Are you in the faith?

DAILY BIBLE READING:

Isaiah 12:1–14:32 
2 Corinthians 13:1-14 
Psalm 57:1-11 
Proverbs 23:9-11

TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV) "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 test!"

REFLECTIONS ON TODAY'S BIBLE VERSE(S):

This verse is an extremely important one! It's also interesting where it appears in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Essentially, he has been defending his apostleship in the previous three chapters. Now, he turns the tables on them. He could justify his apostleship ... but, could they justify their genuine faith?

After all, the books of First and Second Corinthians are filled with serious concerns. The church has tolerating sin in their midst, they had error in what they believed, and they were behaving in some ways that were unbecoming to a Christian.

So, Paul wanted them to make sure that they were truly born again. After all, true saving faith shows up in changed behaviors (James 2:14-26). While we will never attain spiritual perfection in this life, we should be becoming more like Jesus as the months and years pass.

Paul's challenge to them is a very important challenge to us. Are we saved? Is there evidence in our actions, our beliefs, our attitudes, and motives? The price of messing it up is huge! An eternity in Hell is to be experienced by those who are not saved. So, it is absolutely essential that we examine ourselves to make sure that we are saved.

Remember that we are saved by grace through faith without works (Ephesians 2:8-9). But, the genuineness of that faith is illustrated in the good works that result (Ephesians 2:10).