by Kayla Kennada
Look At Paul
Apostle Paul is my favorite Bible character. Even before coming to Christ, he had such confidence and boldness to carry out what he thought was right. He thought Christians were wrong and sought to put them all to death. When God revealed to him his error he became more assertive than ever to teach the truth no matter what happened to him.
In looking at all he endured, most people would quit after being beaten the first time. But Paul’s stamina is underrated as he continued to carry the Word of God through many trials and persecutions. I love that he told the church to follow him as he followed Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). We see Paul’s tremendous faith by how he incessantly acted upon his belief in Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God.
What Does He Mean By Examine Yourself?
I said that to say this. When Paul said to “examine yourselves” in 2 Corinthians 13:5, he was not telling us to make a list of all of our sins or to see how bad we are doing. On the contrary, we are to check to see what, if any good that we are doing. We know that Jesus took our sins upon Him and died in our stead. So, we have been pardoned from the debt or wages of sin. Why then would God want us to focus on our sin? The Bible teaches that what we focus on comes to us (Proverbs 23:7, Genesis 15:5; 30:25-43, Philippians 4:8). The Father doesn’t want us to sin more.
Paul goes on in verse five to ask “Don’t you know that Jesus Christ is in you, unless you were rejected?” He then answers his own question with “I trust that you know you are not rejected”. We know this because 2 Peter 3:9 states that it is not Father’s will that any should perish. Romans 10:13 says “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved”.
The Reason To Examine Ourselves
Paul gives his reason for us to examine ourselves. It is to see whether we are in the faith. There is a difference in having faith and being in the faith. Having faith means we believe in God. James states in 2:19-20 we do well to believe, however, even the demons believe and tremble. James is making the point that faith without works is dead, lifeless, and unresponsive. We may have faith that saves us. But when we are not in the faith or lack action to show we have faith, then, it is not benefiting us or others.
Having works to show our faith does not mean that we work out our salvation. Our sins are forgiven. We can’t assist the Lord in making sure we are rescued from our sins. He alone is the only way to redemption (John 14:6). We can’t add to it. It is already finished. Jesus has liberated us from our sins.
How To Be In Faith And In Action
Being in the faith and the action James talked about means that we continually live according to God’s Word over our own intellect. His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We practice Proverbs 3:5 which tells us to “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.” In other words, we are led by the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. We yield our spirit to commune with the Holy Spirit and follow His direction on a regular basis.
I want to assure you that Paul did make the church aware that they were not encouraged to sin knowing that their sins were forgiven. In 2 Corinthians 13:7 he prayed to God that they did no evil, but what was honorable. He said God forbid that we continue to sin because we are in the grace of God (Romans 6:1).
In Conclusion
To conclude we are to examine ourselves to see whether we just believe or are we taking action toward what we believe? If we believe the Word, then we should be doing what the Word tells us to do. Here are some questions to ask when examining yourself to see whether you are in the faith:
- Do I walk by faith (the Word of God), not by sight (the circumstances)? – 2 Corinthians 5:7
- Do I speak to the mountain (trouble) and it obeys me? – Mark 11:23
- Do I believe when I pray that I’ve received it knowing that it is a finished work even though I don’t see it yet? – Mark 11:24
- Do I boldly and unashamedly go to the throne of grace because I have right standing with God and He loves me? – Hebrews 4:16
- Do I courageously move forward with what I believe God is calling me to do even though I feel afraid? – Joshua 1:8
- Do I cast my burdens on Him (rest in Him) knowing that He cares for me? – 1 Peter 5:7
- Have I put God first in my life? – Colossians 3:17; Proverbs 3:6; Matthew 19:29
For More Help
Answering yes to these questions suggests that you are walking in the faith. If you seem to have come short in any way, no worries! We can help you.
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