Received or… D E C E I V E D
Examine Yourselves… 2 Corinthians 13:5
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Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you not recognize for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? --- unless you fail the test. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Paul was speaking to the Corinthians who were questioning the validity of his apostleship even though he had been the one to teach them. If he was a false apostle then they were false Christians. Paul turned it around where they needed to test themselves to see if they were truly in the faith. To examine one’s self is still a need today. Because of today’s teachings of easy believism, health, wealth, and prosperity, throw in “under grace/not law” taken out of context, many are deceived. They have been misled into believing they are “Christians” when, according to Biblical standards, they are not. Paul stated it well, “examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith.” Paul had asked the Corinthians did they not realize Jesus Christ in them and ended with “unless you fail the test.” The Greek word for “fail the test” is “ADOKIMOS” and is a negative particle which means unapproved, i.e. rejected, by implication, worthless (literally or morally): --- castaway, rejected, reprobate. As one can see, this is not some little pop quiz to see what rewards one may or may not receive, but rather the ultimate in exams. Each one needs to examine themselves as to whether real or counterfeit. Whether received or deceived. Examining the faults of others is not on the test. One is to reflect on their own moral lifestyle as seen by a lost and dying world. Each person must inspect his or her own heart to see what motivates personal behavior. Why? And just as it is appointed for people to die once --- and after this, judgment --- Hebrews 9:27 Time is not one's own and time is running out. TODAY IS EXAMINATION DAY !
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About the Book
"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
Mahatma Gandhi
For even one person to make a statement such as this should reveal there is a problem and a shame that needs correcting!
Doing great "good works," no matter how moral or determined, is not going to get one into the Kingdom of Heaven, or worse yet, keep one out of the depths of hell. Being a "good person," the descendant of "good people," proper church attendance, or hopefully the scales will balance out in the end, will not open heaven's door.
Today, many are deceived believing they are heaven bound for the hereafter while hell-bent in the here and now. How does the visible "church" today present Christ to a lost world, when today's "church members" are contributors to that lost and dying world?
There is a day of accountability coming when "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess" called Judgment Day. All of God's plan is based on eternity. History is the revelation of eternity past. Man is in eternity present while here on earth. Everyone will enter eternity future immediately after their final breath.
God did not provide many ways for man to be "received." He provided and designated one way and one Person - Himself, in flesh form, in the Person of Jesus Christ. Pride, arrogance and deception keep people from accepting this Sacrifice.
On Judgment Day "religious" talk will not work. Obedience is the criteria by which man will gain entrance into or be rejected from the Kingdom of Heaven. With true salvation comes a personal and obedient relationship with Jesus Christ.
This is written to those who believe they have been received BUT... may very likely be deceived.
EXAMINE YOURSELVES
2 Corinthians 13:5
About the Author
The Author is a sinner saved by God’s grace, mercy, and compassion. Coming out of the lying, dark world of deception into the “light” provided by Jesus Christ has been an eye opener, not to mention a heartache, to see others as deceived as I once was. Only the location is different, as these deceived are within the “church.” This has not been written for judging others … only observing and while observing … examining, ONLY myself.