2co 13v05 Whether Ye Be In The Faith

 

 

"...WHETHER YE BE IN THE FAITH

II Corinthians 13:5

Paul admonishes all of us to make our calling and election sure. He says, "Examine yourselves, whether          ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Christ Jesus is in you, except you be reprobates?" He does not admonish us to examine one another; but he does tell us to examine ourselves. Here are three points by which I examine my own faith. I urge you to do the same.

1.          IS MY FAITH BASED UPON THE WORD OF GOD?                                         

I know this, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17). If my faith is genuine, it is born in my heart by the Word of truth. True faith arises from a proper knowledge of God, as he is revealed in Christ, in his holy and sovereign character (John 17-3). True faith arises from a proper knowledge of Christ, the incarnate God in the glory of his efficacious, sin-atoning sacrifice as our Substitute. And true faith arises from a proper knowledge of ourselves, our guilt, our depravity, and our inability. Until a man knows what the Bible says about God, about Christ, and about himself, he cannot exercise saving faith.

2. DOES  MY FAITH CAUSE ME TO HAVE A WELL-GROUNDED HOPE OF A SAVING INTEREST IN CHRIST? True faith causes a man to have a good hope through grace. Trusting the merits of Christ's righteousness and shed blood, the true believer has a confident, assured hope of eternal salvation and acceptance with God in Christ. True faith trusts Christ alone, and enjoys peaceful hope of eternal glory in him.

3. DOES MY FAITH PRODUCE A PRINCIPLE OF LOVE IN MY HEART FOR CHRIST AND HIS PEOPLE? Faith causes a man to love Christ as he is and love the people of God as they are in Christ. This love is a self-denying, self-sacrificing commitment to Christ and his people. Any faith that lacks this love is a false faith.