Christians must present their bodies “as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom. 12:1, 2). Also, Christians worship God in “spirit” and “truth” (John 4:24) for God is the form of a spirit (John 4:24) and is the source of truth (Dt. 32:4; Ps. 119:160).
ALL CHRISTIANS
To be a proper sacrifice and to do God’s Will, ALL Christians must possess certain characteristics. Every one of these personal qualities is also possessed by God, but perfectly.
Every Christian has each one of these traits. They are given to us by God at conception (Ps. 139:13-16; Is. 49:1; Jer. 1:5); however, we develop them through the study of God’s Word and through our sanctification with the help of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:26, 15:16; 1 Cor. 6:11; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2), as explained in the Bible.
These characteristics of Christians are unlike God’s gifts. They often differ among Christians, in that they are the same for every Christian but are manifested somewhat differently, due to varying levels of development in sanctification.
In fact, these qualities that Christians possess are really God’s communicable attributes. He has each Christian characteristic perfectly, and Christians have them too, but imperfectly.
Here is a partial list of the qualities every Christian possesses. Love, faith, humility, godliness, forgiveness, joy, virtue, kindness, compassion, service, generosity, integrity, perseverance, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, purity, meekness, good listener, thankful/gratitude, and self-control.
THE CHARACTERISTICS
Love
At the outset, let me say that the section on the characteristic love is the longest. Love is the very basis and grounds for Christianity. It is the reason that the three persons of the godhead created the earth, created inhabitants of the earth, and developed a plan of salvation for them. Love is necessary for Christianity. This section is the longest because, without it, one cannot understand Christianity. To learn a little bit about love, go to chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians, the so-called “love chapter.”
Love is the basis for the Christian belief system (Matt. 22:37-40). “God is love” (1 John 4:8). The selfless, benevolent love God has is called agape in Greek. The Old Testament teaches Christians that God’s agape love is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Ex. 34:6, 7).
Jesus teaches in the New Testament that,“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).The agape love of God is unconditional. Only God can love perfectly (1 Cor. 13:4-7). God’s love is selfless.The New Testament also tells us the following.
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation”(Rom. 5:8-11).
Christians do not have to qualify for this love or merit it in any way, because God gives it to them freely and graciously. Christians are taught in Scripture to love fellow Christians with a love much like God’s agape love, but imperfectly, as if they were family members.
But Christians are supposed to love ALL people as brothers. The Greek word phileo expresses this idea (1 Pet. 3:8; 2 Pet. 1:7). It is a love that puts others above oneself (John 13:34-35). This brotherly love must not conform to the world which violates God’s law (Rom. 12:2), but Christians are nevertheless to have brotherly love for all people (Matt. 5:13-16).
To make the characteristic of love clear, Christians are to love all people with brotherly love. But when it comes to fellow Christians, a Christian has an obligation that goes beyond the brotherly love extended to all people. This love for fellow Christians is akin to God’s agape love for everyone. So, the Christian loves everyone but loves fellow Christians with a little deeper love because of their Christianity.
Faith
Faith is defined in the Bible as “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). It represents the Christian’s belief in the Gospel of Christ as revealed by God.
Berkhof defines saving faith as “a certain conviction, wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, as to the truth of the gospel, and a hearty reliance (trust) on the promises of God in Christ.”[i] He also assigns three elements to it: knowledge, assent, and a will. Christians must know the gospel, believe in it, and act upon it.
We also know that to have faith and be a justified and adopted Christian, they must first of all hear the true gospel, believe that it is true, and act upon it. This makes a person a Christian. As such, Christians are to be examples to others (1 Tim. 4:12, 15).
Not only should the Christian practice their faith at all times, but they should also constantly improve it. (2 Pet. 1:5-11).
Humility
The Greek word ταπεινοφροσύνη is a feminine noun, transliterated as tapeinophrosune (pron. tah-pay-no-fro-SOO-nay), and is defined as humility of the mind. It is described in Strong’s as “This virtue, a fruit of the gospel, exists when a person through most genuine self-evaluation deems himself worthless. It involves evaluating ourselves as small because we are so. The humble person is not stressing his sinfulness, but his creatureliness, of absolute dependence, of possessing nothing and of receiving all things from God”[ii] (Prov. 22:4; Matt. 23:12; Eph. 4:2; Phil. 2:3; Col. 3:12; Jas. 4:10; 1 Pet. 3:8, 5:6).
