Introduction
As we close out on this letter, we will take a close look at the subject of self-examination. Paul
broaches this subject several times in his letters to the Corinthian Christians--and unless you
look closely, he seems to contradict himself (SHOW ABBREVIATED PORTIONS OF EACH
PASSAGE).
The key is recognizing the complexity of life, and studying each passage in context. When we
do this, we find important advice about when we should engage in self-examination and when
we should avoid it. Let's begin with the passage in 2 Cor. 13 . . .
Are you in the faith? (2 Cor. 13:5)
Read 13:5. (Note that NIV and NASB reverse usage of "test" and "examine.") At any rate, this
is clearly an issue about which Paul says we should engage in some self-examination:
are you in
the faith? In other words, are you a Christian? God wants us to know where we stand on this
issue, and we can know. According to this verse, if you are able to pass the test that you are "in
the faith," then Jesus is in you.
NOTE: Paul does not say, "Test yourselves to see how close you feel to God/Jesus," or "Test
yourselves to see how dramatic your conversion experience was," or "Test yourselves to see
how righteous your behavior has been lately." Yet these are the usual ways many people try to
answer this question. These are all subjective tests.
Rather, Paul says, "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith." To be "in the faith" means to
be able to affirm that you have put your faith in God's promise to reconcile you to himself
through Christ. This is an objective test.
When I was a senior in high school, my grandfather died and left me $5000. My parents had me
sign a card that authorized the transfer of that money from his estate into my savings account. In
the months that followed, sometimes I felt wealthier and sometimes I didn't. Sometimes I acted
richer and sometimes I didn't. But my possession of that money had nothing to do with how I
felt or acted about it. It was based on the transfer of those funds authorized by my signature and
the faithfulness of the bank to preserve those funds.
This is what God says our assurance of salvation should be based on. He provides objective
promises in his Word, and when we ask for those promises to apply to us, they go "into the
bank" and are preserved by him.
- Read John 3:16. Have you put your trust in Jesus' death to forgive your sins and give you
eternal life? If you can answer "yes" to this question, then according to the Word of God, you
have eternal life. Sometimes you will feel more secure than others, but your security isn't
based on your feelings--it is based on God's promise.
- Read Rev. 3:20. Have you asked Jesus to come into your heart? If you can answer "yes" to
this question, than according to the Word of God, he has come in. Sometimes you will feel
closer to Jesus than others, but Christ's indwelling isn't based on your feelings--it's based on
his promise to take up permanent residence in your heart.
On the other hand, if your answer is "I don't know," then you can make sure by simply asking
him to forgive you and come into your heart. Once is enough.
If your answer is "no," then you do not have salvation. It doesn't matter whether you have grown
up in the church, live more morally than many others, have had a "spiritual experience," etc.
You need to put your trust in Jesus to pay for sins and give you eternal life; you need to ask him
to come into your heart. It's good to get enough questions answered to be convinced that
Christ's offer may well be true--but you needn't and shouldn't wait until you are absolutely
certain.
Now let's turn to two areas in the Christian life. In one, you need to be willing to examine
yourself. In the other, you should avoid examining yourself. . .
Do you have a moral controversy with God? (1 Cor. 11:28)
Read vs 28a,31,32. Paul is clearly calling Christians to examine themselves in this passage. He
says there is a relationship between our willingness to examine ourselves and God's need to
discipline us.
NOTE: God's discipline is completely different from condemnation. "Discipline" means
"training" or "correction," and is reserved for God's children who he unconditionally loves and
accepts. "Condemnation" means "retribution" of "paying back," and is reserved for those who
have never trusted Christ. Christians are permanently exempt from God's condemnation
(Rom. 8:1), but we are subject to his loving discipline (Heb. 12:5,6). And the amount and kind
of discipline we receive from God is, to some degree, dependent on how we examine ourselves
(GOOD PARENTS WITH THEIR KIDS).
The Corinthian Christians had been instructed on certain important moral issues pertaining to
when they gathered together. They were to practice love toward one another, and share God's
truth with one another, and thank God for his grace.
Instead, they were coming together to get drunk, deprive the hungry, and segregate the rich from
the poor (vs 20-22a). They were also assembling to show off their own spiritual gifts rather than
edify one another (chapter 14). Their meetings looked much more like those of pagan, orgiastic
mystery cults than of Christ's followers.
Instead of acknowledging their wrong behavior and correcting it themselves, they evidently
rationalized it (vs 17). They even expected Paul to praise them about their behavior (vs 22b)!!
This shows a profound level of moral callousness.
Therefore, God intervened in a disciplinary way (read vs 30) to get their attention on this issue.
In this case, Paul reveals that God used sickness and even death to do this. It may be that he
simply allowed them to suffer the natural consequences from alcohol abuse, or it may be that he
had intervened in a more active way.
