Authentic Christians Learn: Self Assessment

But we are bound to give thanks alway 

 to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord,

 because God hath from the beginning chosen

 to salvation  through sanctification of the 

Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto He 

called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of 

the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore,

 brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions 

which ye have been taught, whether be word, 

or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself,

 and God, even our Father, which hath loves us,

 and hath given us everlasting consolation 

and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, 

and stablish you in every good word and work.

2Thessalonians 2:13-17 

         History is an account of all that went before, whether it be good from or bad.  To not know history is to repeat history and often that repeating history is repeating of the bad.  This is true unless we take time to review our history learning from all that went before so that we learned not to repeat the bad but learn to repeat the good. Authentic Christians will look back on the actions that predate their newfound Authentic Christian Faith and when the bad is known an Authentic Christian there is a feeling of shame and sorrow.  This only occurs when a person is truly repented of their sins and have turned her life around so as to follow the commands of Jesus.  Authentic Christians do not tolerate or condone those actions that are clearly outside of God's will.  Authentic Christians will warn others about such behavior and do all they can both within the church and with them the political systems to write that which is wrong because it's contrary to the will of God.  Authentic Christians are not one who live in a state of self-deception because as an Authentic Christian you have learned to have wisdom that you can offer to others keeping them from a life of shame and degradation showing them the way it themselves from those devised scheme is that attempt to destroy the true state of their heart and reminds him of their desperate need for Jesus Christ.  Authentic Christians are not complacent!

     Paul in Romans chapter 13 remind us that we have a responsibility to higher authorities, and that means those who are leaders in our government as well as leaders in our church.  How often do I hear prayers and the cry out to stop abortion that it's always been done and there is little actual action to stop such an atrocity as abortion. Prayer is often a substitution for action.  It is one thing to say that this needs to be done and when you have the ability to do that each needs to be done and are not doing it than you are tacitly approving of the evil that is being done.  It is time to worry about social or political correctness, and I'm not talking about political correctness as the world sees political correctness no but to examine that which our government is attempting to make laws that are contrary to Scripture that we do something about it.  One right way is to VOTE!  Some will say it's not spiritual to do these things, and that is hogwash.  Authentic Christians have a responsibility to their loved ones and to their friends, and those friends can be Christian or non-Christian, but in either case An Authentic Christian has a responsibility.  Too often all this talk is nothing more than rhetoric.  Time can be your friend or it can be your enemy.  In the time you have on this or from many who would want to miss going in if you are one who is misguided than you are culpable for the shattered lives of your children and loved ones. Does this sound serious?  yes!
     The hint about Authentic Christianity for today: look acting to your history and find both the good and the bad and make the necessary changes that will bring about good consequences for both you, your loved ones, your friends, and for the nation.

 For I am the LORD, your God,
     who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, do not fear:
     I will help you.
                    Isaiah 41: 13

take your assessment test

Richard L. Crumb  

Self-Deception vs Self-Evaluation

This know also, that in the last days

perilous times shall come. For men shall be

 lovers of their own selves, covetous,

  boasters, proud, blasphemers,

 disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 

without natural affection, truce breakers, 

false accusers, incontinent, 

fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

traitors, heady, highminded, 

lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

 having a form of godliness, but denying 

the power thereof: from such turn away.

2Timothy 3:1-5 

     The words of Paul to Timothy not only applied to those based Timothy apply to men and women and is so clearly seen in the historical facts of nations and peoples. the facts of history are the same facts of today and it's clearly manifested in the way people live, speak, act, not only with in the secular world that same cultural Christianity and in their churches.  Self-deception is common for all men and women and this self-deception is reinforced by those who have come to believe, as Paul stated, a gospel that is not the Gospel.  A common denominator of mankind is that they hate change and will not, or afraid to, ask questions because they are afraid of the answers.  And all saying "we never done it this way before," causes men and women to not ask questions and to believe that which is sounding so good to their ears.  Men and women love to be entertained and in some churches in the entertainment is what draws people to that church and often that entertainment is much like that of the secular world.  Oh!  There may be Christian words within the lyrics of a song, yet that song is sung by men and women with ear rings through their noses and eyebrows, tattoos all over their body and hair that is camp and dancing around the like some lunatic.  This causes such euphoric reaction, and the emotional reaction that many think that they're being led to godliness. God is looking for Authentic Christian Faith, not just intellectually, for men and women who have a heart filled passion for the truths of the Bible according to the Bible and then put that Authentic Christian Faith into action.

     The only certainty of life is death.  Another certainty of life is change.  At various times in the history of a man and woman self-deception comes in various forms and manners and this can only be confronted with proper self evaluation.  A person must have an accurate assessment of themselves, with this assessment we need to focus on that area of our life that causes us the most to be susceptible.  Many women not to be careful when they use some sort of strength or virtue that comes naturally to a person's disposition and into use as a guide to our true state.  The evaluation we need to use in our life is to judge ourselves in exactly the opposite way, that is, to focus on our weaknesses and meant to focus on our strengths.  A good result of this self-evaluation is where a person allows themselves to not settle for less than what God requires.  This would mean of course: YOU MUST DENY YOURSELF!  To combat sin, a sin that we know much about and in this time in our life were able to win this battle is not a time to let our guard down for their ascendance that were not as aware of and they can creep in unannounced.  This does not mean that if you come to understand that there is this problem and you are the problem then you have the solution, you need to change your self from the inside/out, you must consider your faith.  Temptations come and they go, a new form of a temptation will come and it will go but if there is no true transformation than whether it is a known sin or one that is not known who will fall short of being an Authentic Christian.

