Examining Ourselves

2 Corinthians 13:5-8 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! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.”

Under Scrutiny

Paul and Timothy were, and perhaps some of the other apostles were, but mostly Paul was coming under scrutiny and rejection and false accusations by the Corinthian church, though perhaps not by everyone. And so Paul had been giving a lengthy defense of his ministry, and he had been exhorting them with regard to how they should be conducting their lives, and regarding how they should be treating him. And he was concerned because they were listening to false apostles, and some (or many) of them were not repenting of their sins of sexual immorality, and sensuality, and impurity. 

And so, at this point, he was counseling them to examine themselves to see whether or not they were in the true faith, for by their actions many of them were not practicing the faith that they professed. 

And as I read through this book of 2 Corinthians, which was a letter from Paul and Timothy to the Corinthian church, I could see so many parallels to the American market-driven churches (businesses) of today, many of which are being led by wolves in sheep’s clothing who are teaching the people lies, and whose followers are living in sexual immorality and in disobedience to the Lord Jesus. And this is because they are following false teachers and a false gospel of a false Jesus created in the minds of human beings.

So, when we are in a situation of the professing church living in idolatry and in spiritual adultery against the Lord, and she is entertaining false gospels being taught by false teachers who are presenting a false Jesus to the people, then the counsel here to examine ourselves, to see if we are in the true faith, is very appropriate. For the Scriptures do not teach the gospel message which is presently permeating the American church, though not in every congregation. So, this is a good time to examine that faith.

So, if we are to examine ourselves, to see whether we are in the true faith, how do we do that? What measurement do we use? I think we all know the Scriptures most quoted, like John 3:16 and Ephesians 2:8-9 and Romans 10:9-10 and John 10:28-30. But these are mostly quoted out of context and twisted to make them say what the Scriptures do not teach. So we need to read verse 10 of Ephesians 2, and verse 27 of John 10, and all of John 3, and all of the book of Romans to get the correct context so that we don’t misquote these Scriptures to make them say what they don’t say.

It would be good if we can read Matthew through Revelation in context, and then read it again and again prayerfully and carefully to get the full context, and that while we are reading that we take notes and underline words and verses, and that we let the Holy Spirit speak to our hearts and to show us what his word teaches on this subject of salvation from sin and of eternal life with God, and of our faith in Christ which is required for salvation and for eternal life with God. For the Word of God is our measurement for this test.

Testing Ourselves

So let me share with you several passages of Scripture to help you get started, for they will help you to understand what the Scriptures teach regarding what is genuine faith and what is not genuine faith.

“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?’” Luke 9:23-25

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23

“He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” Romans 2:6-8

“What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?... But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” Romans 6:15-16,22 

“For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4

“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” Romans 8:12-14

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21

“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5-7

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.” 1 John 2:3-5

“No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous… By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” 1 John 3:6-7,10

Songs in the Night  

An Original Work / December 18, 2013

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 NIV ‘84

Lord, I praise You forevermore.

You, my Savior, I now adore.

Hope in heaven awaiting me,

Because You died at Calvary.

I have been forgiven,

And I’m bound for heaven.

Jesus set me free from

All my sin, I say.

I will praise Him always!

Lord, I love You for all You’ve done:

Overcame death, my vict’ry won!

Jesus saved me, and now I’m free!

I rejoice in His love for me.

I will walk in vict’ry!

My sin is but hist’ry!

I am free to please Him

With my life today.

I will love Him always!

Lord, I thank You for giving me

A new life bought at Calvary.

Loving Jesus, I meet with Him.

Tender mercies now flow within.

Lord, I am so thankful;

Through my Lord, I’m able

To sit at His table;

Fellowship with Him.

I will thank Him always!

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