It’s easy to drift and start taking everything for granted when we don’t test ourselves isn’t it? When we’re not constantly looking in the mirror or stepping on the scale, its easy not to notice the gunk in our teeth and boogers hanging out of our nostrils. Moreover, its easy to forget that those Krispy Kreme donuts we ate while waiting for the train just added five more pounds to your midsection. Without checking up on ourselves, this would be our fate. But when was the last time we did a faith check up? 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! (2 Corinthians 13:5) The Apostle Paul tells the people to test themselves to make sure they know what they’re believing in and what they’re acting like. He is writing to a community of believers that have lost track of what it means to believe in the power of Jesus. You see, Corinth was a major port city that had the economic prowess of modern day New York; and at the same time had the reputation of being as sinful as Las Vegas. In fact, the saying in the Roman Empire was, “Once you are Corinthianized, you’ll never go Roman.” I don’t think I have to explain what that means, so we’ll continue. These Corinthian Christians started off believing and living into the ways of the resurrected Jesus Christ, but steadily found themselves where they no longer affected culture and rather, allowed culture to affect what they practiced in regards to their beliefs. Does this sound familiar? If you want to compare that to the Christianity of today, you would say that the Christian community in Corinth was beginning to become just “cultural.” They didn’t really practice what they believed and what they believed wasn’t that believable. Yes, it was cool to call yourself that, but it is another meaningless thing you say and do because you forgot what it means. It is so easy to fall in that tendency and lifestyle, especially if we don’t give ourselves regular check-ups. When we allow our hearts and minds, even after we’ve been forgiven of our sins and renewed with life, to be jaded, hardened and skeptical because the world creeps up on us, then our faith is dead. Today, I want to encourage you to start giving yourselves regular faith checkups. When we checkup on our faith, I want you to ask yourself: where is the firsthand evidence? That is to say, am I just talking and spewing religion, or am I practicing Christ in me? Test it out. If you fail the test– because I did, and it is okay to fail as long as we get up again– its time to do something about it.
Comments are closed