     The hint for today: take time to self evaluate and use the Bible as the litmus test.  

All a man's way seems innocent to him,

     but motives are weighed by the LORD.

Commit to the LORD what ever you do,

     and your plans will succeed.

                       Proverbs 16: 1 -- 2

Take the Test Today

Richard L. Crumb

Authentic Christian Faith Hint Of The Day

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed 

about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 

let us lay aside every weight, and the sin 

which doth so easily beset us, and let us 

run with patience the race that is set before us, 

looking unto Jesus the author and finisher 

of our faith; who for the joy that was 

set before Him endured the cross, despising

the shame, and is set down at the 

right hand of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

 

      The Bible clearly teaches what it means to be an Authentic Christian.  Furthermore, the Bible teaches us that we are to examine all the things and to hold fast to that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5: 21).  The Greek word for "test" is in the imperative, therefore we are to begin doing something we may not have been doing and it is not a suggestion that it is a command.  Without this testing how can a person come to know whether or not that which they believe is "true faith" or is simply a shallow substitute?  Authentic Christians are not afraid to study the Bible and to also study that which has been told to them that may not be of the Bible, in fact, it may be another gospel.  You cannot know unless you examine one thing over another or against another and this is something that is good research.

      Men and women, even children, are inclined when they do this testing, or research into the absorbed in their own predispositions and this looks out over your inquiry.  In fact if you are looking at her so you will think better of yourself than the facts actually warrant.  It is a problem, it's not impossible, it just takes some work so that you will not become self deceived.  Earlier in this study in regarding Authentic Christianity we learned about our fault and nature and we can certainly see the fallen nature of men by means of selfishness for that is at the root of the problem.  In fact, this is why Communism or Socialism will not work; greed the outworking of selfishness is always a work in Man and there are always those who want more and are even willing to take it from others.  Due to our selfishness it is difficult to avoid acknowledging the truth about ourselves, our selfishness.  So word ego seems to have a negative connotation but that's not true simply can't be at times a problem used wrongly, but it is not as it is by our egos that we attempt to defend ourselves.  This is a problem because of this trust is us not to scrutinize ourselves and the result is that we tend to overrate our positive qualities and overlook or negative qualities.  Therefore, we must be careful in our self evaluation and always take into consideration the nature of the selfish ego because it does not always give us the ability to clearly evaluate even our own morality.

     What do we do?  First, we need to see our true state as God sees it.  If this is not done and you will not arrive at the truth and in fact you will carry on in your life and become less and less an Authentic Christian. you and I both have this problem so these words are not only view that date are especially for me as I write them so that I do not fool myself cause me not to grow in the grace and sanctification of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We must see ourselves against the purity of God and always remember that he has the ability to know what's better than we know ourselves.  God is God!  God does not live in time for He sees everything from its beginning even unto it's end;so who better to teach us how to self evaluate and this He has done for He has revealed what we need in Scripture. God already knows about our problems, He knows about our failures,  even before we barely recognize, that is if the even do recognize, our problems and failures.  We have a built-in defense system that defense system is always attempting to protect us, that can be both good and bad all depends on how we are using that defense system.  If we misuse this defense system or not recognize its importance as to how we see things this defense system will begin to lose its effectiveness and we will become dull and the convictions of our acts and attitudes of the contrary to the will of God and His Holiness.  I believe that at times, at least for the most of us, we have been remorseful and during this time we often turn to faint recognition, yet, God still knows all about those actions.  Think of the implications of this observation by God for the person who has never had an Authentic encounter with Jesus Christ, or who has never embraced the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross that is the payment for sin, and that's sin of man is death, and also by that debt being paid for all who put their faith in Jesus Christ their sins can be remitted.  Do not be confused, this remission will only be complete when you reach heaven and on till then the consequences do not go away. We must remember this: consequences of fact both you and others and often last throughout many generations.  Is this serious?  Yes!  Think about this: a person who is not embraced Jesus Christ by their repentance and belief upon him will, just like you, have to appear before the judgment seat (Revelation 20: 11 -- 15).  Here is a great joy for once you have as an Authentic Christian searched out the truth from the Bible, not from some man-made doctrine, or creed, but that which is actually said in Scripture and have come to the knowledge that it is Jesus Christ people need to know, then you have the joy and responsibility to bring back the Gospel to every one.we will all appear before the judgment seat and all that we have said and done and have committed will be revealed in His presence. In some ways I look forward to the time because that means that God has ended this world and all its sin and is now making the final judgment removing all sin and those who have believed upon his son whom he sent to save and to pay that debt owed to him for the joy of everlasting life.  But, we will see ourselves as God sees us, not only as previously sinners, for we see ourselves redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

     Here is a hint of the day: self evaluation by using the word of God to show what we are and what we can become.

 

Praise be to the LORD my Rock,

    Who trains in my hands for war,

my fingers for battle.  He is my

    loving God and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

    my shield, in whom I take refuge,

who subdues peoples under me.

 

This is true of Jesus and can be true for you

 

Richard L. Crumb