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! i hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. but we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. [2 cor 13:5-7]
we are so quick to hold others accountable, to point out their sin- even comparing it to our own. we are often quick to speak to the sin in nonbelievers’ lives instead of first sharing the truth and love of the gospel.
how can you say to your brother, ‘let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? you hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. matthew 7:4-5
our posture has to first be open for the Lord to search our own hearts for sanctification, edification and correction before wanting it for others.
prove me, o Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. psalm 26:2
there is a moment where you were dead in the trespasses of our sin but then brought to new life in Christ.
there is a moment where you are a new creation.
there is a moment where you were an orphan and are now a son or daughter adopted into the kingdom of God.
for some, that moment is one that you will never forget because Jesus radically changed your life. for others, you’ve never experienced that moment, never truly receiving and believing that Jesus is Lord and Savior over your life.
when was that moment for you?
~ natalie schmidt