The extensive impact and widespread effects of the coronavirus pandemic continue to affect everyone. The war in the Ukraine has added an incalculable dimension, and financial bulletins are dire. As prices on everything, everywhere, increase, we stop to consider, “Can I afford it?”
A.W. Tozer was inclined to say, “Only a Christian has the right and can afford to die” [italics added]! This extraordinary statement popped into my heart today, along with the thought ‘Can I afford it?’ Charles Spurgeon wrote, “We can afford to lose our bodies, but we cannot afford to have our souls cast into hell.” These two righteous men bring a challenging reality to this current question, don’t they?
The apostle Paul wrote, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” [2 Corinthians 13:5]. There are many uses for the word ‘examine’. Teachers use it to see if their pupils are making progress; lawyers use it in court when questioning witnesses; I’ve used it when buying an instrument or a car. We are familiar with it. Paul encourages us to examine ourselves, put ourselves under close scrutiny to see if we are ‘in the faith’. Interestingly, he adds ‘test yourselves’ to that process. When buying an instrument or a car, I will examine it to see if it comes up to my expectations and meets my need, but then I have to test it; play it or drive it to assess its suitability. There’s more to testing than examining. “Many a person’s religion will stand examination,” reflects Spurgeon, “but will not stand proof.”
We’re offered the wonderful gift of salvation, through which we become children of Yahweh and co-heirs with Yahshua [Romans 8:17]. Can we even begin to imagine the enormity of such an inheritance? The eternal implications can neither be known nor appreciated in this life. The prize is so great that we can’t afford to be careless about spiritual issues. It’s of the highest importance that we know ourselves “because we only have our time in this world to rectify our condition” [Charles Spurgeon]. As believers in Yahshua, we “have the right and can afford to die!”
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The Living WordNew Audio Devotional
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1 Corinthians 15:19-20 NIV - If only for this life we have hope in - Bible Gateway
Rejoice, Rejoice, Oh Christian, Lift Up Your Voice And Sing Eternal Hallelujahs To [Yahshua the Messiah] The King! The Hope Of All Who Seek Him, The Help Of All Who Find, None Other Is So Loving, So Good And Kind.
Homer A. Rodeheaver
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