True Israel
Romans 9:6–12
For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel. Romans 9:6

How can we be sure we are Christians? There are a number of specific questions to be answered as we examine ourselves.

1. Do I believe on Christ? The first requirement is faith, because faith is our point of contact with the gospel. Ask yourself, Have I believed on Jesus? Not, Have I believed on him in broad cultural terms? But rather, Have I been touched by the knowledge of Jesus’s death for me and have I committed myself to him? Am I serious about following after Christ, obeying his commands, and pleasing him?

2. Am I following after Christ? The first question leads to the next: Am I actually Jesus’s follower? The way Jesus called his followers was by the words, Follow me. And when they did follow him, their lives were inevitably redirected. Nobody who has begun to follow Jesus Christ has ever been entirely the same or walked in the same paths afterward. So ask yourself: Has my life been redirected? Is there anything I am doing now that I did not do before or would not be doing were I not committed to Jesus? And are there things I have stopped doing? Is Jesus my very own Lord and Savior?

3. Do I testify to Christ? This is a harder point for true self-examination, because it is easier for some to talk about Jesus than for others. Nevertheless, this is an important question and one worth asking. If you never speak to anyone about Jesus, how can you suppose that you really care about him and love him, not to mention caring about and loving the other person, who needs to receive the Savior?

4. Am I learning about Christ? Am I trying to learn more and more about Jesus Christ? Do I know more about him today than I did at the time of my conversion? Or at this time last year? How can you think of yourself as a Christian when you have no interest in learning about the One who gave himself for you?

Christian leaders say we need a revival. But what is a revival? A revival is the reviving of the alleged people of God, and it is preceded by an awakening in which many who thought themselves to be Christians come to their right senses and recognize that they are not new creatures in Christ and that all is not well with their souls. Revival begins in the church, not in the world. It begins with people like you. I too think we need a revival. But if it happens, why should it not begin with us? With you? May God grant it for his mercy’s sake.

Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865

Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.