Carrying Bibles and wearing crosses and sticking Scriptures to cars is not wrong of itself. What is wrong is when these actions serve as false advertisements telling the public that one is a mature, productive Christian yet they lack the fruits of the Spirit which are the true symbols of mature, productive Christianity. This false, flamboyant advertising is detrimental to the rest of the Church, which is the Body of Christ that needs nourishing today, because it draws people closer only to sorely disappoint them when they receive nothing that can feed them as they journey through life. This false advertising of their “healthy Christian status” is even doubly detrimental to non-believers who may approach them seeking love, joy, peace, patience or longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) because it can leave them with a bad, disappointing taste in their mouth. It can also make them severely disillusioned with Christianity especially if they receive hatred, sorrow, chaos, impatience, cruelty, badness, unfaithfulness, roughness and self-indulgence in place where they expected the opposite.
Therefore, we as Christians have to constantly examine ourselves and check if we are producing these fruits of the Spirit in our lives or just professing Christianity with loud actions and empty words. We also have to ask those whose opinion we trust whether we are actually exhibiting the true Christian fruits in our daily dealings. If on self examination and mentor evaluation you find that you do not exemplify and give to others love, joy, peace, patience or longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) you have to ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit since these are fruits of His Spirit.
Week 1 Give Love
After praying, choose a gift that you will deliberately display each day. For example you can decide to begin with love and for a whole week do your level best to do something loving for at least one person that you meet. You can do this by giving them a loving word or a performing a loving act.
Page 4 (C) TheHealthyChristians.com All Rights Reserved. No material from this publication may be copied or reproduced
without permission from TheHealthyChristians.com