What does it mean to be servants of God? What characteristics are we to exhibit as servants of God? Based on 2nd Corinthians chapter 6, we can identify 10 characteristics of the true servants of God.
10 Characteristics of the Servants of God
This passage gives us a great and detailed description of what it means to be servants of God:
“Rather, as servants of God, we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience, and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left;” (2 Corinthians 6:4-7)
Based on this passage, we can identify 10 key characteristics of being servants of God.
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#1 Great Endurance
Interestingly, the first key characteristic of the servant of God is his or her great endurance. Obviously, the lives of the true followers of Christ are marked by troubles, hardships, and distress.
But in all this, the believers commend themselves as servants of God by exhibiting great endurance that shows the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. And when our endurance is fully developed, we will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:4)
#2 Purity
The second mark of the servants of God is their purity. Purity means we guard our hearts and thoughts, keeping them clean from unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, and other impurities. Besides, to maintain purity, our hearts and thoughts need to be focused on heavenly things; on everything pure, true, noble, right, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8)
Purity means we guard our hearts and thoughts, keeping them clean from unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, and other impurities. #purity #encouragement #Biblestudy Share on X#3 Understanding
The next characteristic of the servants of God is to have an understanding. When we have fellowship with God, the Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and understanding so we can view things from another perspective.
The understanding and the wisdom from above is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17) When we ask God for wisdom and understanding He will give us generously. (James 1:5)
#4 Patience
The fourth characteristic of the servants of God is their patience. Patience and long-suffering are fruits of the Spirit. As long as we abide in Christ, we can develop patience in life’s challenging situations. And patience obtains all things. It is the virtue that enables us to stay firm to the end and that is necessary if we want to inherit the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 24:13)
#5 Kindness
The fifth characteristic of the servants of God is their kindness. Kindness and goodness are also produced by the Holy Spirit in our lives. To be kind means to be gentle, tender, and good. Kindness is the virtue that attracts other people towards us and our testimonies and towards God.
#6 In the Holy Spirit
Perhaps one of the most important marks of the servants of God is that they live, speak, and work in the power of the Holy Spirit. If we want to present ourselves as servants of God, we should always seek the guidance and the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Christian life is a product of our cooperation with the Holy Spirit. It is not a product of our fleshly efforts. The Holy Spirit equips us and gives us the power to be God’s witnesses. (Acts 1:8)
The Christian life is a product of our cooperation with the Holy Spirit and not a product of our fleshly efforts. #christianliving #faith #Biblestudy Share on X#7 Sincere Love
Another basic characteristic of the servants of God is their sincere love. Love is a key characteristic, the major mark of the believers as this verse states; “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35). Love is also a fruit of the Spirit, the greatest of all and the only virtue that remains with us forever. (1 Corinthians 13:13)
#8 Truthful Speech
To know and love the truth is the next key characteristic of the servants of God. God’s word is truth, so as servants of God, we should study the Word and fill our minds and hearts with it. When our hearts are full of truth, our speech will also reflect this.
Our words are a great indicator of the condition of our hearts. If we control our tongue, we are mature and our faith is perfected. “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)
Our words are a great indicator of the condition of our hearts. #words #truth #Biblestudy Share on X#9 The Power of God
The next characteristic of the servants of God is that the power of God is obvious in their lives. It doesn’t matter how difficult and challenging our lives may be and what kind of afflictions we may endure, we still stand and even grow stronger, sustained by the power of God.
We become living testimonies of the power of God displayed in our lives. “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.” (Proverbs 24:16)
#10 The Weapons of Righteousness
The last characteristic of the servants of God is that they live and display the righteousness of Christ. If we want to commend ourselves as servants of God, we need to clothe ourselves with the righteousness of Christ, living every day in the light of His atoning sacrifice and not putting our confidence in the flesh.
We want to be found in him, not having a righteousness of our own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. (Philippians 3:9)
What Does It Mean to Be Servants of God Printable
I have prepared a printable of the 10 characteristics of the servants of God and some accompanying bible verses to help you meditate on them. Click on the image to download it.
More Helpful Resources for You
If you need more resources to encourage you in the Christian life, I can highly recommend these books. Check them out.
Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings by Hadassah Treu
Transforming Your Thought Life by Sarah Geringer
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
How to Walk Away from Toxic People by Gary Thomas
Kissing Guilt Goodbye by EnLiven Devotionals
A Testimony of Voices: 100 Devotionals Rising as One by EnLiven Devotionals
A Movement of Hearts: 100 Devotionals Beating as One by EnLiven Devotional
Letters to the Church by Francis Chan
Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics by William Lane Craig
Faith Talk: Christian Women & The Gospel by Heather Hart and contributing authors
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Your Turn
Which of these characteristics do you exhibit in your life? Are there characteristics you want to develop more? Share in the comments and on social media. Thanks!
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Thank you Hadassah for breaking this down so beautifully. I love when you said – our words reflect the condition of our hearts. It is so easy to get carried away that we many times speak careless words forgetting who we are as children of God. I downloaded. Blessings
Thanks a lot, Ufuoma! I am glad the post resonated with you and that you found it helpful. Blessings to you!
Hadassha, Thank you for your ten characteristics of servants of God. It is important to know these characteristics and to reflect upon them seeing which areas we need to pray for strength and guidance in. For me it is Purity( means we guard our hearts and thoughts, keeping them clean from unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, and other impurities). Every once in awhile when I least expect an unforgiving thought or a resentment can pop in. I then have to go to prayer – repent and return! Thank you again and blessings!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experience, Deborah! I am glad that the post has encouraged you. You are right: we need to reflect upon these characteristics on a regular basis and ask God to mature us in them, Blessings!
What an encouraging article, Hadassah! Printing out the handout now to share with my teenage daughters.
Thanks a lot, Lisa! I am happy you found the post and the printable helpful! Blessings to you!