TSP DAILY DEVOTIONAL
PROFESSIONAL FAITH OR SOLID FAITH?
3rd June 2020
Dr. Phil Ransom-Bello
KEY SCRIPTURE/MEMORY VERSE: 2 Corinthians 13:5(MSG)
Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. I hope the test won’t show that we have failed.
From our text, we see that the believer is called to test that they are solid in the faith. You know sometimes, what you do is a reflection of what you really believe and if you notice that what you do is hardly in line with the faith, you really need to check. You must ask yourself if what you do all the time, your inclinations, desires are in line with the character of the gospel.
Now, this is not a criticism. I’m not saying you are not saved but it’s good for you to know. Prove yourselves not because you are trying to make a point. No.
The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 to study to show ourselves approved. What does that mean? It means to study to show yourself as an approved messenger of Jesus, rightly representing and dividing the word of truth. So it’s not about proving a point.
And that’s the same reason why you need to give diligent attention to your faith to see that you are really in the faith.
2 Corinthians 13:5 says to check that you are solid in the faith because some people are quite shaky. To be solid doesn’t mean that you hold a position of authority in church or you are the most prominent.
In fact, you can actually be the Senior pastor and be very professional about your job such that the real heart conversation is not even there. That is, there is no relationship with Jesus.
Recently, a popular gospel band leader who had grown up in the church all his life, identified as a Christian and had been declaring the gospel of Jesus in songs globally, made an official statement that he no longer believed in God. Think about that.
So it’s possible to do the work of ministry so diligently and excellently, lead people in church well and because God will bless His people, manifestations of the Spirit will happen but the object of your faith is not on a person but in a message. That’s dangerous.
Jesus is and must be the object of our salvation alone.
So we must give our faith a check up to be sure that it is solid. If you do this, you will definitely bear fruits of the gospel(2 Peter 1:5-8). Don’t be a professional Christian.
REFLECTION
Am I professional about my faith or am I solid in the faith?
DECLARATION
-I believe that Jesus alone is the object of our salvation.
-I am committed to check that I am solid in the faith, diligently making my calling and election sure.
-My faith is not professional. I am solid in the faith.
-Daily, consistently, I conduct regular checkups to test the genuineness of my faith.
-My actions are a reflection of my belief in the gospel and my inclinations and desires are in line with the character of the gospel.
-I am eager to study and be presented as an approved messenger of Jesus.
-My life is a testimony of one who bears fruits of the gospel.
Hallelujah!
HEARING BY THE WORD
(Recommended Listening)
Listen to Fruits of the Gospel 1 >> Dr. Phil by The StandPoint Church on #SoundCloud
