Sermon #3 – Hearing Without Doing Is Incomplete

Tests prove the validity of things. Academic tests prove students' knowledge. Fire proves the purity of fine metals. Personality tests reveal human tendencies. Did you know there are tests that reveal our level of spirituality? James tells us that life is filled with things that test how genuine our faith in God is. We shouldn't avoid these tests, because the challenges of life prove to the world around us that our faith in God is real.

We are regularly confronted with spiritual tests. Sometimes we don't recognize that they actually are spiritual tests. But James helps us identify them so we can pass them. No test is easy. Tests require preparation in order to succeed. Tests also reveal weaknesses. How we score on a test shows us areas in which we need to continue to grow. Are you ready to measure your spiritual maturity and aptitude? How will you score? Don't forget—there's grace when we fail any spiritual test!