Breakfast With Christ - Developing A Christian Character (Part 2)

BREAKFAST WITH CHRIST

TOPIC: DEVELOPING A CHRISTIAN CHARACTER (II)

SCRIPTURE: 2 CORINTHIANS 3:18

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord"

Welcome to BWC. In the part 1 of this series, we looked at why it is very necessary for us to develop a Christ-like character. Today, we continue by looking at how to develop a Christian character. When we get born again, we are transformed from being sinners into saints of God. We are no longer sinners condemned to hell fire.

Spiritually, our souls have been reborn. The old Adamic sinful nature which made us slaves of sin has been replaced with the life of Christ. However, steps have to be taken to develop the character that we need to live as Christians. Developing a Christian character is a process. It takes a long time for God to develop in us that Christ-like character.

The transformation of a sinner to a saint is a spiritual process not a physical one. It will be highly erroneous for you to think that your old sinful character will go automatically when you get born again. If you were a drunkard, when you get born again, you will still have the urge to drink again. If you were fornicating, when you get born again, you will still have the urge to fornicate. The difference is; now God has given you the power to say NO to sin. You are no longer a slave.

THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

To develop a Christian character, we need to yield to the Holy Spirit of God. One thing we need to understand is that we cannot in any way live this Christian life on our own. We can never develop the Christ-like character on our own. The Holy Spirit was given to us to perfect our salvation. The ultimate goal of our salvation is for us to become like Jesus Christ. This can only be done when we allow the Spirit of God to work in us.

The Holy Spirit works in us to develop the right character as Christians. It is the Holy Spirit that will help us to do away with our old sinful character. Whatever negative character we had in the past before being born again, only the Spirit of God can help us do away with them.

If you still engage in the same sinful things even after being born again for one year, it is a sign you haven't allowed the Spirit of God to transform your character. Let's not allow our regular church attendance or activities to deceive us, if we don't have a Christ-like character and live as Jesus did, we are not Christians.

As I stated earlier, becoming like Christ is a gradual process. We need to allow the Spirit of God to transform our character. But we also have a big role to play. We will look at that in our next breakfast. Stay blessed.

PRAYER LINE

Lord, thank you for your Grace. Please work in me to become more like You. Amen