I had a conversation with one of the members after the gathering before lunch, and we talked about what God said to us. As he shared, another application of the passage struck like lightning. I regretted I hadn’t thought of it earlier. So I decided to write a blog post on it for the CrossViewers who would read it.
As we think about examining our faith and are careful about thoughtlessly affirming faith in others when we have reason to hesitate, I have one more exhortation for our church: Almost every Christian knows others who say they are Christians but show little to know evidence of real faith in Christ. God wants you to winsomely cause them to examine their own faith in Christ.
You can do that by telling them your doubts, challenging them regarding their sin, give them a good book on the topic, give them a list that distinguishes evidences of saving faith from faulty grounds, or just ask them thoughtful questions. But don’t make the excuse that it’s not your place. Love your neighbor and look out for their interest, not your comfort. You’ll be grateful when Christ returns that you did.
