Counsel of Spiritual Life

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Counsel #20 — Test of Relationship

Picture: Counsel #20 — Test of Relationship CSL 37.1

How can you know if you are in a relationship with Jesus? It’s not necessarily based on outward behavior because you might live a well-ordered life for the wrong reasons, e.g., to impress others. While you can’t trust the motives producing your own “good works,” when you love Jesus above everything, how you live will reveal God’s grace in you—the fruit of His Spirit. Ask yourself: Who do you think about most? Who do you long to be like? How do you treat people, especially those who annoy, irritate, or mistreat you? You can only delight to be like Jesus if you’ve invited Him to live in your heart, to reign in your life every day. You obey Him because you love Him; it is not a burden or something you do to gain His favor.15 CSL 37.2

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22, 23 NKJV CSL 37.3

“If our hearts have been changed by the Spirit of God, our lives will show the change. We cannot change our hearts or make our characters like God’s. We must not trust in our own strength or believe that our good deeds will save us. But our lives will show whether we have the grace of God in our hearts. It will change our characters, our habits, and the way we live.” Ellen White in Steps to Jesus , p. 54 CSL 37.4

Reflect: In what ways has God's grace changed your character and habits in your daily life? CSL 37.5