Post by Cindy on Dec 4, 2018 12:04:02 GMT -5
God tells us to examine ourselves to see if we're in the faith. He says this a number of times in both the old and new testaments. (see scriptures below) This isn't to be a once in a great while thing we do, but a fairly regular routine for us. God wants us to do this not on our own, but with His help, and He wants us to it regularly. This is for our benefit - so we can see whether or not we are growing in our faith like we should be, or if we're stagnating or even backsliding, which of course the Lord doesn't want to have happen. Even if we are growing in our faith, and doing well, there are always ways we can improve, and this examination will help us see what some of those ways are. Another reason for doing this is because one day we will stand before our Lord Jesus Christ and give an accounting to Him for our words and actions since we've been saved. I'd rather know now what I need to work on then find out when I get there that I've failed because I didn't examine myself like He commands us to! Doing this can also help us keep our eyes on the Hope we've been called to, the glorious plan God has for us when we've finished this life. That's what Paul is talking about in Philippians 3:13–14 and 1 Corinthians 9:24–27.
The Apostle John wrote all about how we can tell if we're in the faith (abiding in Christ) or not. So one way to examine ourselves would be to first pray and ask the Lord to show us if we are in the faith, or any way that we are not abiding in Christ like we should be, as we read His Word, and then read the short book of 1 John. You could even include 2 and 3 John as they're super short and continue his thoughts on this. Of course the idea is not to "just" read them, but to read them expecting the Lord to show you about yourself in the scriptures.
Obviously, most who would read this are saved and I've written as to people who are truly saved. But there are those who think they're saved who really aren't, and this is even more important for them! If you do this and discover that you are not really saved, that you've been trying to do things in your own strength and haven't lived up to God's commands, don't despair! Instead, start talking to the Lord about it right away! Admit that you're not saved, and tell Him you want to be! Tell Him you know you can't do these things on your own, and you want Him to live in you so that you can obey Him. Tell Him you want to be free from your slavery to sin! I guarantee you that if you pray and mean these things, and you believe that Jesus died for your sins, and was raised to life again, then you will be saved and can start over with a clean slate and begin to find out what it's like to live your life for Jesus instead of living for yourself!
In fact, that last sentence is another good way we can examine ourselves. Simply by asking ourselves regularly, "Am I living for my own wants and needs or am I living for the wants and needs of the Lord Jesus?" This is a good way to keep ourselves on track in between the times we do a more thorough examination like the one I've spoken about here.
For your consideration I'll list a few of the scriptures that speak about examining ourselves or why we should do so.
“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?” (2 Corinthians 13:5)
“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:40)
“Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.” (Haggai 1:5)
“Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,” (Galatians 6:4)
“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.” (Proverbs 14:8)
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16)
“A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.” (1 Corinthians 11:28)
“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12)
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13–14)
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27)
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” (Revelation 3:11)
The Apostle John wrote all about how we can tell if we're in the faith (abiding in Christ) or not. So one way to examine ourselves would be to first pray and ask the Lord to show us if we are in the faith, or any way that we are not abiding in Christ like we should be, as we read His Word, and then read the short book of 1 John. You could even include 2 and 3 John as they're super short and continue his thoughts on this. Of course the idea is not to "just" read them, but to read them expecting the Lord to show you about yourself in the scriptures.
Obviously, most who would read this are saved and I've written as to people who are truly saved. But there are those who think they're saved who really aren't, and this is even more important for them! If you do this and discover that you are not really saved, that you've been trying to do things in your own strength and haven't lived up to God's commands, don't despair! Instead, start talking to the Lord about it right away! Admit that you're not saved, and tell Him you want to be! Tell Him you know you can't do these things on your own, and you want Him to live in you so that you can obey Him. Tell Him you want to be free from your slavery to sin! I guarantee you that if you pray and mean these things, and you believe that Jesus died for your sins, and was raised to life again, then you will be saved and can start over with a clean slate and begin to find out what it's like to live your life for Jesus instead of living for yourself!
In fact, that last sentence is another good way we can examine ourselves. Simply by asking ourselves regularly, "Am I living for my own wants and needs or am I living for the wants and needs of the Lord Jesus?" This is a good way to keep ourselves on track in between the times we do a more thorough examination like the one I've spoken about here.
For your consideration I'll list a few of the scriptures that speak about examining ourselves or why we should do so.
“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?” (2 Corinthians 13:5)
“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:40)
“Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.” (Haggai 1:5)
“Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,” (Galatians 6:4)
“The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.” (Proverbs 14:8)
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16)
“A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.” (1 Corinthians 11:28)
“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12)
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13–14)
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27)
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” (Revelation 3:11)
!!
