The Character Of The True Believer

Isaiah 33:2, 15, 22

Believers are men and women who may be known by the character of their lives. The grace of God does change a person. It effects what he is and what he does. It alters both his character and his conduct (Rom. 6:12, 13, 18, 22; II Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:17-20; Tit. 2:11-12). There are three things that stand out in Isaiah 33 as marks and characteristics of true believers.

1. THEIR CONFIDENCE IN GOD (v. 2) - The true believer is a person of humble faith and confidence in the Lord God. God's saints are a praying people. "O LORD, be gracious unto us," is their daily prayer. We know our need and feel it. Because we are not stoics, we feel things. Because we are not fatalists, we pray. Because we know our insufficiency, we seek God's grace, strength and help. Believers are a waiting people. "We have waited for thee." Having spread our case before the Lord, we wait. Knowing that God always does what is best, we wait for him. Bowing to his will, trusting his wisdom, goodness and power, we wait for God to work. God's people exercise a present faith in him. "Be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble." We do not foolishly imagine that having trusted Christ once all is well. We look to him now! We live by faith!

2. THEIR CONVERSATION BEFORE MEN (v. 15) - God's saints are men and women whose lives, in character, are holy and righteous (Eph. 4:22-30; Phil. 1:27; Heb. 13:5; James 3:13; I Pet. 1:15-17; 2:11-12; 3:16; II Pet. 3:11). Believers are people who walk righteously, speak uprightly, despise the gain of oppression and the profits of wrongful deeds, refuse to hear violent, slanderous speech, and turn their eyes away from wickedness, moral wickedness as well as doctrinal wickedness. The believer is an upright, righteous man (Psa. 15:1-5)). Grace has made him so.

3. THEIR COMPOSURE IN THE FACE OF TROUBLE (v.22) - When trouble comes the religious hypocrite, the mere professor of faith, loses his composure, while the be- liever trusts his God.If my faith does not give me com- posure in the midst of trouble then my faith, it seems to me, is as useless as philosophical speculation. "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (II Tim. 1:7).

Don Fortner