EXAMINE YOURSELF!

“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!” 

2 Corinthians 13:5

Is it really possible that we can believe in Jesus, yet not be in the faith? You can see how important it is that we pause and meditate on 2 Corinthians 13:5.  This Scripture gives us warnings and instructions on how to build up our faith that we may behave in a manner worthy of God, modeling Christ in our lives.

We have been given everything we need in Christ to fulfill God’s will, overcome sin, walk triumphantly, spread the aroma of Christ, be transformed into the likeness of Christ, and behold the glory of the Lord.  Let us consider what it means to be in the faith and have Christ in us.

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life" (2 Corinthians 2:14-16).

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Although we are clay jars, we own the treasure of the Gospel, which we must share with all men (2 Cor. 4:7).

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us."

I.   CHRIST IN US:

"Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5)

As faithful disciples of Christ, we must not allow sin to rule our lives but rather repent and take action before it is forever too late. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, we are given a very powerful command to examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith. So we must check or test ourselves constantly (always), to be in the likeness of our Lord Jesus. When one examines, tests or checks himself, he does not have to wonder if he is in the faith, if Christ is in him, if he is a faithful servant of Christ, for he knows the answer. 

1. If Christ is in us, meekness and gentleness will rule and be reflected in our lives. 
2. When Christ is in us, we will refuse to act boastfully, arrogantly, and self-serving. 
3. When Christ is in us, we will not remain in sin, but repent right away, for repentance will be our greatest desire. 
4. When Christ is in us, we want to do right and not wrong, for we want to behave in a manner worthy of God and His principles of righteousness. 

• Mature And Complete in Christ:  Spiritual Growth

Those who want to be like Christ long to be mature and complete in Him. And though the apostle Paul’s goal was to call the brethren in Corinth to repentance, warning them about God’s discipline, his goal was not to destroy or intimidate them but rather to build them up and not tear them down. Our primary goal must be to build one another up and not destroy the work of God. We must stir up one another to love and good works! (Hebrews 10:24).

Correction is necessary, for it is for our own good and direction! We do this because we don’t want Satan to move us away from the path of Truth, life, and righteousness. So we must examine ourselves to see if there is anything in our lives that we must correct and turn away from for Christ to be in us.

To bring ourselves to completion and maturity, we must examine ourselves to be restored to God’s will and purposes. Paul ends this letter to the Corinthians, giving us some goals that we must bring to completion. He concludes by saying,

“Finally, brothers, rejoice.” 

Being joyful is not earthly happiness, for our joy is based on our relationship with God through our Lord and Savior. As we examine ourselves, our primary goal must be to grow in spiritual maturity to the stature of Christ, encouraging one another to good works, agreeing with one another, being like-minded, and having harmony with one another.

Remember how divided the church in Corinth was, for it was full of conflict and strife. Thus our goal must be not to cause anyone to stumble but to seek harmony with one another and live in peace. We must choose to be peacemakers rather than to look for ways to harm and cause conflict with one another.


CONCLUSION:

Therefore, we must be willing to acknowledge that we are weak and need each other. Most importantly, we need to draw near to God. Examine yourself, and repent if you must, and let your boast not be in yourself but only in our Lord who has chosen and adopted weak people such as we are, and has shown His strength and power to save us.

May we examine ourselves to be in the likeness of our Lord Jesus.  May we never allow sin to rule our lives but rather repent and take action before it is forever too late.  May we grow in spiritual maturity to the stature of Christ.  May we encourage one another to good works, being likeminded, and having harmony with one another, living in peace.  May our boast not be in ourselves but rather in our Lord, who has chosen and adopted us, showing His strength and power to save us (1 Co. 1:31; 2 Cor. 10:17).

"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends" (2 Cor. 10:17-18).

"But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'" (1 Cor. 1:27-31).

Luci