EXAMINE YOURSELF “ …Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus C...
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| EXAMINE YOURSELF |
“…Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified…” 2 Cor. 13: 1 - 6
A true Christian is someone in whom Christ dwells. Apostle Paul is
asking, “Is Jesus Christ in you?” What evidence do we have that Jesus Christ lives in us? One of the marks of born-again believers is that they have a deep and sudden thirst for the Word of God, a
hunger to be fed, to know the truth of God (1 Pet. 2:2). This inner change will also produce an outward change which will produce a different attitude toward our behaviour. Even our attitude toward our selfishness changes. We see how selfish we have been. It looks ugly and distasteful in our eyes, and we want to be free from it. If there is no evidence of salvation in your life now, you need to face the fact that you may not be a Christian. You need to examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith. If you want to know if you're a Christian, compare your life with the standard Christ presents in the Sermon on the Mount. One word summarises His standard:
righteousness. Righteousness characterises true conversion. "For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the
righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:20). Titus 1:16 says, “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.”
Righteousness, living by God's standards, is what sets a person apart as God's child. Some people believe you can come to Jesus Christ without a consequent change in life-style. But God expects a
transformation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17).
The key issue is what your life is like right now. If sin and
unrighteousness characterise your life, there is a possibility you are a disobedient Christian; but there is a greater possibility you are not a Christian at all. A Christian's life- style will be easily
distinguishable from that of the world. Just as salt preserves
decaying meat, Christians are a preservative in the midst of a
decaying society. If you are truly saved, you will be obedient. You will have an overwhelming desire to submit to God's Word. Paul hungered to obey God's Word. A believer’s worship is genuine; not attracting attention to their spirituality. A Christian gives of his
resources because He loves God, not because he craves public recognition. His prayers aren't hypocritical but a sincere expression of his heart. A Christian serves the Lord Jesus and waits for His Coming. A Christian carries the message of salvation to others.
The Bible makes it clear that those who are genuinely saved are righteous and holy. They still sin, but with decreasing frequency. A true believer hates his sin and repents of it, hungering and thirsting for what is right. He obeys God, loves his brother, and hates the evil world system. No one can be a Christian and continue living the way he did before he knew Christ.
We wish the members of Christ Army Band Happy Anniversary. Remain Blessed.
E. O. Medaiyese, Snr. Pastor.
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