There exists in the heart of man a slow and steady downward pull toward our fleshly desires. Although God has redeemed His children, we must remain alert to the allurements of the world, the weaknesses of our flesh, and the attacks of Satan. If people spent a week with you, how would they describe you at the end of that week?

The church at Corinth had a number of people who had been called out of paganism but they still had some rough edges. The Apostle Paul gave them a strong warning indicating that although they had sinned in the past (1 Corinthians 13:2), they were to conduct themselves as followers of Christ:

Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5)

The word order is emphatic, Paul literally said, “Yourselves test, . . . yourselves, examine!” These are present tense commands indicating that this is an ongoing process. As Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Why is this true? The reason is because we can lose our focus and our sense of priorities.

The word examine in this verse means to approve, such as metals that were tested by fire. Paul challenged the Corinthians to test the genuineness of their faith. Too many professing Christian believers go through life with a cavalier attitude toward sin. The person who does not like self-examination is probably one whose life needs to be examined. We have an opportunity for reflective self-examination when we partake of the Lord’s supper (1Corinthians 11:28).

As we seek to practice our faith, we may have a tendency to go to extremes rather than to remain at the center of biblical tension. One extreme is that of license, the belief that I can do whatever I want. The other extreme is that of legalism. Legalism is seeking to gain favor with God through one’s performance.There is an emphasis on the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law. The Pharisees focused on their outward appearances, but Jesus called them white washed tombs.

What does it mean to be in the faith? We must not focus on looking good, at the expense of possessing a genuine heart of faith. Why do we act this way? It’s usually easier to manage the external aspects of our faith rather than undergo a profound change of heart. We seek to bring God’s standards down to our level of performance so we can rely upon our goodness and ability. We must recognize the depth of our sin and realize our need for a Savior and our dependence upon Him.

As you examine your life, are you in the faith? We must examine ourselves and ensure that our lives match the spiritual reality that Christ lives within us.

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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