How would you score on a test that determined how to measure your successfulness as a Christian? On the surface it probably appears very easily that everything is ok, because we are doing a good job. In fact I’m convinced that most everyone would say if asked (how is your faith walk with God doing), they would say just fine!
I’m afraid we are like the fellow in the story who showed up for a court hearing concerning an accident in which he had been involved.
His arm was in a cast, and there were bandages covering a great deal of his body, and the parts that were exposed were clearly covered with bruises, scratches and cuts. The judge asked about his injuries and he replied, Judge I’m in a terrible condition.
The judge said I don’t understand. The incident report filed by the officer at the scene at the time of the accident says you were stated as saying “you were doing just fine”.
Well judge I would like to explain that right there! I was driving my pickup and pulling a trailer. In the bed of the truck was my old dog Shep and my mule was in the trailer that I was pulling.
All of a sudden an 18 wheeler sideswiped me, knocking me off the road. As a result, my pickup truck and trailer rolled over and over down a steep embankment. The next thing I remember, a police officer was picking his way through the wreckage and came across my mule. After he made a quick examination of the situation I saw him take out his gun and shoot my mule between the eyes! Next he found old Shep and after examining him he shot him too, now judge he then walked over to me and asked how I was a doing ………. I looked up at him all broken up and hurting and said I’m doing just fine!!
In our text today Paul challenges the Corinthians and us to examine and test ourselves to see how one measures up.
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)
5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?
This passage urges us to give ourselves a self-check and in that we should be looking for a growing awareness of Christ’s presence in our lives. Paul says we should do this examination “to see whether you are in the faith”. Goals? Using talents?
We must be careful not to drift away and ignore our salvation!
Hebrews 2:1-3 (NIV) Warning to Pay Attention
2 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment,
It is possible to drift to a point of an evil heart of disbelief! Evil?
Hebrews 3:12-14 (NIV)
12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.
So…..Is it possible to know how we stand before God?
1 John 5:12-15 (NIV)
12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
We must Is Christ in me? because the Holy Spirit lives in Christians and we can embrace it or deny it but we most assuredly can know God’s will for us and thus we are able to determine if we have passing or failing the test!
John 14:15-17 (NIV) Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Sometimes taking a test causes anxiety. What if these were tests you had to take!
Here was one for an engineering student: the disassembled parts of a high powered rifle have been placed in a box on your desk. You will find an instruction manual printed in Aramaic on how to assemble the gun. I 15 minutes a hungry Bengal tiger will be admitted to the test room. Take whatever action you feel appropriate, and justify your decision.
Even when we come across a test question that seems simple on the surface, we find it’s not such a simple answer.
How long did the 100 years’ war last?
The 100 Years' War was actually a series of conflicts between France and England that began in 1337 and ended in 1453 (116 years).
Which country manufactures Panama hats?-Genuine Panama Hats are manufactured exclusively in Ecuador. They acquired their name after being commercialized in Panama during the construction of the canal in the early 1900's.
What is King George VI's first name?
Until the time of his coronation, his first name was Albert. Within his family he was generally known as "Bertie."
The only way to examine ourselves is to use God’s word. We cannot trust our feelings, or whatever sounds good from others.
Here are the real questions for your test!
Is Christ in me? Have I put Him on in Baptism?
Galatians 3:27 (NIV)
27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Paul relates this to a cultural understanding of becoming an adult. In roman society youth coming of age laid aside their robe of childhood and put on a new toga representing adulthood.
By becoming Christians the Galatians were putting on Christ and were ready to take on the privileges and responsibilities of Christ. They became a new person with a new lifestyle, new attitudes and new intentions. We must put on Christ!
Am I keeping God’s commandments?
John 14:21 (NKJV)
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
A Christian will make more than merely lip service to God! Christians demonstrate our love by keeping His commands. Love means more than words, it requires commitment and action.
Watchman Nee, a Chinese evangelist, tells of a Christian he once knew in China. He was a rice farmer, and his fields lay high on a mountain. Every day he pumped water into the paddies of new rice. And every morning he returned to find that an unbelieving neighbor who lived down the hill had opened the dikes surrounding the Christian’s field to let the water fill his own. For a while the Christian ignored the injustice, but at last he became desperate. What should he do? His own rice would die if this continued. How long could it go on? The Christians met, prayed, and came up with this solution. The next day the Christian farmer rose early in the morning and first filled his neighbor’s fields; then he attended to his own. Watchman Nee tells how the neighbor became a Christian, his unbelief overcome by a genuine demonstration of a Christian’s love for others. (Contributed by Davon Huss)
Are the marks of discipleship present in my life? Am I abiding in his Word?
John 8:31-32 (NKJV)31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
This should not be taken out of context as some in the world do! Jesus did not die to guarantee a wide range of personal freedoms of expression. Jesus promised freedom from the slavery of sin. That freedom begins when we understand the truth of God’s message of forgiveness and die to sin through surrendering ourselves to His plan for our salvation!
Am I bearing fruit?
Galatians 5:22-25 (NKJV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
To understand the fruit of the Spirit, we must see ourselves, not as individual trees, but as an entire garden under the cultivation of God’s Spirit. His purpose involves not simply the production of a single kind of fruit but all the fruit, each becoming ripe as it is needed. It might take a lifetime to master some of these fruit, but we are to be cultivating all of them and bringing the ones needed at the proper time, to the forefront of our lives.
Suppose you walked into your kitchen one morning and found Jesus sitting at the table. What would you do? Would you say: "Jesus! I'm thrilled to see You! I just wish I had time to talk, but right now I'm running late for work. When I get home tonight, we'll have a nice visit"?
Later, you rush into the house from work to pick up your son for his Little League game and dash back out. But when you return from the game, the children need your attention, the laundry needs folding, and before you know it, you're just plain too tired to talk with Him. You crawl into bed and fall asleep.
Of course, you probably think if Jesus were to physically come to your house, you’d stop everything to sit with Him, right? Maybe you would. But maybe you wouldn't. But when you neglect to spend time with Christ in His Word and prayer, you give Him the impression that He's not important to you. Staying in daily communion with Jesus is the No. 1 priority of the Christian life. It's the key that opens every door to fruit-bearing, a blessing to this life and the next.( Contributed by Ajai Prakash)
Do I have the proper attitude and frame of mind?
Look at the mindset of Paul
Philippians 3:12-17 (NKJV)-Pressing Toward the Goal
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
17 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.
How do we fair in the test Today?
Is Christ in me? Have I put Him on in Baptism?
Am I keeping God’s commandments?
Are the marks of discipleship present in my life? Am I abiding in his Word?
Am I bearing fruit?
Do I have the proper attitude and frame of mind?