APPLICATION: This passage urges us to ask ourselves if we have a moral controversy with
God. As Christians, we are responsible to evaluate our moral behavior according to God's Word
and the Holy Spirit's conviction. If we refuse to do this and rationalize our behavior instead,
God loves us enough to discipline us in order to persuade us to change. Usually, his discipline
will be to allow us to reap the consequences of our poor choices (including losing the vitality of
our walks with him if we persist). Sometimes, he sends one of his children to confront us on this
matter. But sometimes it may be seemingly unrelated to our situation.
We get a great example of this in the life of David. Most of you know that David committed
adultery with Bathsheba (and got her pregnant), and than had her husband killed to cover his
tracks. When David rationalized his behavior, he lost all vitality in his relationship with God
(Ps. 32:3,4). Then God took greater measures by sending Nathan to expose his sin and rebuke
him (2 Samuel 12). Finally, David agreed with God about the wrongness of his behavior and
cast himself on God's mercy (Ps. 51). While God did not spare him of all the consequences of
his decisions, he did restore the vitality of his relationship with him and empowered him to
continue serving him. In Ps. 32:8,9, David shares with us what God taught him from this (read).
Don't be a moral mule! God prefers to simply remind us of his way and have us respond out of
trust in his love and wisdom. But if we are obdurate, he loves us enough to take stronger
measures for our good.
Some of you are under God's discipline because you are moral mules! Some of you complain
you feel chronically far from God, don't see God working in your lives, have nosy Christians
coming at you, etc.--and wonder what's going on. The answer is simple--you have a moral
controversy with the Lord, you refuse to examine yourself rightly, so God has moved in to
discipline you.
Example: Brother complains that his prayer-life is dead, hates Bible study and fellowship, etc.
Upon further investigation, it turns out that he is having an affair with someone. Same
symptoms--it turns out that he is deeply resentful toward his wife and refuses to love and serve
her.
If you had been willing to respond to his gentle correction earlier, none of this would have been
necessary. And you can regain the health of your walk with God very quickly--if only you are
willing to be honest with him about the issues and agree to embrace his way on these matters.
As we grow in our understanding of God's will, his discipline usually becomes more strict.
Issues that he did not address at an earlier stage he will make an issue of later on (AUTONOMY;
RESENTMENT; GOSSIP; SINS OF OMISSION). One of the keys to consistent spiritual growth
is to stay responsive to God's moral correction.
Are you engaging in unhealthy introspection? (1 Cor. 4:3)
Read 4:3-5. This passage says that there is a kind of self-examination that we should avoid. The
situation explains what kind of self-examination is unhealthy.
Paul was evidently being accused of carrying out his ministry with impure motives and/or other
"hidden" things (vs 3,5). Since he is not aware of being guilty in this area, Paul says that he
doesn't worry about their accusations, nor does he examine himself in this area. Rather than
become introspective about the matter, he trusts that God will examine him and let him know if
this area is problematic.
APPLICATION: Are you engaging in unhealthy introspection? We should avoid excessive
self-examination over issues that God has not made evident. If we do this, we will contract
"PARALYSIS BY ANALYSIS." Here are three common arenas for this:
- Criticism from others: If you are stepping out to serve Christ, you are going to get criticism.
Some of it will be concrete and constructive--be sure to listen to this. But some will be
nebulous and non-constructive (MOTIVES FOR WITNESSING). If you focus on this, it will
wipe you out. How long would Paul have lasted if he focused on this?
- Spiritual Hypochondria: This is the opposite of being a MORAL MULE. It is a chronic
inward focus which is super-sensitive to any fluctuation of mood or circumstance and tries to
tie this to some deep inner problem. Some (MELANCHOLIACS) are prone to this
temperamentally. Many are vulnerable to this after going through a period of in-depth
counseling. Because you have had to face some deep problems (that you may have denied)
and work through them, there is the danger of becoming overly pre-occupied with "what else
is down there" (ME IN 1974). We simply don't have the equipment to deal with ourselves on
this level. If we try, we will get enmeshed in confusion and debilitating accusation.
- Second-guessing complex decisions: Some of us, even if we have carefully considered and
prayed beforehand, question ourselves over and over again if we made the right decision.
Oswald Sanders says, "Don't dig up in doubt(?) what you have sown in faith."
SOLUTION: Read Phil. 3:13-15. Paul rejects all forms of perfectionism. He also "purposefully
neglects" the past. Instead, he says we should keep moving forward in our walks with Christ.
This involves staying focused on our position in Christ and partaking consistently of the means
of growth. As we do this, we can trust that God will reveal the things in our lives as they need
to be dealt with.
Conclusion
What are your tendencies in this area? If you tend to be a MORAL MULE, take some time
periodically and reflect on what God may be trying to correct you on. If you tend toward
PARALYSIS BY ANALYSIS, ask yourself if you are taking action and trusting God to correct
you in his timing. Quote 2 Tim. 2:7--God will help us sort this out . . .