Mission Venture Ministries

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) 

This verse is a call for personal spiritual accountability: to test whether one’s faith is real and to recognize the indwelling presence of Christ as the mark of true belief. 

While faith is deeply personal, the Bible offers practical, objective ways to assess whether Christ is truly in you. When assessing genuine faith in Christ, the primary evidence is that you truly know that Jesus is the Son of God since: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God” (1 John 5:1). 

This assurance comes through the indwelling Holy Spirit, who brings conviction of sin, produces spiritual fruit, and assures believers of their salvation. Since “the Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16). 

To confirm that your faith is genuine, the Bible outlines several clear signs and evidences that should be present in the life of a true believer. These signs are about the direction and transformation in your life as you follow Christ. 

• You rely on Jesus alone for salvation, not on your own efforts or good works. 

• You believe in His death and resurrection as the basis for your forgiveness and relationship with God. 

• Your desires, attitudes, and actions are being changed over time. 

• You notice a growing desire to please God and live according to His will. 

• There is a pattern of turning away from sin and pursuing righteousness. 

• You demonstrate genuine love, compassion, and forgiveness toward others, especially fellow believers. 

• You are willing to serve and sacrifice for others, reflecting Christ’s love. 

• You have a desire to read, understand, and obey the Bible. And you strive to align your life with biblical teaching, even when it is difficult. 

• You acknowledge your sins before God and seek His forgiveness as the Holy Spirit convicts you of wrongful thoughts or actions. 

• You do not make excuses for sin when you do, but are grieved by it and desire to change. 

• The Holy Spirit produces qualities such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in your life (Galatians 5:22-23). And these qualities become more evident as you grow in faith. 

• You continue to trust and follow Christ even during trials, doubts, or hardships. Your faith endures challenges and does not fade away under pressure. 

• You value gathering with other believers and you seek community and support in your walk with God. 

• You experience a sense of peace and assurance from the Holy Spirit that you belong to God (Romans 8:16). As a result this assurance is often accompanied by a growing confidence in God’s promises. 

If you see these signs and desires in your life, they are strong evidence that Christ is in you. Also a sense of peace that “transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), even in difficult circumstances, is frequently cited by Christians as evidence of Christ’s presence. This peace is not simply calmness, but a spiritual assurance that comes from trusting Christ, often experienced during prayer, worship, or reflection on Scripture. 

It’s important to distinguish these convictions from ordinary positive feelings, which all people can experience regardless of faith. The conviction brought by the Holy Spirit leads to repentance, transformation, and assurance of God’s love, rather than merely emotional highs or lows. 

We also need to be aware that when we draw near to Christ, Satan will look for every opportunity to deceive and defeat us. He will try to convince us that we are unworthy failures or that God has given up on us. When we are in Christ, we have the assurance that we are kept by Him (John 17:11, 15).  

Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29). 

These sheep have heard the call of Christ to enter the sheepfold. By grace, the Good Shepherd has saved them through faith, and now they belong to the family of God forever (Ephesians 2:1–10). If you hear and obey the voice of Jesus, then you are one of His sheep, and He will never let you go. 

Jesus gave a wonderful word picture here of Christians securely held within His loving hands and the Father’s almighty hands wrapping themselves around His, giving us a double assurance of eternal security. 

In summary, to examine one’s self, spiritually, includes an honest look at whether one is truly a believer in Jesus. Along with that, it calls Christians to examine the details and results of their faith, to see if it’s according to the truth. It involves examining your own conduct to see how, or if you follow God’s will for your life. 

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). 

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