Do You Pass the Unfiltered Test? By David Wood

Jun 01, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Mirror Test: No Filters on Faith

A photograph reveals truth when stripped of artificial enhancements. Paul’s challenge to “examine yourselves” demands raw honesty about spiritual reality. Just as a camera captures unedited flaws, genuine faith requires confronting whether Christ’s presence transforms us inwardly. This isn’t about performance but receiving grace—like developing a photo in the light of truth. Eternal stakes hinge on answering: does Jesus dwell in you, or is faith merely surface-deep? [10:13]

“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!”
(2 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)

Reflection: What evidence in your thoughts, habits, or relationships confirms Christ’s active presence within you? If your spiritual life were a photograph, would others see authenticity or airbrushed religion?

Day 2: The Gradual Slope: Hell’s Silent Milestones

Hell’s path lacks warning signs—gentle compromises erode conviction. Like a deceptive filter smoothing moral decay, Screwtape’s “soft underfoot” slope numbs us to drifting from truth. Authentic faith resists cultural gravity, asking: Am I nearer to Christ today than yesterday? Eternal destinations aren’t decided in crisis but in daily, nearly imperceptible choices. [08:41]

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
(Matthew 7:13–14, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you normalized a “gentle slope” compromise? What seemingly small choice today could realign your heart with the narrow way?

Day 3: Obedience Beyond the Instagram Grid

True obedience thrives in unseen corners, not curated posts. Paul prioritizes inward integrity over public perception—doing right even if misunderstood. Like a wildlife photo judged by authenticity, not aesthetics, God values hidden faithfulness. Disobedience often masquerades as “guilty pleasures,” but Christ empowers us to reject what grieves His Spirit. [19:48]

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature… For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’”
(1 Samuel 16:7, ESV)

Reflection: What habit or attitude have you excused as “harmless” that God’s Spirit is convicting you to surrender? How does hidden obedience strengthen your witness?

Day 4: Restored Relationships: Heaven’s Group Photo

Eternity’s family album includes reconciled hearts. Paul urges repairing fractures now, avoiding awkward heavenly reunions. Like a blurred group selfie, unresolved conflict distorts Christ’s image in His church. Restoration demands humility—not waiting for others to move first. Peacemaking proves the Spirit’s work more than theological debates. [26:14]

“Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”
(2 Corinthians 13:11, ESV)

Reflection: Who comes to mind as needing your initiative to reconcile? What pride prevents you from seeking peace this week?

Day 5: Unfiltered Living: Developing Eternal Negatives

Authentic faith develops over time, like film revealing true colors. The Trinity’s benediction—grace, love, fellowship—fuels unfiltered living. Just as award-winning photos require unedited truth, our lives must reflect Christ’s transformative light without artificial additives. Eternal impact happens when we stop posing and start abiding. [32:58]

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
(2 Corinthians 13:14, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you still “filter” your faith to please others? How can you lean into the Trinity’s power to live authentically this month?

Sermon Summary

Paul lands 2 Corinthians with a straight shot at authenticity. The whole letter has pressed for an unfiltered life, and the finale sets a three-question final exam. First, the command “examine yourselves” puts the spotlight where it belongs. The text insists that only one person can do that exam, the person in the mirror. Eternity is in view, so the question runs deep. Are they in the faith, truly alive to God, or coasting the “gentle slope, soft underfoot” that drifts toward destruction without signposts. The test is not performance. The gospel announces grace. Salvation rests on what Christ has done, not on what anyone can stack up. So the examination asks whether Jesus Christ is in them by the Spirit, whether they have received the gift by faith, not Jesus plus anything.

Then the passage refuses the shortcut that treats right belief as a pass to do whatever. Faith frees obedience, it does not cancel it. Apart from Christ, obedience is impossible, but with the Spirit, holiness becomes the new normal. Paul has already named the nasties that tear a church apart. Quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, gossip, impurity, sexual immorality, and more. Now he presses beyond appearances. It is possible to look buttoned up while the heart runs rogue, and it is possible to be misunderstood while walking uprightly before God. Obedience must be heart-level, God-facing, and Spirit-powered, not a photo filter for public approval.

