7 Signs That Show You’re A Real Christian

Hey everyone!

Okay, so some of you might remember a blog post I did a while back called “4 Signs That Show You’re A Fake Christian.”

So, on the flip side, for this blog post, I’m going to talk about 7 different signs from Ephesians 5 that all real, genuinely converted Christians have in common.

So, let’s get started!

Sign #1: They take time to know what is “acceptable” to God

Ephesians 5:10 says:

“finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.”

(Ephesians 5:10)

This is Paul addressing the Ephesian church about various aspects that all true followers of Christ must practice. And Ephesians 5:10 highlights the very first of those aspects.

The aspects of finding out what God accepts and what He does not accept.

But, how can one know what is acceptable to God?

Simple!

They spend time reading and studying His Holy Word!

It’s like what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

(2 timothy 2:15 KJV)

This is what real Christians do!

They take time to seriously read and study God’s Word so that they may know and understand what makes God happy.

Why?

Because whatever makes God happy makes us happy. It’s like what the Bible says in Nehemiah, Job, and Psalms:

“……Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

(Nehemiah 8:10)

If they obey and serve Him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures

(Job 36:11)

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

(Psalm 16:11)

Sign #2: They don’t get caught up in the world

In verse 11 of Ephesians chapter 5, we read:

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

(Ephesians 5:11)

What does that mean?

Well, I like how the Message translation puts it:

“Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are.”

(Ephesians 5:11 MSG)

In other words, those who are true Christians don’t allow the busyness of this world to clog out God, His Word, His will, and His work.

Their personal lives genuinely embody the words of Paul in Romans 12:

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

(Romans 12:2)

The Bible seriously warns us about NOT following after the world, its busy lifestyle, its pleasures, its entertainments, and its standards.

“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

(James 4:4)

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

(1 John 2:15-17)

The above Bible verses we just looked at, 1 John 2:15-17, mention that those who do God’s will “abide” (or live) forever, and that is the next characteristic of all true Christians.

Sign #3: They have a firm understanding of God’s will

I really like how the PHILLIPS Bible puts Ephesians 5:17, which talks about understanding God’s will:

Don’t be vague but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of God.

(Ephesians 5:17 PHILLIPS)

So, real Christians have a firm knowledge and understanding of what God’s will is.

But then again, how can we even HAVE such a “firm grasp” on what the will of God is?

Isn’t knowing God’s will just some mysterious concept we can’t TRULY know for ourselves?

Well, for true Christians, they learn to develop such a firm grasp on knowing God’s will by–as mentioned earlier–PERSONALLY reading and studying the Bible.

For the real Christian, God’s Word is EVERYTHING!

Sign #4: The Holy Spirit is their Source of energy–not wine

Jumping down to verse 18 of Ephesians chapter 5, we read:

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit

(Ephesians 5:18)

What does that mean?

Well, here’s what Jesus had to say about being “drunk”:

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.”

(Luke 21:34)

As mentioned before, real Christians don’t let the hustle and bustle of this world to sidetrack them–to drunken them–from eternal realities.

But, what does it mean that they’re “filled” with the Holy Spirit?

Again, I just love how the PHILLIPS Bible puts it:

“Don’t get your stimulus from wine (for there is always the danger of excessive drinking), but let the Spirit stimulate your souls.”

(Ephesians 5:18 PHILLIPS)

What does “stimulus” mean?

Well, I like how the Cambridge English Dictionary defines the word “stimulus.” It says:

“Something that causes growth, activity, or reaction”

So, putting this all together, real Christians allow the Holy Spirit to come into their hearts and gives them energy and motivation to grow in the knowledge of God, and to also do God’s work willingly.

But what, exactly, IS this motivating energy that the Holy Spirit implants into the hearts of true Christians when they allow Him to come in?

Paul gives us the answer in the book of Romans:

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

(Romans 5:5)

For real genuine Christians, the Holy Spirit and the energizing love of God that He pours out is what stimulates them to keep moving forward in God’s calling for their lives.

It’s not the wine of worldliness that real Christian depend on to energize them to keep living–but the Holy Spirit and the love of God.

Sign #5: They make the best use of time for God & His Gospel work

Verse 16 of Ephesians 5 says:

“redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”

(Ephesians 5:16)

What does that mean?

I like how two modern translations put it.

One is the PHILIPPS Bible that I’ve been using throughout this blog post:

“Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days.”

(Ephesians 5:16 PHILLIPS)

And, the other modern translation is The Passion Translation:

“Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for his purposes. “

(Ephesians 5:16 TPT)

What can we take from all this?

Well, basically, all real Christians make the best use of their time to genuinely glorify God and share the gospel truth with others.

Living for God’s glory and His gospel mission is the passionate heartbeat within every true Christian.

Sign #6: They always thank & praise God

Okay, we’re almost done here.

The next character quality of a true and real Christian is found in Ephesians 5:19-20–

“speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

(EPHESIANS 5:19-20)

What does that mean?

Not only do true Christians give praise and thanks to God during good times, but rather–like Paul and Silas in the dungeon in Acts 16–they praise and thank God during the bad times as well.

In other words, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is the real Christian’s heartfelt motto:

in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

(1 thessalonians 5:18)

Sign #7: They serve & support their church

For the final sign of real Christianity, we’re gonna park at Ephesians 5:21–

submitting to one another in the fear of God.

(Ephesians 5:21)

What does that mean?

Well, here’s how two modern translations put it:

“Be willing to serve each other out of respect for Christ”

(Ephesians 5:21 ERV)

“And out of your reverence for Christ be supportive of each other in love.”

(Ephesians 5:21 TPT)

How do these two modern translations of Ephesians 5:21 apply to what we’re studying?

Well, for real and true Christians, they allow the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in their hearts to “stimulate” them with the love of God to truly serve their church family and to support those who need support–especially those in their church.

An Appeal & A Prayer

Dear reader, I understand if you may feel sad, discouraged, or ashamed for not truly living up to these 7 characteristics in your Christian walk.

But dear reader, don’t despair!

THERE IS HOPE!!!

In the same chapter of Ephesians that we’ve been looking at throughout this whole blog post, the Bible mentions an encouraging promise:

Therefore He says:

“Awake, you who sleep,

Arise from the dead,

And Christ will give you light.”

(Ephesians 5:14)

Do you desire to let Jesus awake you and pull you out of your coffin of fake Christianity? If so, then I wanna appeal to you to just pray:

Amen! Maranatha!