Sunday Sunday Medicine

James 1:27

There is no such thing as “A Good Christian”

• A good Pagan or denominationalist is still far better than a wicked person who claims Christianity
  Ps 37:1-3
• A Bad Person isn’t a Christian, neither is a Christian a bad person !

Who is a good Person?

• Enjoys a happy, satisfying, and fulfilling life within their ability.
  Not the happy of I Kings 4:20 but the happy of Ps 68:3, Ecc 3:12, Ecc 7:14
• Promotes happy, satisfying, and fulfilling lives for those that they care about within their ability
  Gal 6:10, I Tim 3:4
• Does not prevent others from living happy, satisfying, and fulfilling lives within their ability, but also within reason I Pet 2:17

There is no adjective qualifier for “A Christian”
There are no “Good” or “Bad” Christians

• But there are Good and Bad people
  A good person can become a Christian and has a natural path to being Christlike
  A bad person can become a Christina and have a more difficult path being Christlike
• If you claim to be a follower of Christ, you must exhibit Christlike behaviors
  Mat 5:48

How can you tell if you a good person ?

Prudence – another word for Wisdom.
Prudence involves being objective and reflective when taking decision. Do you?

• Make life decisions by studying information, listening to the advice of trusted friends and relations, and “fact-checking?“
• Do you choose courses of action that are based on what you “ought” to do?
  For example, would your parents approve of your course of action

Temperance – another word for Moderation
Temperance involves not being too extreme, controlling your passions and not acting out. Do you?

• Manage your emotions, particularly the “dark” ones (i.e., anger, despair, hate)?
• Do you avoid the lure of power, wealth, and do you have good perspective on your own accomplishments (i.e., not have an overinflated ego)?

Justice – another word for being fair and respecting others. Do you?

• Treat others fairly, giving them credit when credit is due?
• Respect the rights of others?
  Do you treat others as you would want to be treated? (Golden Rule)
  examples…Traffic rules, queuing, using the toilet, over payment, false declarations etc

Fortitude – another word for Courage
This involves having the courage to stand up for what you believe in — to do the right thing. Do you?

• Intervene when you see others being mistreated or abused?
• Have the courage to take responsibility for your own mistakes and failures?
• Have a moral compass that you follow and do you have the courage to do what that moral compass tells you to do?

Many of us are profoundly dedicated members of the Church of Christ meeting in Lekki

• We are diligent in attending Sunday Worship
• We are diligent in attending other scheduled activities
• We volunteer to serve even if we are not officially required to
• We are hard at work serving in one ministry or the other

But ask yourself this question

• Am I a Good person ?
• Am I a Christian ? (no adjective)
• Is my life behaviors reflective of Prudence, Temperance, Justice and Fortitude?

Ultimately at the end of my days(when I die), have I left the world a better place – done good deeds, saved lives (or souls), raised good children, made others happy, all the while being a follower of Christ ?

• Only a Good Person (is)follows Christ.
• A Christian is a Person that is Good
• A Christian will Go to Heaven