Finally, the gospel reaches into relationships. Restoration is not optional shop talk, it is the family business. The call is to rejoice, to aim for restoration, to comfort one another, to agree in the Lord, and to live in peace. Jesus prayed for this unity, and the promise attached here is rich. When a church chooses restoration over resentment and peacemaking over posturing, the God of love and peace makes his nearness felt. The closing benediction gathers Father, Son, and Spirit into one blessing. Grace, love, and fellowship name the atmosphere God means his people to breathe. Authentic faith, Spirit-fueled obedience, and restored relationships look like the real photo, not the AI mockup. That is the unfiltered life.

Key Takeaways

1. Examine yourselves for genuine faith True self-examination is a mercy, not a menace. The command insists that eternity is too weighty to outsource to family tradition or public image. The question is whether Christ dwells within by the Spirit, received by faith rather than earned by effort. The text makes that personal and urgent. [10:13]
2. Obedience flows from Spirit-born life Holiness does not start with trying harder, it starts with new life. The Spirit breaks sin’s grip so obedience can become a glad pattern, not a grim performance. Heart-level integrity matters more than tidy optics, and God sees through both self-deception and spin. Real change grows from the inside out. [20:19]
3. Restoration marks gospel-shaped relationships Rejoicing, aiming for restoration, comforting, agreeing, and living in peace are not extras for unusually nice Christians. They are the fruit of a cross that reconciles enemies and rebuilds trust. Pursuing restoration often feels costly, but the cost of bitterness is far higher. Grace makes repair possible where memory says impossible. [27:13]
4. God’s peace follows peacemaking obedience God’s presence is constant, yet his peace is often tasted most in communities that choose unity over scorekeeping. When the church walks this road, love and peace do not just get talked about, they show up. Peacemaking opens space for God’s consolations to land. That promise should reframe hard conversations. [28:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:28] - Photography theme and authenticity
[02:00] - Humorous wildlife photos
[03:46] - Authentic photos in an AI age
[05:15] - Final exam and prayer
[06:49] - Most important question: in the faith
[08:23] - The gentle slope to hell
[10:13] - Examine yourselves, 2 Corinthians 13:5
[12:25] - Christ in you by the Spirit
[14:23] - Grace alone, not Jesus plus
[16:10] - Question two: Walking in obedience
[18:29] - From social sins to heart change
[24:22] - Question three: Restored relationships
[26:14] - Rejoice, restore, comfort, agree, peace
[30:21] - Trinitarian benediction and call

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)
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!

2 Corinthians 13:11 (ESV)
Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

2 Corinthians 13:14 (ESV)
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Observation Questions

What specific command does Paul give in 2 Corinthians 13:5, and who is responsible for carrying it out?
In 2 Corinthians 13:11, what five actions does Paul urge believers to prioritize in their relationships?
The sermon mentions a list of "social sins" like quarreling, gossip, and jealousy (see 2 Corinthians 12:20). What examples of these behaviors have you observed in communities or relationships? [18:51]
How does the closing benediction in 2 Corinthians 13:14 connect the roles of the Father, Son, and Spirit?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Paul emphasize self-examination (2 Corinthians 13:5) rather than relying on others to assess our spiritual condition? How does this guard against hypocrisy?
The sermon states, "Holiness does not start with trying harder, it starts with new life" [20:19]. How does this idea challenge common misconceptions about obedience?
Paul links peacemaking among believers to experiencing God’s presence (2 Corinthians 13:11). Why might unresolved conflict hinder our awareness of God’s nearness?
How does the Trinitarian blessing in 2 Corinthians 13:14 reflect the "atmosphere" God desires for His people?

Application Questions

What practical step could you take this week to honestly "examine yourself" for genuine faith (2 Corinthians 13:5)? For example: journaling, fasting, or discussing doubts with a trusted believer.
Is there an area of obedience where you’ve been relying on willpower instead of the Spirit’s strength? How might you invite God to renew your heart in that area? [20:19]
Think of a strained relationship (in the church, family, or workplace). What one action from 2 Corinthians 13:11 (rejoice, restore, comfort, agree, pursue peace) could you take to move toward reconciliation?
The sermon warns against treating faith as "Jesus plus" anything [14:23]. Are there subtle ways you’ve added conditions to God’s grace (e.g., achievements, reputation)? How can you recenter on Christ alone?
How can your small group cultivate "the fellowship of the Holy Spirit" (2 Corinthians 13:14) in tangible ways—like prayer, vulnerability, or serving together?

