Today’s Readings: 2 Samuel 20, 2 Corinthians 13
God wants us to feel secure in His love and power (Ephesians 1:12-14). Even if everything else – health, family, job, or education – is unstable, He is not. Yet, some of the greatest obstacles to enjoying the security of His love can be found in the New Testament itself (e.g., Romans 11:20-21, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Galatians 6:9, Colossians 1:21-23, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 1:17, Revelation 2:10).
Today, in 2 Corinthians 13, we read:
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless, of course you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. NIV.
How do I “pass” the test? According to Hebrews 3:14, we pass the test if we persevere (“We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first”). In fact, the New Testament assumes that those who persevere in their faith are watchful over their salvation. See Matthew 25, 1 Peter 5:8, Philippians 2:12.
Yet, how many of us treat our salvation like a one-time act (e.g., walking down an aisle, getting baptized, or going through confirmation) rather than a vigilant desiring or treasuring of God?
