For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. (2 Corinthians 13:8, NIV)
For all the walking you do on the greens at your golf course, you probably don’t give much thought to what’s below the surface. You’d better hope your course’s superintendent does.
When it comes time to treat or remodel greens, the maintenance staff will likely gather core samples. Using a sharp-ended cylindrical tool, they will push the tube down into the green as deep as a foot (30 cm) and draw up the sample of grass, thatch, and soil. With help from an agronomist, they can evaluate the core for evidence of compaction, nutrients, and the effectiveness of irrigation. There’s a lot of information to be found in that skinny bit of turf and dirt!
We cannot, Paul implied, be people of faith if we are not honestly so.Yesterday we considered Paul’s words to the Corinthians about giving ourselves the test of faith, to see whether Christ is in us. We determined that we want to welcome this test, for each time we pass, our confidence in his presence in us grows.
But how do we take the test? The best answer to this question may be to ask it a bit differently: Where do we go for review? If an agronomist helps a course superintendent know whether his greens are good, who comes alongside us to help us know that our faith is strong? Let’s consider four great options.
1. Submit your faith to God for review. You have perhaps heard it taught that an excellent thing to pray when you sit before the Lord is this: “Father, show me where there is sin in my life so I can confess and repent.” God will answer this prayer, speaking to your heart by his Spirit, revealing to you changes that he desires to make in you. And you can be assured that these changes will be reflective of Christ in you.
2. Submit your faith to God’s Word for review. You likely have a two-column Bible. Imagine that rather than side-by-side columns of Scripture, the left column is Scripture itself while the right column outlines the reality of your life. How would the two sides compare? When we read Scripture, it can show us where Christ is shining through us and where he isn’t.
3. Submit your faith to your brothers and sisters in Christ. If you spend any time around God’s people in fellowship, you have certainly heard of accountability groups. You won’t find these groups specifically mentioned in your Bible, but you will find the concept of accountability in many places—including accountability to leaders (elders) and accountability to one another. When we open up in honesty to others who love and care for our souls, they can help us see where we are making excuses instead of spiritual headway. They can help us connect with Christ more closely.
4. Finally, submit your faith to outsiders. This may seem counterintuitive. What can those without faith teach you about your own? But both Paul and Peter write that lives lived in healthy faith gain the respect of outsiders (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 3:15-16). Do unbelievers recognize and appreciate your faith? Whether they do or don’t can tell you a lot about the state of your faith.
A measure of faith is really a measure of truth. Paul moved his teaching about passing the test to our verse today. We cannot, he implied, be people of faith if we are not honestly so. If we align ourselves with the truth—from God, from his Word, from his people—we stand a great chance of passing the test.
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Jeff Hopper
October 30, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.