To Be in the Faith

One more time let’s go back to our focal text—the passage we’re digging into. It says we have to test ourselves. Remember? Okay, so we test ourselves, but for what reason? What’s the testing about?

It’s to see whether we are in the Faith or not.

The Bible says:

Test yourselves to see if you are in the Faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test (2 Corinthians 13:5; NASB)?

So let’s say you pass the test and it’s confirmed that you are in the Faith. That’s good. But what have you proven exactly? What does it mean to prove that you are in the Faith?

Being in the Faith means you are keeping the New Covenant. In other words, if you are in the Faith, you have a religion that works. Being in the Faith is victory over sin.

Your fulfillment of your covenant commitment to God in baptism is to keep a clear conscience. You’re keeping that covenant if you're in the Faith. If you are in the Faith, you have kept your conscience clear.

If since your baptism you have continually confessed any known sin—you have remained in Christ. You remain in Christ and he remains in you. You abide in Christ and he abides in you.

Christ in You

It’s no coincidence that the Biblical principle of Christ in you is precisely this—keeping the New Covenant. If you have Christ in you it’s because you are keeping the Covenant. That’s why Jesus said at the Last Supper that people who eat his body and drink his blood [that is, people who keep the New Covenant] remain in him.

He said:                                                                                                                                                               

This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the World… my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them (John 6: 55-56).

So, here’s the big takeaway: If Christ is in you, then you are in the Faith! If you’re already in the routine, keep on doing the Lord’s Supper—just make sure you’re doing it the right way. Do it in true Christian fellowship and do it while keeping a clear conscience. If you stick with this custom, you'll be good.

Blood Speaks

Do this and the blood will speak. The blood of the Covenant will testify. It will not testify to vengeance. It will testify to mercy.

Abel’s blood testified to vengeance. Abel’s blood cried out to God that God might vindicate Abel. Poor Abel was a victim of fratricide. His brother killed him violently! So Abel's blood spoke for him.

Here's what the Bible recounts for us:

… the LORD said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ And he said, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’

Then he said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground…’ (Genesis 4:9-10; NASB)

The blood of Abel cried out from the ground screaming for vengeance. It screamed: "Retribution!" But Jesus' blood says something else. Instead of a plea for vengeance, the blood of Jesus begs for mercy. Jesus' blood cries for God's forgiveness.

Jesus shed his blood for those who seek the forgiveness of their sins. If you come to him by faith, Jesus will guarantee your forgiveness--but what is that guarantee called? It's called the New Covenant.

Pay close attention to the words of Scripture:

… you have come to… Jesus, the Mediator of a New Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:22-24; NASB).

What an important passage. You might want to read it again. But even if you don't, there are others like it. For example, John the Apostle said in his first epistle, that the blood testifies. Listen to him here:

… there are three that testify: the Spirit, and the water, and the blood… (1 John 5:7; NASB).

Let's do this again: To what does the blood testify? If it had a voice, what would Jesus’ blood say? It would say that the people who participate in it—the people who drink of the cup of the New Covenant—have God's mercy.

It would say "ransomed."

It would say "sin debt cancelled."

It would say what Jesus said on the Cross as he shed that very blood: "Paid in full." Tetelestai.

Eat and Drink

So, let's summarize: Your spiritual status of being in the Faith and of having Christ Jesus in you is confirmed when you eat Jesus’ flesh and drink his blood. The Lord’s Supper is that important, yes! Our eating the bread and drinking the wine testify to a spiritual reality: that Jesus is our life.

They are two signs that say that Jesus is in us.

Let's remember Jesus' precious words:

‘I am the Bread of Life… here is the Bread that comes down from Heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the Living Bread that came down from Heaven. Whoever eats this Bread will live forever (John 6:48-51).

At this point, you should be able to see that eating Jesus’ flesh and drinking his blood are outward actions that demonstrate an inner reality. They are physical signs but they speak of a spiritual reality. They say that you are in Christ and Christ is in you.

We have seen the Biblical evidence that these two activities prove that you are in the Faith. So, the Lord’s Supper is an outward manifestation of an inner experience. The Lord’s Supper is a physical exercise, but it demonstrates a spiritual condition. It demonstrates that Christ is in you.

Jesus is in you if he is your food and drink.

Do You Break Bread?

But is Jesus your food and drink? Is he really? Is Jesus really your life? How dedicated are you to the breaking of bread?

In the First Church, the one that was pastored by the Twelve Apostles, it was one of four things to which they devoted themselves, and we’re going to read a passage that describes very concisely the customs of that Primitive Church. But before we hear it, let's zoom in on the four things it mentions, the four things that that first group of Christians devoted themselves to:

1. the doctrine of the Apostles

2. fellowship

3. the breaking of bread

4. prayer

Note that this 4-part commitment started immediately after the Church was born, at Pentecost. On that day 3,000 people were baptized and were added to the roll. Of the activities of that Church, the first in all of human history, the Bible tells us:

… they continued steadfastly in: the doctrine of the Apostles, and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers… (Acts 2:42; NASB)

Did you get that? The first Christians continued steadfastly in:

1. sound doctrine

2. fellowship

3. the Lord's Supper

4. prayers

Think those four activities are equal? Think again. Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit, goes on to highlight only one of the four activities. Luke only reinforced one. Guess which one.

The Lord's Supper--the activity Luke calls breaking bread.

The passage goes on to say that the believers were...

... continuing daily with one accord in the Temple, and breaking bread from house to house… (Acts 2:46; NASB)

What is Your Test?

Did you get that? The members of the first Christian Church in history persevered in the breaking of bread. Day-by-day they were firm. They continued to break bread in the houses where church members lived.

What about you? Do you continue steadfastly and consistently in the breaking of bread? If not, then how do you plan on examining yourself? If the Lord's Supper is not the test you take, then what is it? What’s the test you’ve established for yourself?

Are you going to make up another ordinance to replace it? Are you going to make up another sacrament? There is no other Jesus gave us to test us this way. You must take the Lord's Supper or leave it. You don't get to fabricate your own version of Christianity. Christianity was founded by the man who said 'Do this in memory of me.' "Do this?" What did he want us to do?

But, go ahead if you want to. You're free. Make up another more palatable version of Christianity. But if you do, mind you, if you forsake the Lord's Supper, you'll still be tested. If you won't test yourself now, Jesus will test you later. He's the Judge of All and a day will come when every person will stand before him in judgment.

In the meantime, the Spirit strongly suggests that each of us ‘Test ourselves to see if we are in the Faith’ and that we do it when we break bread with the brethren. Remember: The Holy Spirit exhorts us to ‘examine ourselves’ and he warns us that we just might ‘fail the test’ (2 Corinthians 13:5). That's from our central passage of Scripture to which we've dedicated five teachings.

But has it finally become clear? We just might fail the test! You say: "I don't want to risk it. I'll just skip the test." Oh, but think again. Taking the test is better than going to Hell. Would you rather get an F on a science exam, or get kicked out of school?

What is your platform for testing your conscience? Is your test the same one Jesus set for us, the Lord's Supper? He established it so that we might scrupulously examine our conscience. Do what he said and don't avoid the inevitable.

We will all be tested sooner or later. We’ll have to stand before the Lord in judgment. So why not test yourself now? Take the Lord's Supper today with other Christians. Examine your conscience privately today, and confess your sins, or Jesus will expose them publicly tomorrow.