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Test God, Test Yourself
Bible study on discipleship.

Life is like an open book test. God has given us His book to guide and direct our lives. He has taught us to test Him, His word, and ourselves. But He has let us keep His book for the test - an open book test.

Now this sounds a little strange: "Test God." But the fact is that God does not expect, nor desire, us to believe Him without thorough scrutiny of Him and His word. Because those who test God to prove Him out in their lives will believe.

This message is everywhere in the New Testament identified by the word dokimaz: (dok-im-ad'-zo) vb., to test, examine, prove by testing, approve. Paul informs the Thessalonians that God had put him to the test so that he may stand approved before them having been entrusted with the gospel (1 Th. 2:4). Contrasted to this He later commands: "Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil" (1 Th. 5:21-22). Christians are to put all things to the test to find out whether they are good or evil, holding fast to those things which are good and abstaining from those things which are evil.

Likewise Paul instructs Christians to: examine (test) themselves as to whether they are properly partaking of the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:28), test (to approve) those who are entrusted with the administration of financial matters of the church (1 Cor. 16:3; 2 Cor. 8:22; 1 Tim. 3:10); examine and prove (test) themselves as to whether they are in the faith, that Christ is living in them (2 Cor. 13:5). And, Christians are not to test themselves according to the standards of men (Gal. 6:4) but according to the divine standard of God (Eph. 5:10). All this results in Christians having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather exposing them (Eph. 5:11).

This message is no clearer than in Paul's epistle to the Romans. In the second half of chapter one Paul convicts the Gentiles in that they did not approve (test, prove, see fit, like) to retain God in their knowledge; therefore God gave them over to an unapproved (untested, unfit, debased, reprobate) mind (Rom. 1:28). Here Paul reveals that the majority of Gentiles did not acknowledge the attributes of God in creation (vs. 20) and therefore did not think it worthwhile to test Him - to discover His Person and follow Him. Therefore they did not believe in God and He gave them over to commit those things generated from a reprobate mind - sin.

Then in chapter two Paul convicts the Jews who, having the law, had approved (tested, examined) the things which are excellent (Rom. 2:18), but they stilled sinned. So, the law was of no avail to them. Therefore Paul convicts both Jew and Gentile as equals in the sight of God - sinners (Rom. 3). He says: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).

In chapter twelve Paul begins the "application" section of the epistle saying: "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove (prove through testing - aem) what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12:2).

So how does one renew his mind to live according the will of God? First prove God; second prove His word; third live according to the things which are proved to be good. Paul says: "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good" (Rom. 12:9).

Life is like an open book test. Those who care to open the book of God to prove and live-out those things which are good will receive a crown of life. But those who close the book of God and ignore His word, close the book on everlasting life.