2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! ESV

As we grow in Christ we will come to the stairs, those opportunities to step up in faith. For a toddler the stairs are a big hurdle. In the spirit, growth in Christ, stepping up by faith is that equivalent obstacle. Unsteady and unsure in the toddler, unsteady and unsure in the new believer.

Fear of falling is real. No one wants to step out in faith only to fail. When a toddler steps up the stairs he sees immediate results. He achieves his goal and that sense of accomplishment is evident. Not so with stepping out in faith. The results of stepping out in faith are not always evident, we are not always rewarded with immediate results of our actions.

Stepping out in faith should not be seen as a reward. So many times we have this expectation of results because everything in the natural world is cause and effect, effort and reward. In the spiritual realm the transfer of action to results is not physical, it is by the power of the Holy Spirit. Obedience of faith is its own reward.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

We obey to please, just as we obey our fathers in the natural world, we obey by faith to please our heavenly Father. The rewards of faith come in the seeking.

John 11:48-50 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

Israel became a national identity. God saved a nation out of Egypt. God gave the land beyond the Jordan as an inheritance to a nation. Atonement of sin came to the nation once a year.

Psalm 68:8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

The God of the universe was identified as the God of Israel, a nation, not individual, but a people. This people wrapped up their whole existence in their identity as a nation. A person would not and could not be considered before national identity.

As a nation, they lost personal responsibility. This was a great mistake then and it is a great mistake now. There is a danger in calling ourselves Christian in that same perspective. If you cannot relate to these next statements praise God.

My family have been Christian as far back as I can remember.

I’ve always been a Christian.

My family built this church.

My mother (grandmother) told me to believe.

My father is a preacher (pastor, deacon, teacher) of course I am a Christian.

People who lay their trust in identity rather than personal responsibility are in danger. We must place our faith in Christ and not in identity. I hear it all the time and I cringe to think that these people do not understand their position as a lost sinner. They have no personal relationship with Christ.