The Test of a True Believer*
There is a billboard that says: "A true believer in Jesus obeys His word." Would you be able to pass this test? Mahatma Gandhi remarked that he had never seen a Christian act like Jesus, or he would become a Christian.
The apostle Paul wrote with stern correction to the Church at Corinth, which was known for its worldly and sinful ways. He concluded his letter, saying: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus is in you, except ye be reprobates (not approved, not standing the test)?...Now I pray to God that ye do no evil...that ye should do that which is honest....For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection...Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." (2 Cor. 13:1-11, excerpt). We are to walk in the Lord Jesus, who said that He always does the things that please His Father in heaven. Many believed in Him as He said this. Jesus then said to those of the Jews who believed Him: "If ye continue in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jn. 8:29-32). Jesus also wanted His disciples to know and live the truth - of His words and of Him, because He was and is Truth. He said that He was the way, the truth and the life. He and His words, as truth, make us free from servitude to sin (v. 34). Paul wrote above that we, as approved and proven believers, were to know that this Jesus, the truth, is in us, and walk accordingly.
Jesus said that those who continued in His word were indeed His disciples. Jesus delivered His word to them and to us: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
The Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the Pharisees, who did believe in the resurrection of the dead, would always send those who were supposedly experts in the scriptures to test and challenge or trap Jesus. They thought they were testing Jesus, but Jesus was really testing them! In one example, a lawyer (nomikos - an interpreter and teacher of the Mosaic law) was sent by the Pharisees to ask Jesus a question regarding the Law of Moses. He asked, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus answered: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Mt. 22:34-40). As this exchange is recorded in Luke's Gospel, the lawyer, wanting to feel justified that he was obeying these commandments, asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus answered with the account of the Good Samaritan.
Jesus told the lawyer that a certain man was attacked, stripped and robbed as he traveled on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. They robbers left the man half dead on the road. Two men walked past the wounded man, a priest and later, a Levite. Both of these men, when they saw him, crossed the road to the other side and passed by the wounded man..."But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee." (Lk. 10:27-35).
Samaritans were despised by the Jewish people of the time as being "half-breeds," and as those who, in their religious opinion, did not follow the Law of Moses as it was written. Jesus then asked the lawyer this question: "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?" The lawyer answered, "He (meaning the Samaritan) that showed mercy on him.' Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." (v. 36-37).
Our nation is divided in many ways by racial, ethnic and gender prejudice, economic class, political leanings and more. We say that we are a Christian nation, but many, even in the Church, are part of the problem instead of part of the solution because they do not obey or live the words of Christ, while Jesus is instead saying to us, "Go, and do thou likewise," showing mercy and compassion as the Samaritan did above.
John, the beloved, the apostle who was closest to Jesus throughout His ministry, wrote of the words, principles and truth of Jesus to the Church. John wrote: "Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness...that darkness hath blinded his eyes....I write unto you little children, because you have known the Father...Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him...For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever...I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth." (1 Jn. 2:7-28, excerpt). Whether we are of the light of God and truth or in the darkness of the world and lies, is reflected in the love of the Lord God and the love of one for another, or the lack of it.
John wrote that God has called us His children, and when He appears, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is: "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he (the Lord) is pure." (1 Jn. 3:1-3). Unrighteousness, sin and hating the brethren is not of God. Do we justify ourselves, like the lawyer who questioned Jesus, by asking, "Who are my brethren, who is my neighbor?" This will not pass the test.
Just as we are to test ourselves in these things, we are also to test the spirits. Not every spirit is of God, either those found in ourselves or in the world. The Spirit which is of God testifies that Jesus came in the flesh. The spirit that is not of God does not testify of this and is antichrist, of which there are many in the world. We must test the spirits that try to influence us because He (the true Spirit of God, and Jesus Christ) that is in us is greater than anything in the world: "Hereby we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love...And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also." (1 Jn. 4:1-21, excerpt).
Again, here is the test by which we must test ourselves as told to us repeatedly by Jesus and His apostles. Are we abiding in the commandment of Jesus? Do we love our brother as we love God? Could we pass this test? How do we look at others and treat others? Have we allowed other untried and untested spirits to have influence over our lives that are not the Spirit of God?
John continued: "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments...For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith...And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." (1 Jn. 5:1-21, excerpt).
Jesus said that if we continue in His word, His commandment ("love one another"), we are His disciples indeed. Do we pass this test? We will all have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
*Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 11/8/26 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at the Kenneth Stevenson channel. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, which is evidence of Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. Also the book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling, written by Dr. Stevenson, is available on Amazon.
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