This blog unpacks Pastor Zach Dillon’s sermon from August 25, 2024: Pass the Test

How do you know if you’re really saved?

LET’S BREAK IT DOWN:

Talk about a HEAVY topic…

but an important one.

Finishing our “Church in the Wild” series, we read from the last chapter of 2 Corinthians, where Paul writes to the Church:

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

Even centuries ago, Paul asked a question that many of us need to hear today: Does Jesus live in you?

Our culture highlights a very individualist approach to faith: This is my truth, this is my life, you can’t judge me, etc.

Often, we turn the Bible into our personal truth, and many do not understand that the Bible is the only truth.

When we examine the truths of the Gospel and its transformative powers, we gain a clear depiction of what faith is:

A living faith will always be transforming our lives.

However, a faith that fails to incite change may need to be reevaluated.

If Jesus really lives inside of us—the Living God, Emmanuel, Lamb of God—we can’t be the same person we were before we met Him.

So how do we know if Christ is inside us?

1. We experience real presence.

2. We experience real transformation.

Real presence with the Lord can be found in so many ways, but one of the greatest is His voice.

Hearing the Lord’s voice and nudging isn’t reserved just for pastors; if the Spirit of the Lord is inside of you, you have access to it.

If you’re truly saved, your prayer life is something to be tested.

When we have conversations with the Lord, are we being honest with him? Are we allowing Him to fully search our hearts? Is it a conversation or a transaction?

Faith, at times, can become transactional when we are missing the Holy Spirit within us.

Faith is a constant pursuit.

Just because we were baptized as kids, said yes to Jesus once, or even believe in Him doesn’t mean that we are truly saved.

Faith is not about works, how much we know about the Bible, or even how many services we attend.

It’s about REAL PRESENCE.

If we look back on our lives a year ago to today, can we witness change…

or have we remained stagnant?

God loves us enough to convict us of our sins.

If we are not being convicted of our sinful nature, it calls for an introspective reflection.

Eternity is too long, grace is too important, and the reality of Heaven and Hell are too real to NOT examine our faith.

If Christ is inside us, we will experience REAL TRANSFORMATION.

If you put your faith to the test, will it pass?