The Indwelling Christ: A Test of True Faith

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

A Call to Honest Examination

Paul’s command in 2 Corinthians 13:5 is not gentle counsel but a summons: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” He does not ask us to recall a moment of sincerity or to lean on a memory of spiritual awakening. He calls us to look honestly at the present reality of our inner life. The question is not whether we once believed, but whether Christ is truly dwelling within us now. Paul presses the point further: “Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” The test is not about religious activity. It is about indwelling. It is about whether the life of Christ is actually present and active within the believer.

Christ Within: The Only True Evidence

Scripture makes this standard unmistakably clear. Paul writes, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). If Christ is in us, there is hope. If Christ is not in us, there is no glory at all. John echoes this reality when he says, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). Life is not found in religious familiarity but in union with Christ Himself. Paul goes even further in Romans 8:9: “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” The dividing line is not church attendance, doctrinal agreement, or moral behavior. The dividing line is the presence or absence of Christ within.

The Danger of Overestimating Ourselves

This is why Paul warns us not to overestimate our spiritual condition. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought” (Romans 12:3). We are prone to assume devotion because we participate in religious environments. We sit in church, we sing the songs, we nod at the sermons, and we assume these things testify on our behalf. Yet Jesus confronted the most religious people of His day with devastating clarity: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8). External proximity is not internal reality. The Pharisees prayed, fasted, tithed, taught Scripture, and yet Jesus said, “You are like whitewashed tombs… outwardly you appear righteous to men, but within you are full of dead men’s bones” (Matthew 23:27). They failed the test not because they lacked religious activity, but because they lacked the indwelling Christ.

The Voice That Reveals Our Allegiance

Jesus Himself defined the test of true discipleship with piercing simplicity: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). The evidence of belonging to Christ is not merely hearing Christian voices but hearing His. It is not following Christian culture but following Him. The modern church has trained many believers to outsource their spiritual discernment to pastors, authors, influencers, and institutions. Yet Jesus did not say, “My sheep hear their pastor’s voice.” He said they hear His. And He warned that many who assume they belong to Him will discover otherwise: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father” (Matthew 7:21). Words are not proof. Obedience is.

The First Commandment as the True Measure

This is why the first commandment is the true measure of the heart. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). That word all dismantles every rival authority. To love God with all your mind means His Word outranks the voices of media, academia, science, politics, and even our own understanding. Proverbs speaks directly to this: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). To love Him with all your heart means no affection competes with His. To love Him with all your strength means obedience is not occasional but the natural outflow of devotion. Jesus tied love and obedience together when He said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Love without obedience is sentiment. Obedience without love is religion. True discipleship holds both.

Adam, Eve, and Abraham: Two Portraits of the Test

Scripture gives us two vivid portraits of this test. Adam and Eve failed it because they trusted another voice above God’s. The serpent questioned God’s character, and they embraced the lie. The text says, “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food… she took of its fruit and ate” (Genesis 3:6). They trusted their eyes over God’s Word. They leaned on their own understanding instead of His command. Their failure was not about fruit; it was about allegiance. Abraham, by contrast, passed the test because he trusted God’s character even when the command made no sense. When God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love… and offer him there” (Genesis 22:2), Abraham obeyed. Hebrews explains why: “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead” (Hebrews 11:19). Abraham trusted God’s voice above his own logic, above his emotions, above the visible circumstances. That is what passing the test looks like.

The Inner Witness of the Spirit

When Paul tells us to examine ourselves, he is calling us into that same clarity. He is asking whether Christ is truly the center of our affections, the anchor of our decisions, the voice that shapes our convictions, and the Lord who governs our steps. John gives us a simple diagnostic: “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3). Not perfectly, but sincerely. Not flawlessly, but faithfully. The presence of Christ produces repentance, humility, endurance, holiness, and a growing love for truth. The absence of Christ produces apathy, compromise, self‑rule, and selective obedience. Paul’s command is not meant to create fear but honesty. It is not meant to condemn but to reveal. And when Christ truly dwells within us, His Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16).

