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Test Yourselves – 2 Cor 13:5
Test Yourselves – 2 Cor 13:5
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 Cor. 13:5).
We belong to a great body of believing people. We have been translated into the church, the body of Christ. We are individually members of this body.
The body provides strength, comfort, and protection. In the body we encounter all of the great 'one another' activities. God designed things this way and it is in His providence that we can participate in this.
With all of the fraternity and fellowship the body offers, yet it is a distributive association: one by one. Each man's faith is his own. While we can strengthen and help each other, in the end, each must bear his own burden. Each of us must stand before the judgment seat of Christ and receive the things we have done.
Paul has written these letters to the church which is at Corinth but the obedience to the things commanded here is done one by one. Some would and some would not.
Such testing of ourselves demands that we have a rule to test by. What do I compare myself to? Many today still use the subjective standard of themselves, 'comparing themselves by themselves'. It is hard to fail THAT test but passing THAT test doesn't make one right with God.
We test ourselves to see if we are 'in the faith' by comparing our lives, disposition, teaching, beliefs, and actions with THE faith. It has been revealed. It has been preserved. We have access to its teaching. We have the ability to understand it. There is no excuse left for our failure. Ultimate failure need not happen, for there is forgiveness in Jesus.
Hugh DeLong
