Christian Self-Examination: Are We Qualified in Our Belief?
A Christian wanted to offer up 10 dollars at the end of a church service. Unexpectedly, he put a 100-dollar bill into the offering box. He regretted it very much. So he went to the pastor, asking him to give the 90 dollars back to him.
“What should I do?” said the pastor. “The money has gone into the church fund.”
“All right. Think of it as an extra donation of $90 to God.” The man said dejectedly.
“No. Actually you haven’t donated more money. God only received 10 dollars from you.” said the pastor.
After reading this story, I thought of the Bible saying, “Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver” (2Co 9:7). God likes and wants man to gladly offer, spend, and give up for Him. If we do not expend for Him willingly but do so for show or going through a formality, only to show that we are still Christians, then what will God think of us, who have such an attitude and behavior in our belief in God? When the Lord Jesus exposed hypocritical Pharisees, He said, “Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation” (Mar 12:38–40). In contrast to the scribes and Pharisees, when a poor widow offered up two coins, the Lord Jesus praised her and said, “Truly I say to you, That this poor widow has cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living” (Mar 12:43–44).
From the Lord’s assessments of different people, we can see that God is a God who is holy, faithful, and does not permit Him to be deceived. When He requires us to make offering to Him, He won’t get pleased because of our expensive offering, or because of our good outward behavior, but He cares about whether we truly and gladly spend ourselves for Him from our hearts.
Then I thought of the hymn “The Truly Blessed People”, “Blessed are those who bear genuine love towards God today. Blessed are those who submit to God. They will surely stay in His kingdom. Blessed are those who have knowledge of God. They’ll surely wield power in His kingdom. Blessed are those who seek after God. They’ll surely escape from Satan’s bonds and enjoy blessing in God. Blessed are those who can forsake themselves. They will surely enter into God’s possession. They will inherit the bounty in God’s kingdom, the bounty in God’s kingdom. God will commemorate those who run around for His sake. God will joyfully embrace those who go to expense for His sake. God will give enjoyment to those who make offering to Him. God will bless Those who find enjoyment in God’s words. They’ll surely be the pillars that hold up the ridgepole in His kingdom. They’ll surely have matchless bounty in His house, and no one can compare with them.”
Today, let us examine our own views on our belief in God. Do we only hope to gain blessings and grace, or do we walk in His way and pursue knowledge of God so as to love Him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind?
In our daily life, do we often seek the Lord’s will and practice His words to achieve fearing God and shunning evil? Or do we follow the world trends indulgently and unrestrainedly to give free rein to the spread of sin and enjoy the pleasures of sin?
When we pray to God, do we open our heart and speak truthfully to Him without reservation, or do we deceive and fool Him by saying a few words at will?
When we read God’s words, do we contemplate His will and His requirements in every word of Him? Or do we read them perfunctorily only to go through the daily rituals of Christian life?
When it is time for church meeting, are we just observing religious rituals, or do we attend the meetings with our heart and want to understand some truths in every meeting so as to practice them in our daily life?
If we have never been serious and careful about these things, then shouldn’t we ask ourselves whether our belief can satisfy God? And from now on, how should we treat these problems?
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