Welcome to Hank’s Place —
The world challenges, “Are you qualified?” The devil’s disciples scream at you, “You are NOT qualified!” No matter what the topic. Two messages ago I referenced 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 — that as far as God is concerned, HE has qualified us, by His Spirit, to share the Good News with everyone.
So what then is Paul saying to these same Corinthians a few chapters later, in 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?”
That’s a real anxiety producing verse, isn’t it? Check yourself out; are you a perfect example of a Christian, a mediocre Christian, or not a Christian at all?
If you are standing on your own performance, how YOU measure up, rather than resting on Jesus’ work of redemption at Calvary, then it IS terrifying, and should be! Are you saved, really really saved? Is there sin in your life? Arrrg! Do not forget: it is Jesus who has qualified us. It is Jesus who has saved us, not we ourselves, and we are kept by grace, not works or self-examination and repentance.
In the Old Covenant, the priest examined the sacrifice, not us. That was a shadow of the New. It’s Jesus, our sacrifice, who was examined, not us! Thus Paul is NOT saying here, “Examine yourselves periodically to make sure you’re still saved or if there is sin in YOUR life.”
We are not automobiles subject to annual inspection. No! Christ is already in us. Remember my favorite verse, Col 1:27, this mystery of the Gospel, is that Christ is in us? It’s true. We believed in Him. And He joined Himself to us eternally. We are in union with Jesus, 1 Corinthians 1:5, sanctified in Jesus, 1 Corinthians 1:2, and our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 6:19. Powerful! Believe it! Disregard those insecurity preachers. Don’t let the self-appointed fruit inspectors trouble you. Remember, we are not transformed by self-examination but by the renewing of our mind. Romans 12:2.
The only one who can fail the test of being in Christ is the one who is not yet in Christ: an unbeliever.
So Paul is saying, examine yourself honestly, and you will see Christ Jesus in you. He is our life. You will see you ARE one with the Lord — as righteous and holy as He is, 1 Corinthians 1:30. That you are pleasing and acceptable to God, able to stand, because Jesus makes you so. 2 Corinthians 5:21. We are saved and kept — by grace.
So examine yourself honestly — then rejoice in knowing that you have — COME ALIVE!
NEW BLOG NOTIFICATION
Be notified when a new blog posts