Sermon Clips

39s

#SavedByGrace

“The truth is we can never measure up. Our blood can never be as pure as the blood of Jesus. That's why we needed his blood to come wash away our sin and now to make us new creations. The test is, have you received that salvation purely by faith? That is the test that we look at. Are you in the faith? Have you placed your faith in Jesus alone? Not Jesus plus. Not Jesus plus a certain type of prayer. Not Jesus plus certain types of works.”

53s

#ObedienceBringsPeace

“If we are obedient in these areas, restoration, comfort, agreeing, and being peacemakers, what does he promise will happen? If we do those things, the God of love and peace will be with you. Of course, God's always with us. We would cease to exist if God didn't continue to hold us together in every fiber of every cell within our bodies. But God allows us to experience his presence, his love, and his peace in a powerful way when we walk in obedience as the body of Christ. That's powerful. Amen? Amen. So I wanna ask you, are your relationships restored? Is there a brokenness that you've experienced?”

42s

#InTheFaith

“The most important question for you to ask of yourself is, are you in the faith? Are you in the faith? Are you a true believer? Have you truly bowed the knee to king Jesus and received salvation? Are you in the faith? The Bible makes it clear that there are those who know God and those who don't know God. That there are those people who have been saved from their sin and are headed to to an eternity in God's presence, and there are those who are headed to experience God's eternal wrath because their sin has not been atoned for.”

33s

#FaithAndAction

“But there's something else. The faith component is the most important thing about us. Our relationship with God being us being genuinely saved and in a relationship with him. But what about the things that we do? We've heard about what we believe. But what about what we do? Does that matter? If we believe the right things, are we okay to just go and live however we want? Live like the world, live it up, pretend like this is the you only live once? The truth is you only live twice.”

46s

#HeartObedience

“My friends, obedience is not about what the people around us think. Obedience is about honoring God alone. The Lord can see the heart even though man only looks at outward appearances. And so, my friends, I wanna encourage you. Walk in obedience to the king. Not on a not at an external level, but at the level of your hearts. And so I wanna ask you, are you walking in obedience? Are you doing what God calls you to? Are you not doing what God calls you not to do?”

39s

#HeartOverReputation

“He's saying, I want you to do what's right at the heart level. It's not about the appearances either for Paul or for the people that he's discipling. Here's a thing I want you to understand. It's possible to look like you're doing everything right. For the people around you to think, man, that person, they're doing what's right. But for your heart to still be disobedient towards the father. That's a bad place to be, my friends. Who cares if you got a a good reputation, but your heart is far from God? That won't get you anywhere.”

39s

#PoweredByTheSpirit

“Here's the thing. Without Jesus, we can't obey. I think we heard that last week. Brother Musa shared about how without faith, it's impossible to please God. If you don't have Jesus as your Lord and savior, you can't do anything that's obedient to God. But now that we have the Holy Spirit, we can obey. We are set free from the bondage of sin and death. So now we're called to do what is right. Not because we're trying to pass a test, but to do what's right because what's right is the things that God loves.”

35s

#JesusIsInYou

“But what we discover is that we each must look at our own heart and discover, have I truly placed my faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. That's the only way to heaven. It's the only way into a true relationship with God, your creator. And that's what the the rest of our verse says. It says, or do you not realize this about yourselves? That Jesus Christ is in you. Jesus Christ is in you.”

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Do You Pass the Unfiltered Test? By David Wood

Devotional

Day 1: The Mirror Test: No Filters on Faith

Day 2: The Gradual Slope: Hell’s Silent Milestones

Day 3: Obedience Beyond the Instagram Grid

Day 4: Restored Relationships: Heaven’s Group Photo

Day 5: Unfiltered Living: Developing Eternal Negatives

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Do You Pass the Unfiltered Test? By David Wood

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