The Test

2 Corinthians 13:5

Verse five is about taking a test, and that brings back many memories of school, and I must confess I was not a good test taker.  I have an older brother who in the fifth grade had one big complaint; he had read all the books in Oak Park Elementary library, I do not recall knowing it had a library.  My sister also was very smart and also enjoyed school, and being the youngest, I foolishly looked forward to going to school.  That ended on my first day at school!  It was a prison, it had rules like sit still, listen to the teacher, and do not move, and if you did well you would get, I’m not sure about what you were to get, I must not have gotten any.  But I do recall the test, and I had a real disdain for them.  One must know the material to take the test, and the tests were on things I had no interest in, like what is 6+6, and I only had five fingers on each hand, yes, test taking was not fun.

I looked forward to getting out of school and being free from test taking, but as I recall Burt my manager at H.E.B. required all his checkers to take a test on the produce prices.   When I went into the army they had tests, and it seemed like no matter what the job was someone was giving you a test.  And now I read that God also has a test, and it is not one you want to fail.

Have you taken the test in verse five? “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”  Did I say this is a severe test, and it’s a subject you should be an authority on, it is about your relationship with Jesus Christ?  Not what denomination you are a part of, not how much you give to support your local church, and is not based on how well you perform, it has only one question; does Jesus Christ live in you?

When I look into the mirror and take that test, Channel One the deceptive channel brings up my past performance, my judgmental thoughts, and selfishness and tells me you failed, there is no way God can love a rascal like you.

But then Channel Two kicks in, and it reminded of a hotel room in Victoria, Texas where I bowed my knee to a Holy God.  I recall the Scripture I read that night, and the actions I took, and these were those words: “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.”

That night I did something I had never done before,  confessed that I was a sinner, that I had nothing God needed, but that I had a great need for His forgiveness and Love, I needed Jesus to come into my life, and He did.  You see I read and reread verse 13, and I recalled that my dad often told us God always keeps His promises.  Verse 13, “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Did I tell you that on that night I came into that room a Baptist, and I left that room a new creation in Christ?  Being a Baptist did not change my life and whatever you are putting your hope in other than Jesus Christ, will not change yours.  So please take the test, and if you realize you failed Jesus will let you retest.  Please do not believe you can say a prayer and all is good, it must come from a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, and that means you cannot con God, so you better be serious!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice