Examine Your Own Selves
The apostle Paul wrote two epistles to
the troubled church at Corinth. This was a church plagued by many sinful
attitudes and actions. The letters give some insight into these; such as
tolerating a fornicator within the church (I Corinthians 5), taking brethren in
the Lord to court (I Corinthians 6), and abusing the Lord’s Supper (I
Corinthians 11). These and many other troubles were evident among the
church. Yet Paul wrote to them as Christians, brethren in Christ. He
even admonished them to “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove
your own selves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5).
It is obvious the individuals in the Corinthian church could be faithful, but
they needed to make a self-evaluation and determine whether or not they were
faithful. Paul’s challenge was for them to examine their lives in
light of New Testament teaching. In doing so they would “prove” or
“test” themselves. What they looked at, and what we need to look at in
our own lives, was the fruit they produced.
The first fruit to look for is that of demonstrating repentance. Paul’s
preaching called on converts to “repent and turn to God, and do works meet for
repentance.” (Acts 26:20). The New King James Version reads, “works
befitting repentance.” What works are present in your life indicating
God’s will is the guiding force in your life? What fruits are you
producing?
A second fruit to look for is that which is produced by the Spirit of God.
In Galatians 5:22,23 Paul listed love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance as fruit present in those living the
Christian life. Do you see the fruit of the Spirit present showing you are
in the faith?
A third fruit is seen in
your concern for other Christians. Paul wrote in Galatians 6:1,2
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore
such an one in the spirit on meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be
tempted. Bear ye one another burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Are you fulfilling the law of Christ? It is obviously an important part of
living the Christian life. Does this area of your life indicate you are in
the faith when you look?
Next turn to an examination of your love for God and others. Jesus said
love for God and love for our neighbor are the two greatest commandments in the
Old Testament. In fact these two are the key for understanding the whole
message of the Old Testament. Jesus said, “On these two commandments
hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:40). You must also love
your brethren in Christ. Consider the following words from the apostle
John:
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whoever hateth his brother is a murder: and ye know that no murder hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth (I John 3:14-17).
How does you love look
under examination, does it show you in the faith?