Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless, indeed, you fail to meet the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5, NRSV)
“I realized something about my golf game,” Sharon said with great animation. She continued, “The way I approach a round really matters.”
Sharon explained that when she rushes through her warm-up, she feels tight and fast on the golf course. But when she allows time for a slow warm-up, she is attuned to her tempo and more present when she tees off.
Golf is a game that requires constant examination. But we can’t stop there; we also need to respond to what we learn.
As the Apostle Paul traveled preaching the Gospel, he consistently encountered false teachers who were challenging his authority and creating division among the church . . . the city of Corinth especially.
At the end of his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul flips the norm on his listeners. It was normal for listeners to examine the speakers they were listening to. But Paul turns the question of examination back on to his listeners.
Examine yourselves. Paul is asking us to take a humble, honest evaluation of our faith against the standards of the Gospel. This isn’t to judge or condemn, but to enlighten our souls on whether our thoughts and behaviors are stuck in the world or becoming more like Jesus.
To see whether you are in the faith. This moves beyond a mere verbal profession of belief and challenges us to assess whether our lives demonstrate spiritual fruit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22).
Test yourselves. Paul emphasizes that we should find real signs of transformation in our lives. These indicators include obedience, a desire for holiness, love and service toward others, and a hunger for God’s Word.
Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you? Genuine salvation should confirm that Jesus lives within us through the Holy Spirit, and is the basis for a growing spiritual maturity.
Unless indeed you fail to meet the test. This is a warning that some profess to be a Christian but don’t own a genuine faith that changes everything.
Paul’s challenge to the Corinthians is for us too. The importance of a regular, honest spiritual audit will strengthen our faith and move us in daily transformation.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your Word that is alive and good for me still today. Help me to examine my faith and see both my strengths and weaknesses.