Christ in You: The Only Hope of Glory

For if Christ is in us, His presence will not remain hidden. His life will press outward. His voice will rise above the noise. His truth will confront our excuses. His holiness will shape our conduct. And His glory will begin to take form within us, even in quiet and unseen ways. But if Christ is not in us—if our faith is merely cultural, inherited, intellectual, or performative—then no amount of religious activity can compensate for His absence. Jesus warned of this with sobering clarity: “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Without Him, we may appear spiritual, but we will lack the life that only He can give.

Returning to the Center

This is why Paul’s command matters. It calls us back to the center. It calls us to the first love. It calls us to the first commandment. It calls us to the living Christ who does not merely inspire from a distance but dwells within those who belong to Him. The hope of glory is not found in our performance, our knowledge, our traditions, or our religious habits. The hope of glory is Christ in us. And nothing less will do.


WEDNESDAY WORSHIP — Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

There is a reason this 12th‑century hymn still feels fresh. It speaks to the quiet places of the soul where the name of Jesus is not merely remembered but cherished. In a world that trains us to react, hurry, and brace ourselves, this hymn slows the heart. It reminds us that the very thought of Christ carries a sweetness the world cannot manufacture and a peace the world cannot steal.

John 16:33 anchors that truth: “In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” The hymn doesn’t pretend life is gentle. It simply insists that Jesus is greater. His presence becomes the steadying force beneath every storm, the joy that rises even when circumstances don’t change, and the rest that settles over a weary mind. The hymn’s language of sweetness and gladness isn’t poetic exaggeration — it’s the lived experience of those who have discovered Christ as their peace.

As you listen to the piano rendition below, let it become a moment of stillness. Let the melody lift your attention toward the One who has already overcome the world. Let the name of Jesus — spoken, whispered, or simply remembered — become the place where your heart rests today.

Hymn Lyrics: Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee

(Public Domain)

1.
Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.

2.
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than Jesus’ Name,
The Savior of mankind.

3.
O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art;
How good to those who seek.

4.
But what to those who find? Ah, this
Nor tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus — what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

5.
Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
As Thou our prize wilt be;
Jesus, be Thou our glory now,
And through eternity.

Audio Meditation

Take a moment to breathe, quiet your heart, and listen to this piano meditation on the hymn.

Jesus the Very Thought of Thee: Whispers of Worship: Hymns from the Piano Bench

About the Hymnwriter

This hymn is traditionally attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th‑century monk known for his deep devotion to Christ and his gift for writing that stirred the heart toward worship. Bernard wasn’t interested in fame or poetry for its own sake; he wrote out of a life shaped by prayer, humility, and a longing for the presence of Jesus. His words have endured for centuries because they carry the fragrance of someone who truly loved the Lord.

Benedictional Prayer

May the name of Jesus steady your heart today. May His peace meet you in the places where life feels heavy, and may His joy rise quietly within you like a light that cannot be dimmed. As you go, may the very thought of Christ draw you into deeper rest, deeper trust, and deeper love. And may the One who has overcome the world keep you in His perfect peace, now and always. Amen.

A Lesson Inside Goodwill

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

A Discount You Don’t Expect — And a Grace You Don’t Earn

I stopped into Goodwill as I often do. I quickly scanned for Corning Ware. It’s a treasure hunt among the shelves. It’s already a place where everything is marked down, everything affordable, everything priced for people who need a break.

The cashier asked whether I had any additional discounts. Specifically, they asked about a senior discount. I was caught off guard. A discount on top of a discount? At Goodwill?

I laughed and declined. Not because I couldn’t use the savings, but because I know the money helps people who need the opportunity. Still, the moment stayed with me. A discount on something already discounted. A kindness on top of a kindness.

And suddenly, Scripture whispered.

“Grace Upon Grace” — Not Stacked Blessings, But Steady Mercy

John wrote that “from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” This isn’t grace like coupons or bonus points. It is grace in layers.

