Test and Examine Yourself

We see throughout scripture that we need to test and examine ourselves. I looked up the definitions of these two words to get a better understanding of what God is asking of us. 

Test - a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use.

Examine - inspect (someone or something) in detail to determine their nature or condition; investigate thoroughly

We will look into scripture to see why testing and examining ourselves is so important. We also need to examine and understand God’s standards for living out our lives. We will start by looking at the scriptures that give us these commands, then determine the importance of testing and examining oneself, learn how to test and examine ourselves, and conclude with how to actually abide in Him.

Test and Examine Yourselves

5 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!

2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV

 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Galatians 6:4-5 MSG

28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

1 Corinthians 11:28 ESV

We can see from these scriptures that we need to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. In 2 Corinthians 13:5 we are told to test ourselves. Galatians 6:4-5 gives us some insight on how to test ourselves. It says to make careful exploration of who we are and the work we have been given. Then we better do it. We also see in 1 Corinthians 11 that we are to examine ourselves before we take part of the Lord’s Supper. Over the years I have gathered from scripture that we need to test and examine ourselves on a regular basis. We should be living the life Jesus lived. If our life doesn’t look like His life and the apostles’ lives, then we are not living in Him. 

In 2 Timothy we see Paul expanding on this topic of testing ourselves. He tells us to present ourselves approved so that we will not be ashamed. He also gives us instructions on what that looks like. 

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. 16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” 20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. 22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:15-26 ESV

We see from these verses in 2 Timothy that there are two different kinds of vessels; some for honorable use and some for dishonorable use. Paul is not describing nonbelievers he is describing believers. There are believers who have chosen to die to themselves and stop practicing sin and there are believers who have not cleansed themselves and still chose to practice sin. We must examine ourselves and determine what kind of vessel we are.

Why is this so Important? 

In Matthew we see Jesus is telling us there are two groups of people. Both of these groups call Him Lord, but one group will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Matthew 7:21-23

We are not guaranteed entrance into heaven by claiming we are a Christian. We aren’t even given that guarantee from being born-again or being water baptized or by being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Throughout scripture we see it is a life of loving Him and following Him that will allow us to enter into heaven. It is a life of obedience that is pleasing to Him. Not a life that is pleasing to ourselves or to culture but living a life that pleases Our Father. Therefore, we must test and examine ourselves and ask Him to test and examine us. Ask Him to show us which aspects of our lives displease Him. Jesus tells us in John 14:21 the people who love Him will obey Him and those people will be loved by His Father. 

21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

John 14:21 ESV

As we look at what Peter wrote in 2 Peter, we will see how to live our lives. If we examine scripture and live our lives the same as Jesus and the apostles lived, we will be obedient to scripture. Then Peter tells us that Jesus has granted us all things pertaining to life and godliness. Since He has done this, we must confirm our calling and election by practicing the life He has brought us into. This is a lifetime of action on our part. We must learn to become partakers of His divine nature.

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 

 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 

2 Peter 1:3-14 ESV

We must become partakers of His divine nature. We must confirm our calling and election so that we will never fall away from His Truth. We do this by reading and living out scripture. We live out scripture by aligning our lives to scripture, rather than aligning scripture to our lives.

In 2 Peter 3:9 Peter gives us some understanding on the Lords patience. He is waiting for all who desire to be a child of God to come to repentance. His desire is that we are spotless and blemish free and living at peace with Him. 

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 NIV

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

2 Peter 3:14-15 NIV

We have to come to the understanding that there are two different groups of people that call themselves Christians. There are ones who obey Him and ones that do not. We must learn what it means to obey Him if we want to abide in Him and live with Him. When we test and examine ourselves, we will know which group we are in. 

How to test and examine ourselves

We can examine ourselves the way Jesus tells us to examine prophets. We know from scripture that God will use anyone to perform what He wants done. However, if they have not submitted to the Holy Spirit, they will not have the fruit of the Spirit manifested in their lives. Jesus tells us to look at the fruit of the Spirit in the lives of the prophets to see if they are false or true. We can use the same principle to examine our own lives.

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Matthew 7:15-20 ESV

Jesus tells us we will know the tree by the fruit. This is the fruit of the spirit. Many times, I see people examining oneself and others by the gifts of the spirit manifested in one’s life, but Jesus says we will know the tree by the fruit not the gifts. 

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-25 ESV

The type of tree/vessel you are will display itself when you are under pressure. How you respond in hard situations will expose who you are. If the fruit of the Spirit doesn’t come out of you during hard times, then you will know you are not abiding in Him in that area of your life. If you find yourself not producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the hard times, press into Him. James 1 tells us to be joyful in the trial and ask for wisdom under pressure.

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

James 1:2-5 ESV

This is not easy process, but it will allow room for Him to work in your life and produce His fruit in you. It is not an easy or pretty process and at times, you may fall down, but get back up and keep pressing into Him. This is the process of becoming a clean vessel for honorable use. It is also called dying to yourself and picking up your cross and following Him.

We can see from these next scriptures what it looks like to live in the flesh verses living the Spirit. Some situations may expose bad fruit within us which shows us areas in our lives that need work.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21 NIV

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:5-17 ESV

We must test and examine ourselves to see if we are truly living in Him.

How do we know we are abiding in Him?

We know we are abiding in Him when we obey His commandments and allow the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in our lives.

3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

1 John 2:3-6 ESV

As we actually live by 1 John 2:3-6, we learn to abide in Him. As we abide in Him, we learn what it means to be holy as He is Holy. John speaks on this in 1 John 2. Scripture makes it clear that we must abide in Him. 

Abide means to accept or act in accordance with (a rule, decision, or recommendation).

We must learn what the scriptures say so that we can accept and act in accordance with God’s way of thinking and living.

28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. 1See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

1 John 2:28-3:10 ESV

John is very clear that we must abide in God and not practice sin. We need to know what God considers to be sin because if we don’t know what God considers sin, then we will not know if we are practicing sin. Often times we think sin is what culture deems as right or wrong. We can’t gauge our salvation on what culture says is acceptable. We must go to the Word of God to learn what He says is sin. 

Scripture combined with life lessons…

True salvation starts with repentance (Acts 2:38). Our life must keep with bearing fruit of repentance (Matthew 3:8). This doesn’t mean we sin every day and repent every day. What it means is sin doesn’t control us anymore. We are no longer slaves to sin. If we are abiding in Him, we will continually be changing and growing. Our lives will look more like Jesus’ life every day. 

If you feel that you have been walking with God and abiding in Him but find that you have failed the test when you examine yourself, seek God, ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you have failed, repent, get up and start following scripture. 

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!

Psalms 139:23-24 ESV