"Failing or Passing the Test?"2 Corinthians 13:5a
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.
Thoughts for Today:Most people don't like tests. Why? Because it reveals if what they've been reading and studying has been learned and can therefore applied.
This last school semester, my daughter Amanda asked me to help her prepare for a particularly challenging math test. We went through the entire chapter and made sure she not only understood the formulas, but also how to do the various types of problems. I asked her the morning of the test, "Are you ready?" She said, "For sure! I know I'm going to do really well." Her "A" on the test reflected both her confidence and dedicated preparation.
In our passage today, Paul says to his critics, "You are regularly finding fault in me, but here's what you should really be doing - examine yourself. Are you in the faith?" The implication of those questions can be rather sobering for anyone who considers him or herself a Christian. A person can attend church, week in and week out for years on end, and still not be saved. So how do we know if we are in the faith? How do we know for certain, if like Amanda, we are properly prepared to pass the most important test we will ever face? Read on as Paul provides us with the answer.
Questions to Ponder:Have you been spending time testing or criticizing the faith of others? What about your own? Are you passing or failing? How do you know? Are you sure?
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.
Thoughts for Today:Most people don't like tests. Why? Because it reveals if what they've been reading and studying has been learned and can therefore applied.
This last school semester, my daughter Amanda asked me to help her prepare for a particularly challenging math test. We went through the entire chapter and made sure she not only understood the formulas, but also how to do the various types of problems. I asked her the morning of the test, "Are you ready?" She said, "For sure! I know I'm going to do really well." Her "A" on the test reflected both her confidence and dedicated preparation.
In our passage today, Paul says to his critics, "You are regularly finding fault in me, but here's what you should really be doing - examine yourself. Are you in the faith?" The implication of those questions can be rather sobering for anyone who considers him or herself a Christian. A person can attend church, week in and week out for years on end, and still not be saved. So how do we know if we are in the faith? How do we know for certain, if like Amanda, we are properly prepared to pass the most important test we will ever face? Read on as Paul provides us with the answer.
Questions to Ponder:Have you been spending time testing or criticizing the faith of others? What about your own? Are you passing or failing? How do you know? Are you sure?
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