MARKS OF A GOOD MAN
Acts 11:22-24
The
Britannica dictionary defines “good” this way:
Ø of a favorable character or
tendency
Ø deserving of respect ,
honorable
As we begin today, we realize there is no human being that is
completely good. Any goodness we have is the result of God's Spirit dwelling in
us.
Our text says Barnabas was a good man and the Bible speaks of
other good men.
The common
denominator of all these, is the Spirit of God.
Let us look at the marks that depict a "good man."
1. A good man has
a "good” character.
The Greek here is "goodness,
moral excellence, honest"
A good man has integrity and it is
revealed by what he does when no one is looking.
He is not selfish but seeks the good of
others and shares from the abundance of his heart. [Acts
2. A good man is
convinced of his faith in Christ.
He has a strong grip on the gospel and
strives for perfection in Christ, his example.
He holds firmly onto the Lordship and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
He has his eyes fixed on Jesus the
author and finisher of his faith. [Heb. 12:2]
He is Christ-like.
3. A good man is
"full of the Holy Ghost."
This expresses a continuing quality or
condition within the believer.
It is dying daily to self and the
sinfulness of the flesh.
It is maintaining the abiding fullness of
the Holy Spirit in order to receive a fresh filling of His presence and
guidance. [Eph. 5:18]
It is being Holy Ghost controlled.
4. A good man is
given to prayer…
Following the Master's example of
prayer. [Matt: 6:5-15]
Realizing that prayer changes things.
Realizing that it is thru prayer and
seeking God, families are held together.
5. A good man realizes,
for these marks to be true about himself, there must be total surrender to
Christ.
Any of the aforementioned is null if there
is no surrender.
As people of Jesus Christ, each of us must
come to the place that all we are and all we have belong to the Father.
Like
Barnabas, any Christian man (or woman) can choose to be "good"
God
will make a good person out of anyone who will give Him the opportunity.