音频：

视频：

•5你们总要省察自己是否在信仰中生活；你们要考验自己。除非你们经不起考验，你们自己岂不应该知道有耶稣基督在你们里面吗？6我希望你们知道，我们并不是经不起考验的人。7我们祈求　神使你们不做任何恶事；这不是要显明我们是经得起考验的，而是要你们行事端正，即使我们似乎经不起考验也没有关系。8我们不能做任何对抗真理的事，只能维护真理。9当我们软弱而你们刚强时，我们也欢喜。我们所祈求的是：你们能成为完全人。10所以，我不在你们那里的时候，把这些话写给你们，好使我见你们的时候不用照主所给我的权柄严厉地待你们；这权柄原是为造就人，而不是为摧毁人。

你是如何检验自己，看看你是不是一个真正的信徒呢？当我想要弄清楚人们相信什么，我经常使用一个测试。一个非常简单的问题。“如果你死了，站在上帝面前，他问你为什么要让你进天堂，你会说什么?”答案就像福音一样简单。“因为耶稣死了，他去除了我的罪。”当我听到那些自认为是基督徒的人回答说：“我想自己是个好人，我努力遵守十诫，”或者类似的回答，我经常感到很惊讶。你要么相信耶稣，要么相信你自己，真的没有中间立场。当你死的时候，你已经没有第二次机会来更正了。

我们应该经常省察自己的信心。或许你可以用一些简单的问题来帮助省察。我是否相信自己有罪，得罪了上帝并只配得他的忿怒？我是否相信耶稣已经在十字架上为我的罪付了赎价，我已经完全并白白地被赦免？我是否为自己的罪感到懊悔，并想要在上帝的恩典下悔改？在我接受圣餐礼的时候，我是否相信耶稣的真身体和宝血与饼和酒一同赐给我，使我确信我已罪得赦免？我们应该经常省察自己，甚至每天都省察自己，尤其是在我们领圣餐之前。

祷告：主耶稣，我向你祷告，当我省察自己对你的信心时，我永远可以通过检验。我确实相信你。我相信你是上帝的儿子，你是为我所有的罪而死。愿你赐恩给我，使我永远忠心新靠你，直到我和你在天堂相见。阿们。

2 Corinthians 13: 5 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? 6 And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7 Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong—not so that people will see that we have stood the test but so that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. 8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9 We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored. 10 This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.  (NIV)

How do you test yourself to see if you are really a believer or not?  I used to use a test when I wanted to find out what people believed.  It was a simple question. “If you died and stood before God in heaven, and he asked you why he should let you into heaven, what would you say?”  The answer is as simple as the gospel. “Because Jesus died to take away my sins.” I was often surprised when people who thought they were Christians answered by saying, “I think I am a good person. I try to keep the Ten Commandments.”  Or something like that.  Either you believe in Jesus or you believe in yourself. There really is no middle ground. And when you die, you will not get a second chance to get it right.”

        We should examine ourselves often. In the front of the hymnal we use, there are Luther’s questions that you can use to examine yourself before you go to the Lord’s Supper.  There are twenty one questions, but you can reduce them to just a few. Do I believe that I have sinned against God and deserve only his wrath? Do I believe that Jesus paid for my sins on the cross, and that I am fully and freely forgiven?  Am I sorry for my sins and intend with the grace of God to repent of them?  Do I believe that Jesus’ body and blood are given to me with the bread and wine in this sacrament to assure me of my forgiveness?   We ought to examine ourselves regularly, even daily, but especially before we come to the Lord’s Table.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, I pray that I will never fail the test when it comes to believing in you!  I do believe. I believe that you are the Son of God, and that you died for all my sins.  Grant me your grace to remain faithful to you until I am with you in heaven.  Amen.