Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5, NIV)
Many golf fans revel in the pain the contestants experience during the US Open each year. Never mind that the United States is home to golf courses of all kinds and that golfers in any open championship come with varying kinds of strengths to their games. These fans want the fairways narrow and the greens fast, the rough high and the wind blowing. They want, you know, “the toughest test in golf.”
What is ironic is that most tour players can tell you what the toughest test is—and it isn’t the US Open. It is that series of events going on from now through early December. The tour Q-schools. Where men and women bring their dreams and their clubs and see if they can make it through.
We should welcome the test, because each time we pass… our salvation is affirmed in us and our confidence in Christ grows.Fail the test that is the US Open and you still have a place to play next week. But fail the test that is Q-school and you’ll ask yourself all kinds of existential questions. You may turn to different work altogether.
In Scripture, Paul suggested that there is a more important test still. This is the test of faith. Have you taken the test? Have you passed?
In examining this examination, we will today consider some general matters; tomorrow we’ll look at four ways we can take the test and measure our faith.
First, you may be surprised to note that the one who administers the test to you is your own self. No proctors of Christianity are going to show up at your door this week and say, “It’s time. Let’s see whether you can pass muster, buster.” Instead, we are to test ourselves.
Second, the test allows us to find assurance that Christ is in us. Pass the test, Paul wrote, and you’ll know that Christ is in you. Fail the test, and you’ll know that he’s not. Consider the weight of this difference. All the faith talk and religious activity in the world amount to nothing in the economy of eternity unless Christ is in you. Only then will we stand before the Father on the day of judgment and hear the words, “Well done,” because he will be seeing Christ’s perfect works, not our flawed ones.
Third, because we are talking about Christ living in us and the faith that reveals this, we should not be afraid of taking the test at any time. In fact, we should welcome the test, because each time we pass, it is not that we are saved again but that our salvation is affirmed in us and our confidence in Christ grows.
Your faith may be tested by circumstances and relationships. Will Christ shine through you in trying moments? But beyond (and perhaps above) this is the test we can give ourselves regularly, the test to be sure that Christ is there to shine.
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Jeff Hopper
October 29, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.