Spiritual Health

2 Corinthians 13:5

“5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test!”

In Paul’s visits and letters to the Corinthian church, Paul’s primary concern was for the spiritual health of the Christians in Corinth. If they were truly in the faith, then they would know that Jesus Christ lived inside them. The Holy Spirit would be at work within them, transforming them, giving them a thirst for righteousness, and they would be exhibiting the fruits of the Spirit. But if their lives showed no evidence of the Spirit’s activity, then Jesus Christ was not indwelling them. 

Paul asked the Corinthian Christians to examine themselves for the fruits of the spirit.  To ask themselves if they were living lives characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

This is something all Christians should do even today, each year; examine yourself by taking a deep inventory of your spiritual life; 

Start by reading the teachings of Jesus; 

ask yourself if you live a life that is a reflection of those teachings; 

do you live a life that is characterized by the fruits of the spirit; 

are you a reflection of God’s love on earth; 

are you the light that shines in the darkness for others?

Is Christ in you?

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)