Do you wish to know how to be a better Christian? That’s great. It shows you are passionate about God and want a better relationship with him.
At one point in our lives, we have all asked this critical question. We have one role model in our Christian faith: our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
He is the only standard we have and the author and finisher of our faith. Learning how to be a better Christian is learning to be moreChrist-like. Therefore, it is pertinent to model our life to Jesus Christ, and we must not fall short of this standard.
Our Christian lifestyle is a race, and the finishing line is our heavenly home. This race is not a sprint but a marathon; occasionally, we would be fired upon the way, and sometimes we might get weary or tired, but the Holy Spirit is always there to comfort and strengthen us.
It does not matter if you have just given your life to Christ or you have been a Christian for many years. All Christians should strive to be better and to become spiritually mature.
Apostle Paul stressed that there were two types of Christians: those who consume milk and those who consume solid food. Therefore, it’s possible to be a Christian for many years and still be a spiritual infant in the sight of God consuming milk.
1 Corinthians 3:2-3 NLT says I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature.
You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?
Becoming a better Christian and a spiritual giant does not happen by accident; you have to be intentional about your Christian lifestyle and take active steps to become better. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to be a better Christian. Ten ways to be a better Christian
1. Examine Yourself With God’s Word
The first step to take if you want to know how to be a better Christian is to examine yourself with God’s word. Reading your Bible is one of the Christian daily life practices.
Every Christian is expected to read God’s word every day. The word of God serves as an instruction for us. It directs and shows us what to do and where to improve.
2nd Corinthians 13:5 tells us to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith, and one excellent way to do that is through God’s word.
Examine yourself to see if your Christian lifestyle is compatible with the commandments in God’s word. The stories written in the Bible are not mere stories, but they are examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end time (1 Corinthians 10:11).
Reading your Bible as a Christian should not be a daily chore you go through or some repetitive ritual you do to remove the guilt of not studying God’s word. Instead, when you study his word, study it deeply.
2 Timothy 3:16 NLT says All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
Pray before you start studying, and ask God to lead you to what he wants you to know. Also, remember to ask for understanding for the interpretation of the scripture.
It has become prevalent to see Christians misconstrue the Bible or twist it to meet their standard and not the standard of perfection that the Lord wants for us.
Aside from the Bible, you can also read books by Christian authors and articles like the one you are reading now. Sometimes these books open your understanding and expose you to things you do not understand.
2. Pray And Fast Regularly
1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to Never stop praying. Prayer is another example of Christian daily life practices. Prayer is a daily appointment we must keep with our creator.
It’s best to have a special place, separate from others and a particular time you can adhere to. That way, it will be easier to keep up the time you have set for yourself.
Jesus, on many occasions, would separate himself from the disciples and the multitude following him to a quiet place to pray, or he would get up extra early at dawn to pray. If you have a busy schedule, you can try waking up a bit earlier. Prayer has so many benefits
- It is a chance to speak to God
- It is an opportunity to hear from God
- It improves your relationship with God.
- Prayer safeguards you from the plans of Satan; you can send your prayers now to stand as a shield for your future.
Pray for your prayer life; the devil knows the importance of prayer, so he tries to attack our prayer lives. You cannot become a better Christian if you are spiritually deaf and blind.
You can take your prayer life a step further by fasting. Fasting involves making sacrifices and focusing on God.
Regular fasting, where you have time to read, pray, be in his presence, and fellowship with God, brings you closer to God and makes you a better Christian. If you want to know how to be a better Christian then devote yourself to prayer.
3. Fellowship With Other Believers
As iron sharpens iron, believers should sharpen each other and advise each other. It was one of the prayer points of Jesus as he left the earth that all believers should be united. Some believers are more insightful than us.
They have been anointed as apostles; some have been appointed as teachers to teach the word of God. They have a profound understanding of the word of God, and they pour this knowledge into us.
Listening to sermons of men of God like this will help you build your faith and make you a better Christian. Also, when we are faint, weary, or weak, it is the job of other believers to uphold us.
Some people think they do not need to go to the church to be good Christians, all they need to do is focus on their relationship with God, but that’s untrue. You should be useful in God’s vineyard while still improving your relationship with God.
Hebrews 10:25 CEB says don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the Day drawing near.
Sometimes, it might be challenging to find a good bible believing church in these end times.
Many false prophets have called themselves due to their economic situation and are deceiving those who follow them. It can be discouraging, but true churches of God still stand.
Pray for God’s direction and leading when choosing a church. A true church of God has its foundation in the word of God. One thing is sure, though; these false prophets are cursed.
Galatians 1:18 says Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. The only sin that God cannot forgive is lying against the Holy Spirit
4. Focus On The Spirit
The fourth step to take to know how to be a better Christian is to focus on the spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the comforter sent to us after Jesus left the earth. After being baptized with water to prove you are buried with Christ.
The subsequent baptism is that of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 NLT says don’t be drunk with wine because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. One indication of being filled with the Holy Spirit is having the fruits of the spirit.
