Examining Your Faith

Examining Your Faith
Socrates, a Greek philosopher from Antiquity, said “the unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates asserts that to live life and never examine one’s own actions, motives, and so on is meaningless. The point he is making is that in self examination we begin to probe into why we do what we do. Examining our lives gives us the opportunity to grow, adjust, learn, and better ourselves. Certainly we can debate on the usefulness of Socrates philosophical pontifications and whether he is useful or not, but there is a level of spiritual self examination that every Christian must do.

The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 13, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” There is a sobriety that comes with these words, but what do they mean? Is Paul trying to make the Corinthians doubt their faith in Christ or to have them lack assurance of their salvation? Certainly not. It is actually for their assurance that they are to do this. 

Paul is painfully aware, just as the other Apostles, that not all who profess to be followers of Jesus are genuine. He even warned the Ephesian elders to be wary of those who will rise up from within the church teaching twisted things in order to draw others away (Acts 20:29-30). Paul had seen it before with his own eyes in ministry. One of his ministry partners, Demas, is spoken of as a faithful brother in some of his letters. Yet, in his second letter to Timothy, he tells us that Demas has deserted him because he was in love with the world.

So, for every Christian, it is wise to examine one’s own faith. Not as a means of morbid introspection, but to take heed on the Bible’s warnings. Consider your walk with Jesus. What does it consist of? Is there growth in the fruit of the Spirit? Are you being conformed to the image of Christ more and more as time goes on? Are you seeking the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God like Abraham (Hebrews 11:10), or do you love this world? As you consider these things, may you find great hope and joy in how the Lord has been working in your life. However, if you are concerned by your answers, remember that Jesus is gentle and kind. A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering flax He will not quench (Isaiah 42:3). Turn to Him.

Grace and Peace, 
C. R. Hamilton