"Whether Ye Be In The Faith"

2 Corinthians 13:5

If you care for your soul you will not be satisfied with a religious profession, a fruitless form of godliness, religion without Christ. You will want to know that you are in Christ and Christ is in you. You will be constantly examining yourself. Knowing the deceitfulness of the human heart and the subtlety of our adversary the devil, you will strive to make your calling and election sure.

Be sure you examine the right thing! The point of examination is "whether you be in the faith." The Word of God never admonishes a believer to examine his heart, his life, or his fruitfulness in order to have assurance of his salvation. Honest examination of those things will always end in despair! The issue is this - DO YOU TRUST THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ALONE FOR YOUR EVERLASTING ACCEPTANCE WITH GOD? If you do, you have been chosen, redeemed, and called by grace. You are in the faith! If you do not, Christ is not in you and you are not in Christ. "He that believeth on him is not condemned...He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life...These things have I written unto YOU THAT BELIEVE on the name of the Son of God; THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

Don Fortner