If anyone asks you what are the qualities of a good Christian? The answer is the fruits of the spirit. These fruits, according to Galatians 5: 22-23, are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
All Christians should aspire to have these fruits. Another advantage of focusing on the spirit is that you receive the gifts of the spirit. When you receive the power of the Holy Spirit, you will obtain some gifts. Examples of these gifts include wisdom, the ability to prophesy, heal, and perform miracles.
5. Put The Flesh Ro Death
The fifth step is to put the flesh to death. The flesh does not mean your physical flesh but our canal nature and sinful desires.
As descendants of Adam, we have inherited sinful nature. We naturally crave things that we should not. It is a constant battle fighting against our sinful nature.
When you become a child of God, you are no longer a slave to sin, so do not put yourself in the position of a slave anymore by still sinning. A Christian who still sins is nailing Jesus to the cross a second time and bringing shame to heaven.
As a believer, you are free, free from the bondage of sin, and free from the foothold of the devil. As there are markers that show a person filled with the Holy Spirit, there are markers that show a person still in the flesh.
Some of the fruits of the flesh include committing Sensual sin, worshipping false gods, taking part in witchcraft, hating people, causing trouble, being jealous, angry, or selfish, causing people to argue and divide into separate groups, being filled with envy, getting drunk, having wild parties, and doing other things like this.
Even if you have one of these rotten fruits, you have fallen from God’s standard of perfection. Therefore, to become a better Christian, make sure none of the fruits of the flesh is in your life.
6. Have Zeal For God
The sixth step is to be zealous and passionate about God. The first and most important commandment is to Love God. Jesus said in Matthew 22:37. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
’ If you want to become a better Christian, you should love the Lord with all your heart and hunger for him. The only way to prove you love God, according to 1 John 5:3 NLT, is to follow his commandments.
If you follow the commandments set in the Bible, you love God, and the commandments of the Lord are not burdensome. Therefore, show your love for God by following his commandments and becoming a better Christian.
7. Have A Divine Encounter
The seventh step is to Have a Divine Encounter. If you have not had a divine encounter with God, pray for one. Your faith cannot be built on hearsay.
You have to see with your eyes and hear with your ears. Even the strongest people have doubted their faith at least once.
John, the Baptist, knew Jesus was the messiah. John declared openly that Jesus was the Son of God, and when John baptized Jesus, he heard a voice from heaven say.“This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased”.
Despite all this, John still went ahead to send disciples to Jesus to ask him; if he was indeed the messiah. John began to doubt when he was in prison. It’s not surprising for the devil to sow seeds of doubt in your heart.
But a divine encounter will make you sure of your faith in God; so that no matter what you face, or no matter what you hear, your faith in God remains sure, and you will become a better Christian.
8. Preach The Gospel
This is the eight-step on how to become a better Christian. It is one of our spiritual responsibilities as believers and the great commission Jesus gave us when he left the earth.
First, it is compulsory to share the gospel with others. If you are not sharing the good news with others, you are not yet a true Christian. Second, Romans 1:16 tells us not to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
It does not matter if they listen, it doesn’t matter if you are eloquent, it does not matter how young you are. All these are excuses. Jerimiah 1:7 says The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.
Ask the Lord for boldness and wisdom to speak his word; there are different mediums you can use to evangelize as a young person.
For example, you can use social media, music, or tracks. Just make sure you tell somebody about God. That’s a sure way to becoming a better Christian.
9. Work In His Vineyard
1 Corinthians 3: 9 says we are all God’s workers, providing our service for the building of the body of Christ.
If you want to be a better Christian, you have to work for God; you have to be helpful in the house of God.
You should join the workforce of the church you are in. There are various departments in the church that you can join. It’s your father’s house; it’s only fitting for you to be up and doing in his house.
When you are working, you must not do two things.
- Don’t do God’s work with negligence (Jerimiah 48:10 says Cursed be the one who does God’s work negligently, it’s better for you not to start at all than to start and do it with neglect.
- Avoid eye service; your work must not be performative, don’t do it for praise from men. (Ephesians 6:7)
Whatever we do in the house of the Lord, God promises that it will not be in vain. He has a reward for our good deeds. Hebrews 6:10 NLT says For God is not unjust.
He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do.
10. Be Heavenly Focused
Colossians 3:2 says, set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. The tenth step to becoming a better Christian is to be heavenly-focused. This is a crucial step.
As Christians, we know that our lives do not end here on earth, we are citizens of heaven, and we will be here for a limited time. But sometimes, life happens, and we forget.
So set your mind on things above, always have it at the back of your mind that your journey does not end here, take every decision, make every move knowing that what you might be doing might affect your eternity positively or negatively.
Conclusion
Learning how to be a true Christian is not enough if you do not act on what you have heard.
James 1: 22-24. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Verse 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror verse 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
It’s not enough to go for bible study, Sunday school, or read Christian books. You need to listen and apply what you have read or heard in your life.
The word of God is a mirror that shows you where you need to improve or what you need to change, but if after you check your reflection, you forget, or you do not act on it, you are deceiving yourself. Make sure you act on what you have read here today. God bless you.
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