Examine Yourselves….Build Your "I Believe" List!

 

2 Corinthians 13:5-6(NKJV)

5Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.  Test yourselves.  Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 

6But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

In case you haven't noticed, there is a lot of false Christianity going around.  That's why I think it is good to pay attention to this Scripture.  Every now and then, examine yourself to make sure no false doctrine has snuck into your belief system.

One of the ideas that God has given me to do this is to start am "I believe" list.

Write down the things you believe.  Then go find Scripture to back it up.  In other words, make sure your beliefs are aligned with Scripture. 

Let me give you an example.

I believe that we all get "equal" salvation but that our rewards in Heaven are based on our service to God.  In other words, our salvation is free, everyone who wants it can have it, all they have to do is accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Ephesians 2:8-9(NKJV)

8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 

9not of works, lest anyone should boast. 

Our rewards in Heaven however will be different based on the service that we have provided to God. 

Psalms 18:20(NKJV)

20    The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;      According to the cleanness of my hands     He has recompensed me.

Psalms 18:24(NKJV)

24    Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,     According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

1 Corinthians 3:8(NKJV)

8Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Revelation 22:12-13(NKJV)

12“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 

13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the £Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

Have some fun with this folks.  Examine yourselves and build your own "I believe" list.  I'm sure you'll be blessed by doing it!