Test yourselves

READ: Isaiah 45,46; Psalms 85; 2 Corinthians 13

SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 13: 5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?

OBSERVATION:  “Know thyself” is a famous ancient Greek proverb that means you must understand yourself to understand others.  In general, people are interested in judging and correcting others than themselves. Christians also make this mistake very often. Our Lord Jesus asked, “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?” (Mt.7:4). People have different opinions on self-introspection. Some individuals become more critical about their actions and ruin their lives. Christian self-introspection is different from others. Here we do the testing by the criteria of God’s word and evaluate our lives accordingly. A Christian’s self-test would be helpful for his spiritual edification, purification from sins, and his daily walk with the Lord. In his second epistle to Corinthians, we read Paul’s responses to some allegations against him. Here, instead of making any accusations against the Corinth believers, Paul challenges them to examine themselves.

There are three different interpretations attributed to 2 Cor.13:5: First, Paul asks the Corinth Church believers to check whether they are really Christians and have salvation experience. The second interpretation is,  Paul does not doubt the salvation experience of the believers but calls them to examine their spiritual life in Christ. Thirdly, some Christians in the Corinth Church questioned apostle Paul. Now, Paul calls them to test themselves. In any case, Paul asks two questions: are you in the faith? Does Christ live in you? In other words, are you in Christ? There may be many people who say that they are Christians. But, if they are not in the faith, if Christ does not live in them, they cannot be Christians. The bible says that we are justified by faith;  “everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Rom.14:23). To Colossians, Paul writes, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col.1:27). Jesus promised us to live in us (Jn.6:56; 14:23). When Christ lives in us, we become active Christians. Otherwise, we will be nominal Christians. So, we need to examine and test ourselves with self-introspective questions as the Lord leads us. John C. Maxwell says, “A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted!” As Christians, we need to have a periodical self-examination to keep our Christian lives alive in Christ. “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord (Lam.3:40).

APPLICATION: A periodical health check-up is good to keep our body healthy. Likewise, a periodical self-introspection is good for my spiritual life. The Bible says, “The righteous will live by faith” (Hab.2:4; Rom.1:17). I walk by faith, not by sight. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal.2:20).

PRAYER: God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, thank you for living in me. “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Holy Spirit, help me to examine my life, live in the faith and with Christ forever. Amen.

- Arputharaj Samuel
+91 9538328573

Day - 267