Common Characteristics of Christians

As a pastor, I often review Acts 2:41-42 before our church observes the Lord’s Supper. Like other passages in Acts, Luke gives a short summary of what the church looked like at this time. As we see them, these characteristics should be the same for Christians today, and, as this passage speaks of breaking bread (which I understand to be the Lord’s Supper, a staple for the local church), the other characteristics should be true of Christians as well as they participate in the Lord’s Supper.

Common to Christians who participate in the Lord’s Supper are these characteristics…

They Have Received God’s Word (Acts 2:41)

The “word” in context is the gospel, specifically the truth of Jesus Christ that He died, was raised, is exalted on high, and is Lord of all. The only response we can rightly give is to repent of our sins for which He died and to place our faith in Him alone for salvation (Acts 2:14–40).

They Have Been Baptized (Acts 2:41)

A proper understanding of baptism is that these new believers were immersed in water, picturing their union with Christ in His death and resurrection, showing that they had died to sin and now lived according to righteousness (cf. Rom 6:3–4).

They Have Been Added to the Local Church (Acts 2:41)

The number is recorded as to who joined the membership of the church (3,000). Shown here is that the church knew who joined the body of believers and how many did so. These saints were held accountable for godly living, service, and participation in the church.

They Are Devoted to the Apostles’ Teaching (Acts 2:42)

Along with other essential elements of worship, preaching and teaching are a necessary means of growing in the knowledge of God so that we can live according to this truth. For us today, these truths are found in our completed Scriptures.

They Are Devoted to Fellowship (Acts 2:42)

Fellowship means to have the eternal life of the Father and Son by the Spirit, something enjoyed by all Christians (1 John 1:1–10). Stated another way, to be united to Christ is to be united to all who are in Christ and to be responsible for one another’s spiritual welfare (1 Cor 12:1–13). This fellowship assumes regularly meeting together and interacting over spiritual matters.

They Are Devoted to Breaking Bread (Acts 2:42)

We mentioned this feature earlier. As Christ commanded the night before His death (Luke 22:19), so also Paul repeated this command to the church (1 Cor 11:23–26), namely, to break bread, that is, to practice the Lord’s Supper. By doing so, we remind ourselves of how Christ’s body was broken and blood was shed for us (Luke 22:19–20). We are also reminded of our unity with one another (1 Cor 10:17) along with the gospel and Christ’s return (1 Cor 11:26).

They Are Devoted to Prayers (Acts 2:42)

Unlike the American church that can hardly get people out for a service a week, the early church and its leaders met regularly for prayer (Acts 1:14; 2:42; 6:4). As with all the above, this example should be lived out in our lives today.

Belief, baptism, local church membership, and devotion to the regular things of the Christian life – may be who we ought to be at all times, and certainly as we prepare for and participate in the Lord’s Supper.

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David Huffstutler is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Rockford, IL. He blogs here, where this article first appeared. It is republished here by permission.

Image by Vesa Leppänen from Pixabay