Godliness
A piety (i.e., a life that is marked by a reverence and worship of God) that is godlike in nature. It appears only a few times in the New Testament, primarily in the writings of the apostles Peter and Paul. (ex., 1 Tim. 2:2; 2 Pet. 1:6, others).
Forgiveness
A conscious determination to release a person or persons from the penalty of a sin or sins and to have no vengeance or resentment for that person or persons. Matt. 6:14; Luke 6:37; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). I
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells Christians that God forgives them and commands believers to forgive others as He instructs them in prayer (Matt. 6:12). Christians are told that God forgives them, and this is connected to their salvation (Eph. 1:7). God mandates forgiveness. It prompts Christians to emulate God’s forgiveness.
Joy
The last few words of Nehemiah 8:10 say, “the joy of the LORD is your strength.” The word that is translated here as LORD is the Hebrew word transliterated as YHWH (pron. yah-veh). It is the name for God Himself. This word means the self-existent or eternal being and now represents Jehovah, the Jewish national name for God.
Joy to Christians is a state of existence; it is not just an emotion. It is one of God’s communicable attributes that He has given to all the elect through His love. In everything we do, this joy reminds us of God’s love and grace. Joy gives us the power to do what is in His Will. God’s joy is “the fruit of the Spirit,” and we wouldn’t have it unless God ordained it (Gal. 5:22). He expects Christians to have joy in our prayers and in everything we do (1 Thess. 5:16).
Virtuous
When the Bible writes about humans, it refers to moral excellence, moral integrity, and righteous character and conduct. If a Christian has developed these aspects of their character, they are virtuous. This characteristic is essential to everything that goes into godliness (2 Pet. 1:5). When the Bible uses this term with respect to God, it refers to God’s moral power.
Kindness
This is one of the many characteristics that Christians should possess. It refers to a Christian who is mellow and not harsh. It is the characteristic that makes the Christian charming and calm before all people and is a magnet for their friendship. It is one of “the fruits of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22). Kindness is a necessary trait for the Christian to have (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:12).
Compassion
This involves knowledge of others’ disturbances and misfortunes and a desire to eliminate them; it also involves sympathy for someone (Col. 3:12; 1 Pet. 3:8). This is not a surface compassion but one that comes from within a Christian; it compels them to see to the needs of others.
Service
In English, this means to provide to others for their wants and desires. Christians believe that this word means to serve and worship God as His voluntary slave (John 12:26; 1 Pet. 4:10). The Bible also teaches Christians to serve others as necessary (Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet. 4:10).
Christians are taught to serve others with the gifts, characteristics, and talents that God has given them as His voluntary slaves and for His glory (Rom. 12:4-8).
Generosity
This is a trait of a genuine Christian. It shows an unselfish and magnanimous character. The Christian is quick to share their money, care, material possessions, and Christian knowledge with others. A generous Christian will be blessed (Prov. 11:25, 14:21, 22:9; Luke 6:38).
Integrity
A Christian is incorruptible, trustworthy, and incapable of thinking or saying anything about God or the Gospel of Christ that isn’t absolutely true. Christians do good works, have dignity, and don’t treat anyone improperly according to the will of God (Tit. 2:7 and all of chapter 2).
Perseverance
This is a persistent and continuous effort to achieve a goal (Col. 1:23; Rev. 2:7). Berkoff defines perseverance for Christians in this way: “that continuous operation of the Holy Spirit in the believer, by which the work of the divine grace that is begun in the heart, is continued and brought to completion.”[iii] Perseverance for Christians is a stick-to-itiveness that keeps them on the road to salvation and eternal life.
Peace
Peace has been defined in secular terms as a person’s tranquility or well-being. In the Bible, it refers to relationships such as those between God and humankind through the gospel (Acts 10:36; Eph. 2:17). It can also refer to those between human beings. (Gal. 5:22; Col. 3:15).
A characteristic of Christians is the peace they have with God and with one another. It gives them harmony and contentment in their dealings with God and humanity. Every decision made by human beings at peace with God has the characteristic of a tranquil spirit.
Patience
This is the characteristic of Christians who resist suffering because of the gospel they believe, and is marked by self-restraint and refraining from retaliation (Prov. 16:32; Eph. 4:2; Gal. 5:22; Col. 3:12). Patience is an active characteristic; it is not passive (Heb. 12:1). We need it every time our faith is tested (Jas. 1:1, 2). However, it is not cowardly. It perfects the Christian character (Jas. 1:4).
