How Authentic Am I?
The following post is from Impact Ministries. I was thoroughly blessed by this and hope it impacts you as well:
A couple of posts ago I suggested three questions that are worth asking. One of those questions was- “Am I living my life as an authentic disciple of Christ?” This is a great question. Before you ever make a disciple you must be a disciple!
Being an authentic disciple of Christ doesn’t mean you have arrived, it simply means sincerely desiring to live as a disciple. So what does it mean to sincerely desire to live as a disciple of Jesus? A disciple of Christ is someone who lives in such a way that the character and conduct of Christ are being displayed in their life.
The character of Christ could be described with words such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. These characteristics (fruit of the Spirit) are displayed as Christ lives his life through his disciple.
The conduct of Christ could be described with statements such as loving God and loving others as yourself. It could also be summed up with the command to make disciples by going, baptizing, and teaching others to obey all that He commands. The Great Commandment and Great Commission make it very clear what it means to live out the conduct of Christ! As you submit your life to Christ, he will produce His conduct in you. Just like the branch abiding in the vine, you can bear much fruit!
If the character and conduct of Christ are being displayed in your life, you are living life as an authentic disciple of Christ. You will find the character of Christ displayed in your relationships in life and the conduct of Christ in the day-to-day activities of your life. Your relationships and your calendar will provide the evidence of authenticity.
So ask yourself, or better yet, ask someone else – is the character and conduct of Christ being demonstrated in my life? If you are being an authentic disciple then you are on your way to making more disciples. If you are not an authentic disciple then you might want to surrender to Christ before you attempt to lead others to be more like Christ.