The Mirror Test – Part 4

The mirror test is used to see if a person is living their own life or if they are allowing the life of Christ to shine through them. When you hold a mirror up to a person’s nose and mouth you will see fog forming because that person is alive and breathing. On the other hand, if they are dead then you won’t see that fog because they aren’t alive and breathing any longer! In the same way, when we see a Christian acting selfishly or in some other ungodly way, that is the same as seeing fog in a mirror. They are still alive, allowing their old man to live through them.

Christianity 101

When we ask Christ to become our Lord and Savior, something miraculous happens. We exchange our old nature for the nature of our God – Jesus Himself! Every believer assumes a new identity, which is also known as being in Christ. We have died to ourselves and our old nature because it was crucified with Christ on the cross, and have been made alive with the very resurrection life of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (NKJV)

Our slavery to sin was broken, and in its place is the new life that Jesus offers to everyone who will follow Him through the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Failing the Mirror Test

What does it mean to fail the mirror test? What is this ‘fog’ that’s mentioned? It means that when we see believers acting contrary to the Word and Spirit of God they are allowing themselves to live through their actions instead of Jesus. The fog we see is the breath of the old man, sinful and selfish. We can observe those works just like we can observe fog on a mirror when someone breathes. That fog distorts the image we see in the mirror, obscuring the clarity of a clean and fog-free reflection.

There are only two origins for the actions that we allow to come through us; the works of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit. If we see evidence of fleshly works then the old man is very much alive, and the ‘fog’ of their old life coming through is evident for everyone to see.

Galatians 5:19-21

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (NKJV)

If we look around we can see plenty of Christians (including me and you?) who would fail the mirror test. If that were all we could see it would be depressing, but it isn’t! God has provided a way for us to pass the test, and that provision is found in the Word of God.

This is Part Four of a multi-part series. Keep watch for the next installment!