  • The first grace: God gives eternal life through Christ — the undeserved gift that changes everything.
  • The second grace: God continues to deal with His children patiently. He does so mercifully and with fatherly understanding. He guides them as they stumble through life.

He doesn’t throw a penalty flag every time someone missteps. He doesn’t eject His children from the game when they drift offside. He doesn’t call a foul every time they trip over their own humanity.

Scripture says:

  • He remembers that we are dust.
  • A bruised reed He will not break.
  • His mercies are new every morning.

This is grace upon grace. Not extra grace, but ongoing grace. It is the steady, patient, fatherly mercy of a God. He knows His children will stumble and still chooses to walk with them.

The Goodwill Lesson Hidden in Plain Sight

Goodwill already offers discounted prices. But then the cashier offered another discount — one that was unexpected and unrequested.

That moment became a reminder of how God deals with His people.

  • He saves — that is grace.
  • Then He continues to carry, forgive, restore, and patiently grow — that is grace upon grace.

People don’t always expect it. They don’t always think to ask for it. Sometimes they even decline it because they think they should pay their own way.

But God knows their frame. He knows their weaknesses. He knows their missteps before they make them.

And He chooses mercy anyway.

A Closing Thought

I walked out of Goodwill smiling. It was not because I saved money. It was because I was reminded of a God who gives more mercy than I realize. This happens even when I’m already living inside His grace.

Not stacked blessings. Not bonus coupons. Just a Father who refuses to give up on His children.

The House of Saul and the Songs of David

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

A prophetic editorial for a noisy age

A sobering pattern in Scripture keeps resurfacing in the modern worship debates. This is especially true when scandals erupt. During these times, voices rise to condemn entire ministries. It is the pattern of Saul’s house. It is impressive, polished, and anointed in the eyes of the people. It is also the pattern of David, the shepherd‑psalmist whose songs carried healing into a broken court.

Why This Conversation Matters Now

In recent years, well‑known ministries such as Bethel, Hillsong, and Elevation have faced intense public scrutiny. Some of that scrutiny has been justified, some exaggerated, and some weaponized. What began as accountability has, in many circles, turned into a movement. This movement seeks to discredit not only the leaders who failed. It also discredits the worship, the songs, and the sincere believers who served faithfully within those houses. This article is not written to defend institutions. It is written to defend the Davids—those who ministered with purity in places where Saul’s fell. It also aims to remind the church that while God judges leaders, He also preserves worship. This is not a theoretical argument. It is a response to a spiritual battle raging right now.

The People’s King and the Shepherd’s Song

Saul embodied everything Israel believed a leader should be. “A choice young man and a goodly: there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he” (1 Samuel 9:2). Yet beneath the appearance, something was breaking. His disobedience became rebellion, for “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23).

Into that compromised house, God sent a boy with a harp. Scripture says, “David took a harp and played… so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him” (1 Samuel 16:23). While Saul unraveled, David worshiped. While Saul threw spears—“Saul cast the spear; for he said, I will smite David even to the wall” (1 Samuel 18:11)—David refused to return them.

David ministered instead of weaponizing his gift.

The Modern Sauls and the Modern Davids

Today, the failures of large ministries often become the feeding ground of self‑appointed critics. They gather like the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable, who prayed, “God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are” (Luke 18:11). They forget that Saul was anointed too. God placed him on the throne. David served faithfully in a spiritually sick environment.

David’s songs were born in a broken house, not a perfect one. His worship rose from places like, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1) and “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Psalm 51:10). To attack every worship song because of the failures of a leader is to confuse Saul with David. It is to condemn the harpist because the king lost his way.

The Sin of the Sword‑Bearer

There is a dangerous arrogance in believing that God needs human outrage to accomplish His justice. David understood that judgment belongs to God alone. When Saul hunted him, David said, “I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24:10).

