Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

2 CORINTHIANS 13:5

The Bible says that it is a good thing to constantly assess who we are and what we are doing in the Lord. God's word tells us to take heed to our way and to look at the paths that we are taking.

I sometimes get e-mails asking, "Who do you think you are? Some expert?" No, I don't count myself to have apprehended, I'm just a disciple fighting to stay with my Jesus. There is a war going on--my flesh wants to serve me, while the Spirit of God wants me to serve God. Everyday I must make a conscious decision about who to follow--me or Jesus Christ.

This article is written for me as well as anyone else who is interested in pondering the paths that they are taking. I am sorry to say that there are many people today who profess Christ but do not know Him and have a false hope. Scriptures such as Matthew 7:21-23 bear witness to this fact. Without further adieu, our examination.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Who Are You?

Are you...

1. A person patiently looking for a better country [heaven]; or,

2. A person content in Satan's world; or,

3. A person content in Satan's world but nervous because you want to go to that far country.

Let's put it another way. Are you...

1. A person with saving faith in Jesus; or,

2. A person who does not have saving faith in Jesus; or,

3. A person who has professed faith in Jesus, but lives like Satan's world.

This page is designed to be a measuring stick whereby we can assess our spiritual well-being based on the word of God. I will not include much commentary here accept to say:

• Saving faith in Jesus is BORN OUT OF TRUE REPENTANCE of our sins--saying, "the sinner's prayer" is not a magic formula for getting saved--you've got to repent and believe in Jesus.
• Saving faith will be accompanied by Christ-like fruits--it's a law. The fruits don't save but they are evidence that a person belongs to Christ.
• Reading Hebrews, James and I John in connection with the following list of verses will be helpful. I have by no means exhausted all verses dealing with the evidences of true faith--they are found throughout the entire Bible from Abel to the New Testament church. This is simply a potpourri of verses for your consideration.

Child-like faith and trust in God are required.

Matthew 18:3 And [Jesus] said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye SHALL NOT enter into the kingdom of heaven.

listen and take instructions from God as a child would

We Must Endure to the End.

Matthew 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Mark 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Hebrews 6:15 And so, after he [Abraham] had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Hebrews 11:27 By faith he [Moses] forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Hebrews 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Hebrews 6:15 And so, after he [Abraham] had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job [he refused to curse God even in the midst of terrible circumstances], and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

What Kind of Ground Are You?

Hear the parable of the sower from Mark 4:3-9:

Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Hear the explanation of the parable of the sower from Mark 4:10-20:

The sower soweth the word.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

Which category do you fit in?

Lip Service Won't Get You Into Heaven.

Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

If you are serious about the Lord, you will do His will.

John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

John 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Matthew 7:24-27 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Your life is known by its fruits--are you bearing Christ-like fruits?

Matthew 7:16-20 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, PURGE your conscience FROM DEAD WORKS TO SERVE THE LIVING GOD? [when you have Christ, service to God follows]

Take heed, believer, lest you depart from God.

Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

2 Peter 1:10-11 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief [Israelites in the wilderness].

2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

2 Peter 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Hebrews 6:4-6, 8 For it is impossible for those who were once ENLIGHTENED, and have TASTED of the heavenly gift, and were made PARTAKERS of the Holy Ghost,

And have TASTED the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

IF they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we sin wilfully AFTER that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath TRODDEN UNDER FOOT the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith HE WAS SANCTIFIED, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 10:38-39 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

But we are not of them who DRAW BACK unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Hebrews 12:17...when he [Esau] would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected [he sold his birthright]: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Not everyone that professes Christ knows Him--those that don't will depart from the faith.

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but THEY WENT OUT, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

2 John 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and ABIDETH NOT in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Conclusion of the Matter.

Philippians 2:12, ... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Hebrews 12:28-29 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.