“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. And I hope you will recognize that we ourselves do not fail the test.” 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 CSB https://bible.com/bible/1713/2co.13.5-6.CSB

How would you recognize Jesus in you? What does passing the test of faith look like? What did it look like for Paul, who claimed to have passed the test? In summary of Paul’s work among the Corinthians, it appears passing the test meant living a holy life obedient to the teachings of Jesus, for some of the Corinthians had wandered from his teaching. He wrote to the Church to bring them back to conformity to the Lord’s will. It also meant as Paul validated his apostleship to the Corinthians, diligent and faithful service to the work of God. Paul defined his allegiance to Jesus by his suffering for Jesus in obedience to His command to make disciples. Passing the test means assessing our obedience to Jesus’ commands, measuring our fruitfulness in winning people to Jesus, and discipling them in their faith. How many in our churches are receiving passing grades on this test? To pass the test, we must prepare well. It is our time in the word of God learning the commands of God that prepares us to obey God. Likewise, it is time in prayer to God for the will of God to be accomplished on earth as it is in heaven, making ourselves available to God as workers in His ripe harvest to answer that prayer that will determine our fruitfulness in the work of God. If we do not study God’s word and pray for its fulfillment in us and through us, we will probably not pass the test. God will decide on our performance and reward us for obedience to His commands and fruitfulness in His work.