Near the end of Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church comes this sobering line:  “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you– unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5).  I have two reactions as I read that verse:  the first is that it is a great idea to test ourselves.  After all, is our faith really genuine saving faith?  Are we sure we really know God?  Are we convinced that we will go to heaven when we die?  I can think of no more important test than to be sure that we are “in the faith,” as Paul puts it. 

The second reaction, however, is just as important:  how do we test ourselves?  How do we figure out whether or not our faith is genuine?  Is it because we go to church?  Because we do a lot of good things?  Because our parents are Christians, or because we grew up in the church?  Because we were baptized, or confirmed, or “prayed the sinner’s prayer”?  What evidence would you point to if you were asked to prove that your faith was real?

As you consider your answer, keep in mind these two challenging verses:

“You believe that there is one God. Good!  Even the demons believe that– and shudder.” (James 2:19)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”  (Matthew 7:21-23)

The first verse makes it clear that believing that Jesus is Lord and Savior, believing that God forgives, or believing anything else is true does not mean that you have saving faith.  All it does mean is that you are on par with the demons of Hell, for they also believe that there is a God and that Jesus is Lord.  So whatever saving faith is, we can be sure that it is not merely believing something is true.

The second verse makes it clear that there will be those who think they know God, who have even done great things in His name, like prophesying, driving out demons, and performing miracles, who in the end will hear those terrible words “I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers.”  If the first passage does not make you tremble, certainly the second one should, for it seems that not even calling Jesus Lord or doing great things in His name means that you have genuine, saving faith.

So how do you know you are saved?  How do you know your faith is genuine?  Are you sure that you know God, that when you die you will be in heaven? 

This Sunday, I am beginning a five week series called “Test Yourself” where I will try to answer that question Biblically.  We’ll be spending the majority of the time in 1 John, John’s first letter, which is full of “test questions” that help us discern whether or not our faith is genuine, saving faith.  As John writes near the end of his letter about the purpose of 1 John, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)  There is no more important question you could be asking yourself than that one – do I really have eternal life?  Or is my “faith” not the real thing at all?  I would encourage you to come this Sunday and find out.

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