Patience is generally not expressed when things are going well for the Christian. But when things turn against Christians, patience appears. The Bible teaches that followers of Christ have this characteristic because it is “the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22).
Goodness
Scripture teaches that goodness is “the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22). Goodness is a characteristic that means that someone is excellent and suitable. A Christian’s goodness is patterned from God’s goodness, which is perfect (Ex. 33:19; Ps. 34:8). The goodness of a Christian is righteous, virtuous, and true (Eph. 5:9). Christians’ goodness before others guides others toward God (Prov. 3:27; Matt. 5:16; Luke 6:45).
Christian goodness is found in the inner thoughts of the Christian and is reflected in their deeds. It will bless people and glorify God when Christians live according to God’s will and are guided by the Holy Spirit.
Gentleness
Gentleness is commonly defined as someone with a soothing nature. The Bible calls it “the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:23). Christians are urged to walk worthily, with gentleness and allegiance to God (Eph. 4:1, 2). Gentleness should not be considered a weakness; rather, it is a power from God, marked by a mild manner and Christlike behavior in our dealings with others. The Christian with a gentle manner will not receive harshness in return. This type of Christian with a gentleness will be restorative in nature (Gal. 6:1).
Purity
When we assess whether something is pure, we expect to find it unmixed and free of pollutants. God is perfectly pure. Everything God created was pure until the Fall. The Bible teaches that purity is godly living for Christians.
The word purity appears only twice in the New Testament (1 Tim. 4:12, 5:2). In the first instance, Paul is telling Timothy to live a life of purity in his church as an example. In the second, Paul is teaching Timothy to set an example of purity and to teach by encouraging others. This purity must be inward and outward for the individual so that what they think, what they say, and the works they do send a message of purity.
Meekness
This characteristic of Christians is much like patience. When Christians have this characteristic in their sufferings, trials, and temptations, they rely on God to have them do the right thing. It is not a timid trait; rather, the person has the inner strength to trust God in their time of need (Ps. 45:4; Col. 3:12).
It is so important that Jesus included it in His Sermon on the Mount, making it one of the Beatitudes when He says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). A Christian’s eternal life is not due to self-promotion but to a meekness that leads to faith in God.
Good Listener/Hearer
A good listener/hearer is someone who not only listens to what is being said but also hears the speaker’s message (Jas. 1:19). Without attentiveness to what the speaker is intending by his words, many times we form an opinion before we hear the words or understand them (Prov. 18:13). Scripture teaches Christians to listen/hear God so that we will do His Will in every action we take (Is. 49:1).
Thankful/Gratitude
Thankfulness has been defined as an appreciation or gladness for a benefit received. The Bible teaches Christians to give thanks to God for everything (1 Chron. 16:34; Ps. 107:1, 136:1; 1 Thess. 5:18; Jas. 1:17). The Bible also teaches that the thanks to the Father should be through the Son (Col. 3:17).
Christians are to be thankful and have gratitude in all things, for it is the Will of God (1 Thess. 5:18; Col. 3:15-17). We are to be thankful for God’s blessings (Jas. 1:17), Christian prayers (Phil. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:1), and the worship of God (Ps. 100:4).
Self-control
This characteristic has been defined as self-restraint over one’s thoughts, speech, and actions. Holy Scripture teaches that self-control is both internal and external, governing one’s thoughts and actions (1 Cor. 9:27). The Bible teaches that self-control is an essential discipline that Christians must possess to live in God’s Will (Prov. 25:28; 2 Pet. 1:6). Self-control is “the fruit of the Spirit,” and it keeps us from succumbing to the desires of the flesh (Gal. 5:22-24).
These are just some of the godly traits of Christians. The Bible contains a complete list of the characteristics that every individual who is a member of the Body of Christ, the invisible and genuine church, should have.
If all Christians had these qualities, Christianity would be known by the world as teaching and standing for them. All people who call themselves Christians, if not most, do not nurture these traits, and that is a bad mark on our faith. Consequently, all Christians should work to develop each of these characteristics.
[i] Louis Berkhof, “Systematic Theology” (The Banner of Truth Trust, 2021), p. 522.
[ii] James Strong, “The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance Of The Bible, Greek Dictionary Of The New Testament” (Thomas Nelson, 2001), p. 247.
[iii] Berkhof, p. 568.
