The Grade: the Answer found on Written Examination & the Evidence found in the Composed Essay
Inside the world where I live, examinations are part of the everyday, as students show mastery of the content they have been taught. In the world of literature, the examination requires the students use parts of the passages within their written answers to SHOW they understand and can pass the ‘test.’ On the other hand, in the world of composition, the written essay examines whether students can compose an essay, expounding upon their evidence, to thereby PROVE their thesis statement, the ‘test.’
Thus, whether writing to answer an instructor’s prescribed examination questions OR whether writing to prove a student’s thesis statement—the end result remains the same and reveals the necessary end result: THE GRADE.
- Have you ever wondered: Why the Bible was written?
- Have you ever pondered the question: Am I really saved?
If you answered, ‘Yes,’ then read on, but if you answered, ‘No,’ then stop reading and go share your faith with another.
The disciples of Jesus were sharing time with Jesus prior to His ascension, a time when Christ led Thomas to visually see how He was truly the Messiah. Then Jesus, the Master Teacher, gave His disciples the answer to the examination’s question—Why was the Bible written?
“Jesus said to him,
(The Gospel According to John 20: 29-31 NASB)
“Because you have seen Me, have you believed?
Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples,
which are not written in this book;
but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God;
and that believing you may have life in His name.”
The examination of God’s Word requires believers ‘live out’ the Bible within their lives to SHOW they “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;” and can pass the ‘test,’ believing in Jesus, they receive “life in His name.”
The Gospel According to John speaks of eternal life and was written so we might believe that Jesus is the Christ.
The First Letter of John was written to those who have believed but have not come into full assurance that they have received eternal life.
“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you,
that God is Light,
and in Him there is no darkness at all.
- If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness,
we lie and do not practice the truth;
- but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light,
we have fellowship with one another, and
the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- If we say that we have no sin,
we are deceiving ourselves and
the truth is not in us.
- If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- If we say we have not sinned,
we make Him a liar and
His word is not in us.”
(The First Letter of John 1: 5-10 NASB)
How can we know that we know that we know—We are Christians?
- We have believed in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
- We have accepted the truth of Jesus, that He came to die for our sins.
- We stand in the light of God’s Word, examining our lives.
- Is there ‘PROOF’ that we are ready for our eternity?
- Do others see ‘EVIDENCE’ within our lives?
- Do we HATE the SIN in our lives, just as GOD HATES SIN?
When we sin &
When the Holy Spirit convicts us—Do we immediately confess our sins to Holy God?
The examination of God’s Word requires believers ‘live out’ the Bible within their lives to PROVE “that we have fellowship with Him” and “walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light,” to SHOW to themselves and to the world through the ‘essay’ of their lives, the ‘test,’ they are who they say they are—Christians & God’s children, saved by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, we have been ‘graded’ by answering the two questions:
- Why was the Bible written?
- Am I really saved?
Do we know that we know the truth found in God’s Word?
Do we know that we know that Jesus lives within our heart?
THEN GO & SHARE YOUR FAITH WITH ANOTHER TODAY.
Why, we may ask?
- This one day, this ‘today,’ may be all a person is allotted to live. &
- This one person, this lost soul, God has divinely placed in our path.
May we each obediently live for Jesus!