“Examine yourselves whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Or do you not recognize yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you are unapproved?” (2 Cor. 13:5, Berean Literal Bible)
Not all of you are musicians, actors or professional speakers, but as a Christian, you are always on stage. You don’t have to step out from behind the curtain to be in front of an audience. Whether you like it or not, you are already there, and people are always judging you and evaluating Jesus Christ as they see him in you. Therefore, examine yourselves to see if your faith which you profess is genuine.
Do you ask yourself if you are careless with the truth?
Do you teach one thing and live another?
Are you prone to breaking promises?
Are you more eager to talk about Christ than to live for Him?
Are you following Christ’s example?
Your performance may not always be warmly accepted or received with applause from your peers, but “if you are living what you profess to believe, if Jesus Christ is filling your life with His presence and power, you will not only honor your blessed Lord but also gain the kind of respect that is eminently worth having.”[1]
A performance worthy of applause requires that day in and day out, Jesus Christ is lived with you and within you.
Copyright 2017 by Bill Hutzel
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[1] Walk With the King, eDevotion, August 18
Bill,
Great message & great thought provoking questions! We should preach with our lives in season & out of season. I like your example of the stage. Yes, we are being watched. In a counter culture where “good” is “evil” & “evil” is
considered to be “good” do we cave in the midst of political correctness, or do we stand firm & speak the truth in love? We shouldn’t be tossed to & fro by every wind of doctine. Thanks for making me ponder my answers to these questions & resolve not to compromise my beliefs & commitment. I have been brought with a price–the precious blood of Jesus Christ. It is no longer I that live but Christ who lives within me.
In His grip,
Cate
Thank you Cate for your thoughts. We all need to ponder those questions, including myself.
The example of the stage is a photo of my niece (Katie Hutzel Smith) during a performance of Godspell. She is a staff writer for Gateway Church in Texas (Robert Morris, pastor). Bill