Christian and “Christian”

(Compiled by Bill Stevenson)

Why did God create you?

1.) Matthew 22:36-39-- to love God and people around us.
2.) Ephesians 1:3-14-- to receive divine blessings because of our belief in Christ Jesus and to be
God’s pleasure (“unto the praise of His glory”.
3.) Proverbs 3:5-6-- to trust God completely at all times, acknowledge Him when appropriate
(especially by being thankful to Him), and to heed to divine guidance via the Holy Spirit and
the Bible.
4.) Philippians 4:4-8-- to rejoice a lot, to humbly live, to be anxious for nothing, to do unselfish
praying (supplication) with thanksgiving, to receive divine peace, to think about things that
are true, honest, just, virtuous, and praiseworthy.
5.) Romans 12 & Ephesians 3-5-- to have our minds transformed so that we will enjoy giving-
up bad habits of thinking and wanting to do help others by doing various ministries.

What are characteristics and goals of a true Christian?

1.) 1 John 2:3, 5-6, 10, 15-17-- living as God wants him/her to (being more and more Christ-
like by obeying God’s commandments), loving other human beings, and loving nothing of
the world (things that feel good, that look good, and that can be boasted about).
2.) 1 John 3:2-3, 6a, 7-11, 14a, & 23-24-- have the hope for the Second Coming and of
immediate divine transformation to Christ-likeness at that time for all true Christians,
purifies (sanctifies) himself or herself by not deliberately doing wrong, but instead doing
righteous things especially loving others, believing on the name and character of Jesus
Christ and obeying His commandments.
3.) 1 John 4:6-7, 12, 16, 18a, & 21-- getting to know God intimately, loving others without fear,
letting God’s forever and unselfish agapè love be perfected in him or her especially for other
Christian brothers and sisters.
4.) 1 John 5:2-3, & 18-21-- loving God and keeping His commandments without grieving
about the latter, not deliberately doing wrong while knowing (a) that he or she is of God, (b)
that much wickedness is in the whole world, (c) the facts of Jesus Christ and the Gospel, and
(d) that each believer can get to know Jesus Christ for eternal life. Thus he or she should
keep from wrong worship.
5.) 2 John 9b-- lives in the teachings of Jesus Christ
6.) 3 John 3-4, & 11ab-- known for being truthful, following and doing good not evil.
7.) Romans 8:24-26 & 28-30-- knowing that he or she is saved by hope and being patient
knowing that all things will eventually work together for good to those who love God who
are called according to His purpose.
8.) Romans 6:1-4, 11-19, & 22-- becoming dead (not controlled by) in relation to sin
(unrighteousness) and living more for God in righteousness (deciding not to yield to sinful
pleasures) because of the Gospel and obeying Christian teaching, having “fruit unto
holiness” and eternal life.

What are characteristics of professing "Christians"?

1.) 1 John 1:8-- saying that they have no sin.
2.) 1 John 2:4, 9, 11, & 15b-17a-- saying that they know Jesus Christ while they are not
keeping His commandments, hating other Christian believers, living in untruthfulness and
darkness, loving the things of the world (lusting and boasting) as the world passes away
(deteriorates).

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 3.) 1 John 3:4, 6b, 8, 10, & 15-- deliberately committing sins including not loving other
believers of Christianity, and hating others.
4.) 1 John 4:18c & 20-- fearing a lot and saying that they love God but at other times speak
hate against others.
5.) 2 John 9a-- doing wrong against or contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
6.) 3 John llc-- doing evil.
7.) Romans 8:5a-- attracted to saying and doing things that appeal to the physical senses.
8.) Galatians 5:19-21-- involved with or/and condoning “adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like”.
9.) 2 Timothy 3:2-5a-- “lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false
accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded,
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of Godliness but denying the
power thereof”.
10.)2 Peter 2:20-22-- being “again entangled with the pollutions of the world” after escaping
from such “through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”
11.)Hebrews 6:4-8-- falling away from being divinely “enlightened”, blessed, “partakers of the
Holy Ghost, and “tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come” while
trying to renew themselves again unto religious repentance and yet doing things hurtful to
others.