Articles
Self Examination
The apostle Paul wrote: “Examine your-selves, whether ye be in the faith; prove yourselves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) He was very concerned about the brethren in Cor-inth. He came to them three times concern-ing their sin. He said that if he came again he would not spare their feelings. Paul un-derstood the importance of keeping himself in subjection, as it says in 1 Corinthians 9:27— “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
This has gone on in every generation. We look back and see what we have done in different areas of our lives. It could be our job, health, families, friends, and our breth-ren in Christ. We are approaching the time of year when we begin to reflect more on what we did or didn’t do. We then try to decide what we are going to do to make it better. Many self-help books tell us what they think is best. In some cases, they are very good and helpful. They might help us live a better, healthier life and maybe a hap-pier life. It is important to keep on top of things and never wait until the last minute to make changes. I am afraid that one of the biggest areas that we fail to examine is our spiritual life.
WE HAVE THE BEST SELF-HELP GUIDE THERE IS. GOD’S WORD
It is important to examine ourselves 1 Cor. 11:28-29 as Paul warns about taking the Lord’s Supper. In Lamentations, Jeremiah writes “Let us search, and try our ways and turn again to the Lord.” (3:40) When Paul writes to examine, he is using it in the present tense which means it is a continuous activity. The purpose of examining is to see that we are in the faith. Jude wrote in the latter part of verse 3 “ …we should earnestly contend for the faith which was once de-livered unto the saints”. Paul tells the young man Timothy “Hold fast the form of sound words…” These warnings are written so that we take heed lest we fall. (1 Cor. 10:12) If we listen to the words and DO THEM, Peter writes “…you will never fall.” We need to ex-amine ourselves to see that Christ is living in us. Paul writes in Gal. 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me; which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” When we examine ourselves honestly we get to know ourselves. Do we mini-mize our own faults while we magnify the faults of others? Do we think that we are better than others? I like what Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 10:18 “For not he that commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.” Let us NOT use ourselves as the standard by which we examine ourselves. Paul talked about those who did not retain God in their knowledge, in Romans chapter 1. In verse 22 he says, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Paul tells us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. Rom. 12:3 “For I say through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” I remember as a kid growing up, my dad trying to make sure that I would not be puffed with pride and say
“look what I have done”, comparing myself to other people. He would say to me, “Remember, the person who toots his own horn, is always on the small end.” Let us not compare ourselves to others as well. Let us use God’s word to make sure what we are doing is what God wants. Paul tells us in 2 Tim. 2:15 to study the word of God.
As we seriously examine ourselves, let us ask some questions that will help us make sure we are doing what God would have us do or not do. Am I in the faith? Gal. 3:26-27.“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been bap-tized into Christ have put on Christ.” Or have you made shipwreck of your faith? Is Christ in me? Eph. 3:17 “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love.” Have you allowed God to transform your mind? Rom.12:1 Do I hate sin? Let us have the mind of the prodigal son “And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” Am I really humble? Do I see the mote in my own eye? Do I esteem others better than myself? Phil. 2:3. Do I use God’s gift of speech to bless or curse? Am I peacemak-er/ peacebreaker? Proverbs 6:16-19 “These six things doth Lord hate: yea seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaks lies and he that sows discord among brethren.” Do I really believe that I will be judged? “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” Rom. 14:12.
How does your examination check out?
Do you find yourself satisfied or in need of help?
Do you find yourself not ready for the judgment day? It is going to happen when we least expect it to happen.
