Christian Apgar

One of the many sections of scripture that frighten me is when Paul states that we who teach will be judged more strictly. In another verse that closely relates, Matthew says that the way in which we judge others will be taken in consideration when we ourselves our judged. There seems to be a flexible grading scale by which we will be judged. But, it is not entirely objective. There are some basics that will be expected of everyone. To my surprise, it is mirrored in the APGAR test for newborns. I feel that this test is a good starting point for self evaluation for a Christian.

ACTIVITY
Are you stagnant or are you actively striving to bend and change as you are molded into Christ? Do you act out your faith or are you content with talking the talk?

PULSE
Is your heart strong? Do you hurt with those who hurt, rejoice with those who rejoice and have compassion on all? Do you love God and love your neighbor with a fierce persistence?

GRIMACE (REFLEX RESPONSE)
Do you hate sin? Are you fed up with Satan's lies? Are your reflexes developed to where you shun evil as quickly as your hand would jerk away from a hot stove?

APPEARANCE
When people look at you, would they say you're the spitting image of your dad?

RESPIRATION
Are your lungs filled with the breath of the Spirit. Are you alive with the Pneuma (wind, Spirit, breath) of God? Are you led by the Spirit, are you empowered by the Spirit, are you counseled by the Spirit?

In each of these categories, grade yourselves from 0-2. The following is the exact wording from babycenter.com. I don't feel the need to make a commentary in order for you to see the significance of what is said about the scoring.

If your baby scores between 7 and 10, it usually means he's in good shape and doesn't need more than routine post-delivery care. (Don't be disappointed if your baby doesn't score a perfect 10, though. It's unusual for a baby's hands and feet to have good color one minute or so after arrival.) If your baby scores between 4 and 6, he may need some help breathing. This could mean something as simple as suctioning his nostrils or massaging him, or it could mean giving him oxygen. If your baby scores 3 or less, he may need immediate lifesaving measures, such as resuscitation. Keep in mind, though, that a low score at one minute doesn't mean that your baby won't eventually be just fine.