There is another moment in Scripture that exposes this same spirit. When the mob came to seize Jesus, Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. But Jesus immediately rebuked him: “Put up thy sword into the sheath” (John 18:10–11). Peter believed he was defending the truth. He believed he was protecting the Kingdom. But in his zeal, he wounded the very one Jesus intended to reach—and Jesus healed what Peter’s sword had damaged. Many today are repeating Peter’s mistake, cutting off ears in the name of righteousness and silencing the very people God is still pursuing.

Paul echoes the same truth: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19).

Because David refused to take God’s job, God gave David the kingdom. “So all the elders of Israel came… and they anointed David king over Israel” (2 Samuel 5:3).

The Scandals Are Real—But So Is the Pattern

Yes, the sins of modern Sauls are being exposed. Yes, God is humbling what needs to be humbled. “To every thing there is a season… a time to break down, and a time to build up” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,3). But in the midst of that shaking, there are Davids—songwriters, worship leaders, musicians—who served faithfully in those houses. And God is still near to them, for “the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” (Psalm 34:18).

To crucify them because Saul fell is to repeat the error of the Pharisee who mistook indignation for righteousness. Jesus warned, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1).

Let God be God.

A Final Admonition

Unless we are sinless, it is not wise to cast stones or spears at another whom God may be preparing to raise up. Jesus said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone” (John 8:7). And James reminds us, “There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?” (James 4:12).

The call of this moment is not to sharpen swords but to sheath them. Not to condemn but to discern. Not to destroy but to wait. Not to exalt ourselves but to humble ourselves. “Let all bitterness… be put away from you” (Ephesians 4:31) and “in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3).

The God who removed Saul is the same God who raised David. “Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west… but God is the judge” (Psalm 75:6‑7). And Christ Himself “committed himself to Him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23).

The Final Word

In an age of noise, outrage, and digital stones, the church must remember the lesson Jesus taught: “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). And again, “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14).

Let the Sauls fall if God wills it.
Let the Davids rise when God appoints it.
Let the songs continue to minister.
Let the swords remain sheathed.
Let God be God.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart… and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5‑6).
“All things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).

Worship in Spirit and Truth: A Call Back to the Heart of God

Allen Frederick Leave a comment

Worship has always been at the center of God’s relationship with His people. Yet, it is one of the most misunderstood realities in the modern church. We often reduce it to music or structure. Sometimes, it’s even reduced to atmosphere. We forget that Scripture presents worship not as a formula to follow. Instead, it is a life awakened by the presence of God. The clearest definition we have comes from Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman. “The hour is coming, and is now here. The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father is seeking such people to worship Him” (John 4:23). In that single sentence, He dismantles every man‑made system and calls us back to the heart of worship. What follows is a return to that simplicity—ten truths that shape what true worship really is.

1. Worship Begins With God’s Revelation, Not Our Initiative

Every genuine act of worship in Scripture begins with God making Himself known. Abraham responds to God’s voice (Genesis 12:1). Moses removes his sandals because God appears in the burning bush (Exodus 3:4–5). Isaiah cries, “Woe is me,” only after seeing the Lord high and lifted up (Isaiah 6:1–5). Worship is always a response to revelation. We do not start worship; God does. He speaks, He reveals, He draws—and we answer. This is why Jesus says the Father is seeking worshipers, not worship. God desires hearts awakened by His presence, not people performing religious duties.

2. Worship Is Spiritual Before It Is Structural

Jesus’ declaration that “God is Spirit” (John 4:24) means worship cannot be confined to buildings, rituals, or formulas. In the Old Covenant, worship was tied to a place—the Temple. In the New Covenant, worship is tied to a Person—the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds us that we “are the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Worship is no longer about sacred architecture but about a Spirit‑filled life. The Spirit animates, breathes, convicts, comforts, and leads. True worship is alive because the Spirit is alive within us.

3. Worship Is Truth Before It Is Technique

Truth is not merely doctrinal accuracy; it is reality as God defines it. Jesus Himself is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). To worship in truth is to align our hearts with who God is and who we are in Him. It means rejecting pretense, performance, and self‑deception. David prayed, “Behold, You delight in truth in the inward being” (Psalm 51:6). Worship in truth is honest, humble, and anchored in the revelation of God’s character. It is not about doing the right things in the right order. It is about standing rightly before the God who sees all.

