The Holy Spirit in the past has not held a prominent role within the Church but these days people are claiming spectacular manifestations of His power. Focusing on signs and wonders believing that this distinguishes Christians from others.

Paul writes in Galatians 5:22-23 that the fruit of the Spirit, as in its manifestation in our lives is LOVE. From that love comes joy and peace and so forth. The hallmark for a believer is the fruit of love, we love because we are loved first.

As we become like Christ it was through His love for us that he willingly gave up his life. It was His through love that he happily gave up all the privileges of Heaven to become flesh and walk this earth to suffer and be humiliated. As Christ tells us it is by the way we show love to one another that we will be known as His disciples John 13:34-35.

Some people think the hallmark of a Christian is truth, sound doctrine, creeds and the Reformation confessions. To fight the good fight and stand firm in the teaching of the scripture. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that if he can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge but does not love he has nothing. Knowledge puffs up while love builds up therefore love trumps knowledge.

Others may say, holding true to faith alone that we are saved by justification alone, God's grace. Again Paul in 1 Corinthians says even if he has faith to move mountains, yet does not love, he is nothing.

Religious experience is key to our identity as Christians. That knowing Christ is enough as everything else is at a loss. The experience we can receive through Christ and the power of the Spirit reveals how spiritual we are and how Christlike we are. Yet, Paul argues "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal".

Service can also reveal that we are followers of Christ, service to the poor, those in need our neighbours as Jesus reveals through the parable of the Good Samaritan. Guess what, Paul declares "If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing".

Here is the thing, all the people are correct, holding true to scripture, living by faith alone, having some religious experiences and works by faith are all hallmarks of what makes a Christian. Yet the core fruit the main distinguishing telltale sign that we are Christians is Love. The love and grace of God and our Love for Him and how that transforms us change our priorities and hearts as we love others with that same intentional love that seeks to build others up and to transform the culture around us to glorify God alone.

So, brothers and sisters you may be the smartest, theologically minded person, you may be able to speak in tongues and seek other signs and wonders, you may be passionate about helping others out and you may have had some great experiences as Jesus has revealed things to you through scripture and the Spirit. But if your whole motivation is not loving and for the building up of God's kingdom and church then there is nothing that distinguishes you from other people.

It is by the way you love, this reveals to others that the Holy Spirit is manifesting in your life, it is love that shows others that God is in you. It is love that will show the world that you are Christ's disciples. What, if you are truly openly and honestly reflecting, are you revealing to those around you?

Rev' Darren Dalton

St Andrews Church

Kinson Bournemouth

We have something for everyone as we begin the month of December - a festive concert by the Dorset Accordion Group, Carols by Candlelight, Family fun on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and a traditional Carols and Communion Gathering at 11pm on Christmas Eve to help us see in Christmas Day 2021. More details will be posted on our Facebook page and at standrewskinson.org

Image-Bearer

Genesis 1:26-28 reveals the origin of mankind, we are created male and female in God's image and likeness. We can be creative within the arts, create life, we can communicate and long for community because these are some of the characteristics of our triune God, and we show our creator through our lives.

Just as Christ came to make the invisible God visible by being the image of God, Colossians 1:15. We too are called to be imitators of God Ephesians 5:1. The Ephesians passage says that we are to live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

To love as Christ loved, forgiving, welcoming, friendly, serving, healing, and compassionate. These are some of the things we think of when we think of Christ's love. This is true yet often churches only focus on these aspects, and congregations are left with half of the Gospel. A Gospel filled with grace with no challenges and the message that God loves you just as you are.

Christ's love goes further, through His love he reveals the dark truth about who we are. We are sinful people in need of a saviour, Luke 5:32. Jesus did not come to sit and eat with sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes to be all-inclusive and loving, He sat with sinners to call them into repentance. He challenged, judged people's hearts by their fruit, and disciplined and rebuked those who needed it.

Christ loves us though we don't deserve it, he came to give us new life in and through Him and that love we recognise that we need to be transformed. We are called out of the darkness and into His marvellous light as the Holy Spirit continues to work on our hearts.

Grace is that we are loved so much that Christ chose to give up His life for us, to take upon Himself our sinful natures and the wrath of God. Then, through His resurrection, we to take on His righteousness as Christ has defeated the consequences of sin and conquered death.

Truth is also His love as we come to understand our dependency upon Christ and our need to be transformed in all areas of our life that we too become imitators and image-bearers of God revealing both Truth and Grace.

As I reflect upon myself as an image-bearer of God, do I truly reveal the image of God or just the comfortable bits? Am I willing to be unpopular for speaking out in truth around certain aspects of the wider church life and the life within our church?

Also, am I consistent with my character or do I have two personalities a "church persona" and a "private persona". It seems easy to be one person in church but as soon as I am in the car and someone does not let me out of the roundabout, or the kids start arguing or if I have to listen to the same song for the twelfth time in a row, do I switch back to my old self?

I urge you to do the same, reflect upon your lives, the way you respond to someone annoying, someone you know who is living the wrong way or how you are, around different groups of friends and family. Is your life consistent with your new life in Christ?

Are you truly an image-bearer of God or the culture around you?

Rev'd Darren

St Andrews Church

Kinson, Bournemouth