Self Checkup

One day last week, I was reading The Belgic Confession during my daily before dinner meditation time. My copy of the Confession is marked up, underlined and highlighted.

I was struck by Article 29: The Marks of the True Church, in particular the part that describes those who BELONG to the True Church. It would be a good practice to read this from time to time as a self-check on my role as a member of the Church.

As for those who can belong to the church,
we can recognize them by the distinguishing marks of Christians:

namely by faith,
and by their fleeing from sin and pursuing righteousness,

once they have received the one and only Savior,
Jesus Christ.

They love the true God and their neighbors,

without turning to the right or left,

and they crucify the flesh and its works.

Though great weakness remains in them,
they fight against it
by the Spirit
all the days of their lives,
appealing constantly
to the blood, suffering, death, and obedience of the Lord Jesus,

in whom they have forgiveness of their sins,
through faith in him.

Peace, Bob

3 thoughts on “Self Checkup”

  1. A thought from Chinese Christians in prison according to Nik Ripken (see The Insanity of Obedience) is that they think of “members” of the church and “true followers of Jesus” as two different sets:
    the first attend church, pay money, etc.;
    but they do not consider them “true followers” until they are leading others to Jesus. Hmmm.
    ❤️&🙏, c.a.

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  2. We can be accepted and adopted by Christ straight out of the brier patch. Some of us do a lot of wandering as we learn and share the ways and love of , and love like the shepherd.
    My Grandfather was witnessing and still swearing upon believing. “Though great weakness remains in them”

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