4. Worship Is Surrender, Not Performance

The first time the word “worship” appears in Scripture is when Abraham prepares to offer Isaac. He states, “I and the boy will go over there and worship” (Genesis 22:5). Worship is sacrifice. It is yielding our will, our pride, our preferences, and our plans. Paul urges believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice. He indicates this is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1). Worship is not about how well we sing or how deeply we feel; it is about how fully we surrender. The heart bowed low is the truest instrument of praise.

5. Worship Is Participation, Not Observation

In the Temple, worship was performed by priests on behalf of the people. But in Christ, every believer becomes a priest (1 Peter 2:9). Worship is no longer a spectator event. Paul commands the church to “speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19). Worship is congregational, participatory, and mutual. It is the gathered people of God lifting one voice, one heart, one confession. When worship becomes a performance to watch rather than a sacrifice to offer, it ceases to be worship at all.

6. Worship Is a Life Offered, Not a Moment Experienced

Paul’s call is to present our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). It reframes worship as a lifestyle, not a segment of a service. Worship involves obedience on Monday. It requires purity on Tuesday. On Wednesday, it means showing mercy. Generosity is emphasized on Thursday. Forgiveness follows on Friday. Finally, rest is paramount on Saturday. The songs we sing on Sunday are the overflow of the lives we live throughout the week. Jesus rebuked those who honored Him with their lips while their hearts were far from Him (Matthew 15:8). True worship is not measured in moments but in a life aligned with God.

7. Worship Is Encounter, Not Engineering

Throughout Scripture, worship erupts when God reveals Himself. His glory fills the Temple (2 Chronicles 5:14). His presence shakes the thresholds (Isaiah 6:4). His Spirit falls like fire in the upper room (Acts 2:1–4). These moments cannot be manufactured. They cannot be scheduled, scripted, or controlled. Elijah prepared the altar, but only God could send the fire (1 Kings 18:38). True worship prepares the heart and waits for God to move. It is not about creating an atmosphere; it is about welcoming the King.

8. Worship Is the Recognition of God’s Worth

The English word “worship” comes from “worth‑ship”—the act of declaring God’s worth. The elders in Revelation fall down and cry, “Worthy are You, our Lord and God” (Revelation 4:11). Worship is the soul’s recognition of God’s infinite value. It is the moment when everything else fades and only His glory remains. Whatever we value most, we worship. Jesus warns that we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). Worship is the reordering of our loves until God is supreme.

9. Worship Requires the Right Garment

Scripture often connects worship with garments. Priests wore holy garments (Exodus 28:2). Isaiah saw filthy garments replaced with clean ones (Isaiah 61:10). Jesus spoke of wedding garments in His parable (Matthew 22:11–12). Paul tells believers to “put on Christ” (Romans 13:14). The garment of worship is not fabric but heart posture—humility, repentance, purity, and gratitude. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Worship begins when we dress the heart in the righteousness Christ provides.

10. Worship Is God’s Presence Resting on God’s People

The essence of worship is simple: God is here, and we respond. Moses refused to move without God’s presence, saying, “If Your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here” (Exodus 33:15). David longed for the courts of the Lord because God dwelled there (Psalm 84:1–2). The early church gathered because the Spirit was among them (Acts 4:31). Worship is not about the right order, the right elements, or the right structure. It is about the right God meeting the right heart. When His presence rests on His people, worship becomes inevitable.

A Final Word for Worship Wednesday

True worship is the living, Spirit‑led, truth‑aligned response of a surrendered heart to the revealed presence of God. It is not a formula to master but a relationship to embrace. It is not a structure to defend but a Person to adore. It is not a moment to engineer but a life to offer. May we be the worshipers the Father seeks. We should worship in spirit and in truth. Our hearts should be awakened, our lives surrendered, and our eyes fixed on the One who is worthy.