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 Corinthians 13:5
How do we know that we are truly saved? How do we know that we are destined for heaven when we die? We need to examine ourselves and take the faith test!
If we truly have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, the following things should be realities in our lives:
- A desire to know God more
This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
John 17:3
Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God and Jesus Christ. If we have a relationship with someone that we care about, we are going to want to spend time with that person. In fact, if we truly care about them, we are going to want our relationship to grow. As we continue to learn more about the person, the more intimate we become with them. The same is true with our spiritual life. If we truly love Jesus and desire a relationship with Him, then we are going to spend time with Him. This is evidence of a saved life!
- A desire to serve Him using our spiritual gifts
…but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
Ephesians 4:15-16
Every Christian has a place of service in the church. This area of service is in accordance with the spiritual gift(s) that God has given us. To neglect the using of our spiritual gifts is to miss fulfilling our purpose in this life. It also deprives others of what we are intended to bring to their lives. As believers, it should be our desire to serve God with our lives. This is evidence of a saved life!
- A desire to study the Word of God
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
The Bible is spiritual food for our souls. Christians have had their spiritual eyes opened so that the truth of scripture is obvious to them. When we deny the power of the Bible, we demonstrate that our spiritual eyes have not been opened. When we neglect the study of the Word, we are opening ourselves up to believe philosophies that are not based on the truth of God’s Word. An authentic believer in Jesus will have a desire to study and learn more of the Bible. This is evidence of a saved life!
- A desire to be around fellow believers
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
When we do not care to be around Christian people, we expose ourselves to not be in the faith. Christians need one another because it is very difficult living a Christian life in this corrupt and perverted world. Our job is to encourage one another and to build up one another in the faith. When we neglect being with other believers, we shirk our responsibility to others and put ourselves at risk as well. Authentic believers will desire to be around other Christians. This is evidence of a saved life!
- A desire to put Christ first in all that we do
And He (Jesus) said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.”
Matthew 22:37-38
There is a stark difference between a religious person and a saved one. A religious person will participate in some ritualistic motion but that motion will not affect his/her daily life. A saved person will place Christ in the center of his/her life, making Him the priority. Everything that a Christian does is with Jesus in mind. Christians desire to follow Christ above their own dreams. When we love Jesus with all of our heart and all of our soul and all of our mind, we show ourselves to be authentic in the faith. This is evidence of a saved life!
So if we fail the faith test, what should we do? Repent! Go to God in prayer and ask Him to save you on the basis of what Jesus did on the cross. Then determine to make Jesus the priority of your life, following His leading. Plug into a local church where you will be cared for and spiritually nurtured.
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