CHRISTIAN CHARACTER: A RESULT OF FAITH IN THE GOSPEL

'And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.' - Romans 12 vs 2

• Be ye transformed

This shows to us that it is possible for a Believer to be transformed, such that his characters reflect all that he is in Christ. - Selah

Now, the Apostle went on to show us how that is attained, he said "by the renewing of your mind".

To renew your mind does not mean to update your mind with new information; rather, it means to change the information that is in your mind. That means, taking out the old files, and filling in new files. - Selah. These files speak of mindsets, mentalities. So to take out the old files means to take out the old mindsets; to fill in new files means to have new mindsets.

Now, what are the old files (mindsets)?

Let's take some;

• I have anger issues
• I have an issue with addiction to pornography
• I am a shy person
• I have an issue with telling lies, I tell lies before I realise it was a lie
• I can't stop carrying women, it's a big problem I've got

And many other issues Christians struggle with.

Okay. These and more are character issues many Christians all around the world have. And these ungodly characters in the life of a Christian are unfitting. So the question is, Can a Christian's character be free from such ungodliness? Oo yes! The Apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit showed us how that's possible; he said "by the renewing of your mind".

Now, with what do you renew your mind? The same Apostle Paul tells us. Let's see it;

'And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.' - Acts 20 vs 32 {KJV}

He commended the brethren to the Word of Grace, stating that that's what is able to build them up. - Selah. So it's evident that we renew our minds with the knowledge of the Gospel of God's grace in Christ, the word of God.

So let's see some new files (mindsets) found in the Gospel of God's grace in Christ;

'And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.' - Galatians 5 vs 24 {KJV}

This is very clear. Take note that the word 'flesh' used in this verse doesn't mean skin, it means the old nature, or human nature. So in simpler words, this verse says,

"The Believer in Christ doesn't have his old human nature, because that human nature has been put to death by reason of the Believer's salvation in Christ."

Uhmmm. Beloved, do you believe this? The acknowledgement, acceptance and agreement to this Revelation is where true transformation begins in a Believer's outward conduct.

But Pastor, I naturally find myself envying others, isn't that a manifestation of the flesh (human nature)? You see, that's the problem; you still evaluate yourself from the natural standpoint, instead of the standpoint of the Gospel.

Listen to this, the extent of your faith in the revelation of the Gospel, is the extent of your christian character.

'For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.' - 2 Corinthians 5 vs 7 {AMPLIFIED BIBLE TRANSLATION}

• We regulate our lives by our conviction

• We conduct ourselves by our belief

• By trust we walk, not by sight or appearance

By trust (in the realities of the Gospel) we walk, not by sight or appearance. We don't acknowledge ourselves according to our frail works of the human nature, no! We acknowledge ourselves according to our identity which the gospel of God's grace in Christ has revealed to us, and we hold on continually to that description of the Gospel of us. - Selah

Listen to this, the power of God to transform a Believer is embedded in the Gospel: your believing the Gospel and judging yourself according to what the Gospel has said about you unleashes in you the transforming power of God. See this;

'And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.' - Galatians 5 vs 24 {KJV}

Amazing! So question yourself like this;

"So the human nature that causes me to be an addict of womanising is actually dead? Waow! So I've been lying to myself that I've got a problem with addiction! Waow! Just waow!"

After such cogitation, get up and walk out of that addiction! You're free. It's that easy. It's the extent of your faith and trust in what the Gospel has said about you that determines the extent of your transformation in your christian conducts. - Think about it

So therefore dearly beloved of God, as you receive the revelation of the Gospel, believe it, acknowledge it as truth, hold on to it, affirm it as so concerning you, and see that very revelation become your natural reality. Glory to God.

Let's see another new file (mindset)/revelation we are to renew our minds with;

'Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. [3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.' - 1 John 3 vs 2 - 3 {KING JAMES VERSION}

Take note of the last words of the chapter 3,

• even as he is pure

You see, the believer in Christ is pure! We were made pure at Salvation, the Bible declares that God made us His righteousness, that means that God made us righteous;

'For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.' - 2 Corinthians 5 vs 21 {KJV}

Therefore, affirm concerning yourself that you are pure! You may say, but Pastor I am not pure, I have evil deeds. Hey! Remember, we walk by faith and not by sight. As you renew your mind with the information of the Gospel, taking out the former files (what you think of yourself), and filling in new files (what the Gospel says about you); as you hold on to the realities of the Gospel about you and acknowledging yourself to be what the Gospel says you are, in the process of time, the realities of the Gospel will become your natural realities - you will find out that you literally walk in purity and you disdain whatsoever is impure. - Selah

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

- Jenning U. Angel