HOW TO PASS THE FAITH TEST

Text- 2 Corinthians 13:1-10

Introduction


This morning we are going to continue with our study from the book of Second Corinthians.

As we do this, we come to the final chapter in this letter.

Our text is found in 2 Corinthians 13:1-10 and the title of my message is, "How To Pass The Faith Test."

As Paul wrote to this church he wanted them to become more involved in the Lord's ministry.

In the opening chapters of this book we learned that there were those who had accused Paul of not being a true Apostle.

Throughout this book they have consistently condemned him for the things he had done in his ministry.

Oftentimes, those who are quick to condemn others are usually guilty of worse sins themselves.

When it comes to being involved in the Lord's ministry instead of examining one another we need to examine ourselves.

Matthew 7:1-5  Do not judge, or you too will be judged.   2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.   3 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?   4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?   5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  (NIV)

A man was having a hard time communicating with his wife and decided that she be getting hard of hearing.  So he decided to test her hearing without her knowing about it.

One evening he sat in a chair on the far side of the room.  Her back was to him and she couldn't see him.  Very quietly he whispered, "can you hear me?"  He heard no response.

Moving a little closer, he asked again, "Can you hear me now?"  Still he heard no reply.

Quietly he got closer and whispered the same words, but still he didn't hear her say anything.

Finally, he moved right in behind her chair and said, "Can you hear me now?"  To his surprise his wife turned around in her chair and with irritation in her voice replied, "Cor the fourth time, yes!"

Most of us criticize others to cover up for the same or worse faults in our own lives.

Sometimes we find fault with others simply to make ourselves look and feel better.

We also tend to find fault with someone when in fact we are the one in the wrong, not the other person.

Here in our text I would like us to concentrate primarily on verse 5.

There Paul says, "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?"

There are three things Paul tells the church in Corinth and us today that we need to do and if we want to pass the faith test.