2 Corinthians 13.5 challenges, test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless you fail the test.

What does it look like to see Jesus Christ in us? The simple answer seems to be that His character and His purpose would be demonstrated by us if He truly lived within us. So what did His character and purpose look like?

The character of God is perhaps best summarized by the fruit of the Spirit of God. God is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Our nature should reflect these things if indeed the Holy Spirit, Who is God, lives within us.

Likewise we should forgive those who do evil to us even as Jesus forgave those who crucified Him. We should serve as He served for the greatest of all is the servant of all and we all aspire to be great. In summary, our character should be that of a servant who loves unconditionally and sacrificially the people around us in the way God loves everyone.

Our purpose is to do the will of Him Who made us, even as Jesus’ purpose was to do the will of Him Who sent Him. The will of God is for all men to be reconciled to God through Jesus the Savior. This process of reconciliation is done by the people of God sharing with others the word of God that describes the work of God in order for all people to be reconciled to God.

This is to be the primary purpose for our lives reflected in our prayers, our words, our thoughts and our actions: moving our neighbor from death to life in Christ. If we are ever growing in our Christlikeness, in our character, and growing in our intentionality in winning people to Christ for eternity, we pass the test and have confidence that our salvation is sure.