Who Are You?

Does what we do determine who we are, or does who we are determine what we do?

Is someone a thug because he treats people badly, or does he treat people badly because he is a thug?

Is someone a teacher because she passes information along, or does she pass information along because she is a teacher?

Is someone saved because he lives a holy life, or does he live a holy life because he is saved?

Does a believer love God because he obeys God, or does he obey God because he loves God?

The fact that you are a Christian means you behave a certain way, you don't act a certain way to be a Christian.  You have been saved by GRACE, but because you are saved, you LIVE LIKE IT.  

Because I am a Christian, I ___________________________.

Because I am God's child, I ___________________________.

Because I am loved by God, I __________________________.

What is the result of you being who you are?  

You are recognized by your fruit, according to scripture.  

In comparison:  Because you are an apple tree, you produce apples; you are not an apple tree because you produce apples.  You were always going to be an apple tree, because that is the kind of seed that was planted.  You grew up as an apple tree, before fruit appeared.  Now you are a full grown apple tree, so you bear apples on you.

Some of us have been unidentifiable as to what kind of tree we are because we have failed to produce fruit.  Or, in the terms I began with, being a Christian has not led us to do anything, so no one knows what we are.  And a tree that does not bear fruit is not good for anything but to be cut down and thrown in the fire.  

Read John 15:1-17