How to Know When You Are in Faith
We know that going in for a yearly physical, especially equally we age is a expert thing. It can grab early symptoms of a health issue before information technology becomes a problem. Even more of import than a physical check-up is a spiritual check-up. It determines the matter of where we spend eternity. It's one of the near of import examinations we will e'er take.
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the examination!
~ 2 Corinthians 13:v
In the above passage, the apostle Paul is calling on the Corinthians to examine themselves to see if their religion in Christ is genuine. He wants them to determine if their walk matches their talk.
Many profess Christianity by knowledge about God or their morality or by their interest in various ministries within their church. They may base is it on a prayer they once said, or look to things like their baptism as a basis for saving religion.
It is by grace alone we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ but as Martin Luther stated information technology, "Nosotros are saved by religion alone, merely the faith that saves is never lone."
[clickToTweet tweet="Information technology is past grace alone we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ but every bit Martin Luther stated it, 'Nosotros are saved by faith alone, but the religion that saves is never solitary.'" quote="It is by grace lone we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ just as Martin Luther stated it, 'We are saved by religion lone, but the religion that saves is never alone.'"]
It is possible to profess religion in Christ and still be unsaved. Paul exhorts us in 2 Corinthians xiii:5 to examine ourselves because the outcome of real religion will evidence that Christ is indwelling in united states of america by the Holy Spirit and information technology will event in godly lives that desire to exist obedient to the Word of God.
I recently read Jerry Bridges' book, Who Am I? Identity in Christ and chapter v had some fantabulous questions for us to examine our hearts that I want to share with you below. Do we show evidence of beingness new creations in Christ? Take some time and pray through the questions from Who Am I? Identity in Christ:
Questions to Examine Yourselves:
What is my attitude toward God? Do I gladly acknowledge my dependence on him and my accountability to him?
What is my attitude toward my sin? Am I concerned or indifferent most it?
What is my attitude toward Jesus Christ? Do I trust him as the one who dies for my sin on the cross?
What is my attitude toward the Bible? Exercise I truly want to grow in my understanding and application of it in my life?
What is my mental attitude toward prayer? Practise I too want to grow in this area of my life, or am I quite content to come across prayer equally an occasional call out to God for help?
What is my attitude toward other Christians? Exercise I appreciate being with them and learning from them, or practise I actually prefer the company and lifestyle of my non-Christian friends?
Mr. Bridges writes, "These are important questions that we should seek to answer truthfully. The stakes are as well loftier to ignore them or play games with them. Our eternal destiny is at pale and eternity lasts forever. There is no end to it. All of us will spend eternity in the blessed presence of God, or we volition spend it under the never-ending curse and wrath of God.
So the question each of us should honestly face is this: Exercise I accept some evidence that I am a new creation? Can we say something such as this: Yes, I withal struggle with remaining sin and I see my frequent failures, but as I wait at these questions I tin can truthfully say that, though I have a long way to go, I believe I'm headed in the right direction.
Having examined ourselves, we should also be concerned for friends and relatives who consider themselves to be Christians, but who show lilliputian or no testify of being new creations. At the very to the lowest degree nosotros should pray that God will lead them to a genuine saving knowledge of Christ. And and then, depending on our relationship with them, we tin can seek to graciously challenge them to examine themselves."
Scriptures to Examine Your Middle:
Thus yous will recognize them past their fruits.
~ Matthew 7:20
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
~ Galatians v:22-23
For past grace you have been saved through faith. And this is non your own doing; it is the souvenir of God, not a upshot of works, then that no ane may boast.
~ Ephesians 2:8-9
So also faith past itself, if information technology does not have works, is dead. Simply someone will say, "You lot take religion and I have works." Prove me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith past my works.
~ James 2:17-18
More Signs of Truthful Genuine Religion:
The volume of 1 John was written so we can know we have genuine saving organized religion in the Lord Jesus Christ. These scriptures below (taken from GotQuestions) are a great series of tests and be reminded nosotros won't fulfill them all perfectly all the time but the design of our lives will proceed to show a love for God and spiritual growth.
1. Practise yous savor having fellowship with Christ and His redeemed people? (1 John one:3)
two. Would people say you walk in the light, or walk in the darkness? (1 John 1:vi-vii)
3. Exercise you admit and confess your sin? (1 John 1:8)
4. Are you obedient to God's Word? (1 John ii:3-5)
v. Does your life indicate you beloved God rather than the world? (1 John two:15)
6. Is your life characterized by "doing what is correct"? (1 John 2:29)
seven. Do yous seek to maintain a pure life? (ane John 3:3)
8. Do you see a decreasing pattern of sin in your life? (1 John 3:5-6) [Notation: this refers to not continuing in sin every bit a way of life, not a full absenteeism of sin.]
ix. Do you demonstrate love for other Christians? (1 John 3:14)
10. Exercise you lot "walk the walk," versus just "talking the talk"? (1 John iii:18-19)
xi. Practise y'all maintain a articulate conscience? (1 John iii:21)
12. Practise y'all feel victory in your Christian walk? (ane John 5:4)
What about y'all? Practice you lot see a dear for God and fellow Christians, a hunger for the Give-and-take of God and want to depend on the Lord in prayer? Separation from the world and spiritual growth? Obedience?
Does your life show bear witness of true saving religion?
Truthful salvation is not to be constitute through the mere reception of whatever creed, however true or scriptural. Mere 'head notion' is not the route to sky. "You must be built-in once more," means a great deal more that you lot must believe certain dogmas. The written report of the Bible cannot save you! You must press beyond this; y'all must come to the living, personal Christ, or else your acceptance of the soundest creed cannot avail for the salvation of your soul. Salvation lies in Jesus but!
~ Charles Spurgeon
Related Resources:
The Gospel
Who Am I? Identity in Christ by Jerry Bridges
Two Means to Examine Yourself to Run across if You are in the Faith – @ Rick Thomas
What Does it Wait Like to Confess Our Sins?
Self-Examination Speaks a Thou Lies – @Desiring God
Salvage Save
Salve Save
Source: https://thankfulhomemaker.com/questions-to-examine-yourself-to-see-if-you-are-in-the-faith-2-corinthians-135/
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