In Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth, he exhorted the believers there to do something for their own good; and I suspect that if he told many modern day churches today to do this…it would offend more than a few folks, who might respond with a bristling “How dare you!”. What was his advice he gave…?

“Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit?” (2 Cor. 13:5 AMP)

So, if you were to heed his counsel…where would you begin? What ‘checklist’ would be your ‘go to’ to start the self-exam? As I mentioned yesterday, there are plenty of sincere believers today who are suffering needlessly and are presumably ‘holding on to their faith…barely’ because they don’t seem to be thriving and living this ‘abundant life’ that Jesus came to offer us (John 10:10). And as I mentioned at the close of yesterday’s lesson…I suggested that a little ‘trouble shooting’ might be helpful, but also to recognize that trouble-shooting might mean going back to ‘Square One’ at times. So are you up for the challenge?

In Paul’s letter to the Romans…he quotes a text from the prophet Isaiah to give an assessment of man’s current and overall condition, both Jew and non-Jew alike; and it is from God’s perspective that he makes this claim:

“The way of peace they (we, us)… have not known.” (Romans 3:17; Isa. 59:8)

The. Way. Of. Peace.

We are told in scripture that Jesus was the ‘Dayspring from on high who came to visit us…we who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death…”. (Luke 1:78-79)

This was where each and every last one of us were, have been, or still are… prior to having a genuine ‘come to Jesus’ encounter, an encounter that would also include genuine ‘repentance’. If you want to see more Biblical evidence as to the plight we found ourselves in prior to such an encounter, read John 3:36 and Eph. 2:1.

The rest of that text from Luke’s gospel there spells it out in more detail stating He (Jesus) came not only to give us light…but also to guide our feet… into the way of peace.” (1:79)

May I again remind us all…that not everyone is interested in ‘coming to the light’? (John 3:19-21). But to those who do…there is no denying the life-changing transformation you are about to undergo.

We read in 2 Cor. 5:17 that “IF…any person is ‘in Christ’…they are a ‘new creation’ where ‘old things have passed away and all things have become new.”

Romans 6:4 makes the case that if one has truly been ‘buried with Christ through baptism into death…that they also should walk in the newness of life.’

I'm curious now: If asked to describe what this ‘newness of life’ might look like to you, how would you describe or explain it? And take a moment or two to think on this.

You do realize it is possible to ‘walk in a form of godliness’ …all while denying or falling short of experiencing this ‘power of God’ that brings such radical transformation (2 Tim. 3:5). And dare I say there is no shortage of people who are walking that ‘wide path’ today, this you can be sure of (Matt. 7:13-14, 21-23).

Here’s a ‘marker’ to jot down: Jesus said “by this will all men know you are My disciples- if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35). And to be clear, He wants it known that we are to ‘love others as He loved us’ (John 15:12).

People who ‘walk in a form of godliness’ can get quite busy doing a lot of ‘religious looking activity’…and still fall short of ‘passing that test’. Does 1 Cor. 13:1-8 sound familiar to anyone? You probably heard that quoted at the last wedding you attended, but go give it another quick read through now, if you would please. :- )

John offers up another marker to help us identify whether we are truly abiding in Jesus, stating that anyone who “says he abides in Him, ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6). I bet you didn’t know these ‘self-exams’ could be so uncomfortably painful, did you? But don’t quit now…this might be the most productive thing you have done to bolster your faith walk with Jesus in a very long time.

Can I just gently encourage you now by saying if it appears you might not be ‘passing the test’…better to come to grips with it now…than to wait like those folks in Matt. 7:22-23 did. I mean between them and reading the first three verses of 1 Cor. 13…surely you can see how easy it is for people to ‘think…all is well with their soul’…when it reality…It’s not; that is if you believe what the Bible says. Jesus never held back pointing this out either, reminding the people how easy it is to declare one’s love for God…’with their mouths’…while their hearts are ‘far from Him’ (Matt. 15:7-9). Simply saying ‘Lord, Lord’…might make for a quick and easy religious practice in some circles, and maybe even offer a brief reprieve of emotional release if you are going through some challenging times. But let’s not forget what Jesus made clear in Matt. 7:21…how “not everyone who says to Him, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of the Father who is in heaven”.

And here’s some more good news…there is an invitation given from God who invites us to ‘come to Him’, and those who do come to Him…He will by no means turn away (John 5:40; 6:37; Matt. 11:28-30). But it begins first with ‘repentance’, and it’s ‘His kindness and goodness that leads or brings you to this place’ (Romans 2:4).

James writes a beautiful ‘prescription’ on what this looks like in his letter (4:6-10) but it will require you to ‘humble yourself’, which is where ‘grace is found’. And if you read that text, you have another promise offered from God in whom it is ‘impossible for Him to lie’ (Heb. 6:18)…and that is when you draw near to Him…He will draw near to you…and ‘lift you up’.

Can I just tell you now…that if you move in this direction…when it happens…when He does indeed ‘draw near to you’…you will know it; I promise (Acts 3:19). But remember this…it is that ‘time of refreshing’…that you will come to know true peace. Don’t be in a hurry to ‘get up and move on as if all is fine and dandy now. Get acquainted with this place of peace because it’s the most important thing you can do in beginning this new walk with Him. It's called: 'the way of peace'.

More tomorrow…Lord willing.