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
Self-examination is a tremendous spiritual exercise.
Inward reflection, personal inspection, and an evaluation from others are enormous helps as you seek to discover "Jesus Christ in you..."
And though no one can judge another's heart, even our own heart is wicked and will deceive us; there are tell-tell signs of conversion or what I call salvation proofs.
Three things that I believe every believer must possess if they are really born-again.
These three things happen in order; they are acquired, one after the other.
I call them the three H's— Humility, Happiness, and Holiness.
First and foremost, those who possess Christ are humble.
Humility is foundational in salvation.
Acknowledging that you are a sinner in need of a Savior - - that you in no way, shape, or form can save yourself, is humility.
We are not good people coming to Christ to "get better.” We are weak, broken, miserable people, helplessly drowning in love of self, desperately in need of rescue.
And when we are rescued, we are happy.
Not fake happy, happy for the sake of being happy, smiling and carrying on like an idiot as the world burns around us— not that kind of happy.
We have joy, eternal joy.
We may be scared, shaken, and dismayed, but we are joyful; our inner-man is satisfied because he knows, come what may, we have a future hope, a better hope.
Humble and happy, we grow in holiness.
We grow in Christ-likeness.
The longer we walk this earth, the more we look like King Jesus.
We can't help but reflect Him because He is all we desire.
Do you want to test your faith? Do you want to know if you possess the righteousness of Christ?
Practice self-reflection.
Ask yourself or someone close to you, "am I humble?" "Do I seem like a joyful person?" "Do I look like King Jesus?"
Your prayer this morning, "God, examine me. If I come up short, cleanse me and draw me unto you."
Press on,
Pastor Chris
