Characteristics of a true believer (Part 1)
Published by Olwin Gosal in 2025 · 12 October 2025
Characteristics of a true believer (Part 1)
Love the teaching of God's word
In the previous reflection, I discussed what true faith looks like. In the next few weeks, I will discuss the life of someone with true faith. Through this reflection on God's Word, we can assess ourselves and determine whether we are people of true faith.
Let's read the Bible from Acts 2:41-42, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. It is said that those who accepted his message. Who were they? They were sinners, in fact it is said that they were the ones who crucified and killed Jesus, meaning they were very evil people and completely did not understand the truth of God. But it is said that they received his word, meaning they agreed with their minds and believed in their hearts.
Peter's words all contained the gospel about Jesus, about his suffering and death, about his resurrection, and about Jesus who is Lord. At the end of his sermon, Peter called for repentance, verse 2:38 "Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." We see in this passage when the Gospel was preached there were sinners who believed and repented, this was not the work of humans but entirely the work of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, it is said that they gave themselves to be baptized, this is a real act of faith, willing to witness that they had believed in Jesus, willing to surrender themselves and ready to follow Him.
My friends, that's the first step that shows someone has faith in Jesus, but it turns out it doesn't stop there. Mass conversion through Peter's preaching alone wasn't enough; therefore, the apostles were led by the Holy Spirit to continue their ministry to those who had just believed in Christ.
In verse 42, we want to see what people do at this time when they have believed in Christ, it says "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and in the fellowship." The first characteristic of a true believer is persevering in the teaching of the word of God. The word steadfastly in Greek προσκαρτεροῦντες (proskarterountes) (Verb-Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural) means "to continue to do something with intense effort, with the possible implication of despite difficulty”. In the NIV it says "They devoted themselves" meaning they truly devoted themselves, showing their faithfulness. Many challenges, struggles, ridicule and even persecution faced by the early believers but they did not give up to continue persevering in studying the word of God.
Why do they persevere?
First, because they want to know more deeply who the Jesus they believe in is. The apostles were people specially chosen by the Lord Jesus to follow and serve with Him, they lived together and every time Jesus taught. So the apostles were eyewitnesses to the life of Jesus until He ascended to heaven, of course they knew Jesus very well, understood the teachings, way of life and the example He had given them, this is what made the early church persevere in listening to the teachings of the apostles because they were the main source of the news about Christ and everything He had taught.
The apostles did what the Lord Jesus commanded them in Matthew 28:20 "and teach them to do everything I have commanded you. And know that I am with you always until the end of the age." So the apostles not only preached and left them alone, but they gave themselves to teach in the temple of God even in the homes of believers at that time.
We see in this passage that true faith must produce a longing and thirst to persevere in the teaching of God's word, so that they will know Christ more deeply. In Romans 10:17, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” a person can have faith in Christ by hearing the word of God, and faith can only grow by continuing to persevere in hearing the word of God. Someone who claims to be a Christian but does not persevere in the word of God, then it is necessary to question whether he really has faith? Or is it actually just an identity and his life does not yet have the Spirit of God.
My brothers and sisters, there are Christians today who say there's no need to bother studying the teachings; as long as you believe in Jesus, you'll definitely go to heaven. People like this only like the practical, the easy, the sermons that merely please the ear, and they only enjoy seemingly extraordinary testimonies without a foundation in true teaching. And such people are very easily misled.
Second, they want to fill their minds with the words of Christ. They realize that before they believed in Christ, what entered their minds were all things that came from the power of darkness, all worldly desires that were contrary to God's will, all vain thoughts that made them live corrupt and without true purpose. And when they believed in Christ, they truly turned and filled their minds with God's holy truths, truths that helped them understand God's purpose in life. In Colossians 3:16 it says “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
My brothers, God's primary purpose in giving humans reason is so that they can know Him and understand what He teaches, so that they can live according to His will. Therefore, if humans have not or do not make a sincere effort to know God and all His teachings, then they have not actually used their minds according to the main purpose that God desires. The very sad condition in the world today is that many people use their minds to oppose God, even with all their abilities and theories trying to prove that God does not exist or that God has no power whatsoever over humans.
In verse 46a, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts”. It is said that each day demonstrates a truly deep diligence and thirst to know God. Are they not working? Impossible! Are they not taking care of their families? Impossible! I believe there are people who are also busy, but none of that is an excuse or a barrier for them to persevere in knowing Christ. My brothers, what about us today? Do we claim to be believers? To what extent do we long for His word?
We come once a week to listen to the teaching, sadly it's often late, plus when we listen while we're sleepy, it's complete! Brother, is that how we prepare ourselves to meet God? Is meeting God in worship really a deep desire for us?
In Galatians 1:10, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Brother, I continue to learn to be a servant of Christ who tries to be obedient to what God says, I know maybe it offends our hearts, but believe me this is the truth that God wants you and I to hear. Believing in the true Gospel produces true faith and true faith inevitably produces a thirst and longing to hear the teaching of God's Word and a desire to study it personally. May the Holy Spirit work in our hearts so that every day we become more and more dependent on His Word. Lord Jesus bless us all, Amen.