June 24, 2018 TEST YOURSELF
2 Corinthians 13:5 “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you fail the test?
Because it is easy to develop spiritual blind spots and take things for granted, it is good advice for us to examine ourselves to make sure we are living in the faith. Evidently, many of the believers in Corinth were not living according to the gospel and were in need of correction and instruction. The Apostle Paul was passionate about calling believers to live according to the new creations that they were in Christ. The message of the gospel is to touch every area of life-there is no valid distinction of what is spiritual and what is non-spiritual. We must be alert to the possibility of becoming so familiar with or accustomed to giving mental assent only to the gospel, that we fail to actually apply the teachings of scripture. We can actually adjust to living in ways that are not in keeping with the scriptures and be ok with doing so. The words of Paul in the above scripture should serve as a warning to us and cause us to do just as he instructed the Corinthians to do-examine ourselves. The key truth that Paul presents to the Corinthians and what makes all the difference is that Jesus Christ is in us. And since Jesus is in us, living according to His ways is not something we should take lightly, to say the least. Jesus has redeemed us, we belong to Him, and He has a purpose for us to fulfill. We must make sure that we are not simply giving ‘lip service’ to being a follower of Jesus; we are called to be being transformed into His image, representing Him in the here and now. So, the issue for us is, are we conscience of the fact that Jesus Christ is in us? If we do belong to Him, then the most urgent thing we have before us is that of our living in such a way that our life is in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no need for us to fear not being pleasing to Him; as we get to know Him, it becomes our nature to do the things that please Him. Let us gladly examine ourselves and test ourselves to make sure we are living to who we are in Christ-it’s the right thing to do.
1 Peter 4:17 “For it is time for judgement to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
James 1:25 “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.”
Blessings,
Buddy
2 Corinthians 13:5 “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you fail the test?
Because it is easy to develop spiritual blind spots and take things for granted, it is good advice for us to examine ourselves to make sure we are living in the faith. Evidently, many of the believers in Corinth were not living according to the gospel and were in need of correction and instruction. The Apostle Paul was passionate about calling believers to live according to the new creations that they were in Christ. The message of the gospel is to touch every area of life-there is no valid distinction of what is spiritual and what is non-spiritual. We must be alert to the possibility of becoming so familiar with or accustomed to giving mental assent only to the gospel, that we fail to actually apply the teachings of scripture. We can actually adjust to living in ways that are not in keeping with the scriptures and be ok with doing so. The words of Paul in the above scripture should serve as a warning to us and cause us to do just as he instructed the Corinthians to do-examine ourselves. The key truth that Paul presents to the Corinthians and what makes all the difference is that Jesus Christ is in us. And since Jesus is in us, living according to His ways is not something we should take lightly, to say the least. Jesus has redeemed us, we belong to Him, and He has a purpose for us to fulfill. We must make sure that we are not simply giving ‘lip service’ to being a follower of Jesus; we are called to be being transformed into His image, representing Him in the here and now. So, the issue for us is, are we conscience of the fact that Jesus Christ is in us? If we do belong to Him, then the most urgent thing we have before us is that of our living in such a way that our life is in harmony with the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no need for us to fear not being pleasing to Him; as we get to know Him, it becomes our nature to do the things that please Him. Let us gladly examine ourselves and test ourselves to make sure we are living to who we are in Christ-it’s the right thing to do.
1 Peter 4:17 “For it is time for judgement to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
James 1:25 “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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