even tussled some when they were growing up, they still loved one another. We ought to genuinely care for our brothers and sisters in Christ. And we ought to care for others as well.

The development of these and other characteristics of authentic believers will be evidence of our love for God and our love for others.

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