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| Test
Yourselves! |
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| Bubba
Garner |
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I
always cringed when the teachers gave us progress reports in school. They
were usually issued halfway through the grading period, and they gave us
some indication of what we needed to do to pull our grade up before the
end of the term. Some students didn’t need to do anything, but for me it
was always a dreaded reminder that it was time to kick it in high gear.
Progress reports show us
where we are in relation to where we ought to be. They cause us to reflect
and examine and change so that we can be more productive, more successful,
more prepared for what lies ahead. They’re called quarterly statements
in the financial world, yearly check-ups in the medical field, but what
about in the realm of religion?
“Test yourselves to see
if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this
about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the
test” (2 Cor. 13:5)?
This is a Biblical
principle and expectation. Paul speaks of the need to consistently inspect
ourselves to see what progress we have made toward achieving our spiritual
goals and how much we have grown since our last examination. We ought to
reflect on our weaknesses and make plans to guard against them so that we
will be better prepared for our next battle. This involves measuring
ourselves according to the perfect law of liberty, to evaluate our
commitment to do all that He has commanded us to do.
The standard is the word of
God. Not the elders, not the preachers, not the brethren, but the
infallible, ageless word of God. It is the revelation of the mind of God,
and it alone has the authority to tell us what we must do to be saved. It
alone has the authority to give us the principles that should guide our
behavior in how we treat one another. Examine yourself in relation to what
you have done and what the Bible says you must do. How do you measure up?
The purpose of this
progress report or self examination is to see if Christ is in us. If He is
not, then we have failed the test. Our problem is that we fill our minds
and our bodies with the filth of the world and expect Him to dwell in the
midst of it all. Think about it—is Jesus Christ in you? Right now?
In school, progress reports
were given with ample time to make the necessary corrections and changes
so that you could bring your grade up before it was finalized. If you don’t
like the report of your self examination or perhaps you failed the test,
won’t you take the time to make yourself right with God? What better way
to start this new week than with a renewed dedication and a new life.
After all, the final exam is coming.
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Copyright (C)
2008
Southside Church of Christ
All rights reserved.
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