EXAMINE YOURSELVES

EXAMINE YOURSELVES

By Rev. Samuel Arimoro

Main Text: 2 Corinthians 13:5

Key Verse: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” — 2 Corinthians 13:5

Supporting Texts: Psalm 139:23-24; Lamentations 3:40; 1 Corinthians 11:28; Galatians 6:4; James 1:22&25; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 8:9; Colossians 1:27; Matthew 7:20-23; Hebrews 3:12-13

Description: Spiritual self-examination is the discipline of honestly testing our faith, character, conduct, motives, and relationship with Christ so that we may remain genuine, obedient, and spiritually healthy.

INTRODUCTION

Paul's instruction to the Corinthians, “Examine yourselves,” was a call to honest spiritual reflection. The believers had been questioning whether Christ was speaking through Paul, yet Paul turned their attention back to themselves. Instead of continually examining the messenger, they needed to examine their own spiritual condition and determine whether they were truly walking in the faith.

Self-examination is not an invitation to live in fear or condemnation. It is an opportunity to come honestly before God, allow His Word to search our hearts, identify areas that need correction, and make the necessary changes. A person can look healthy outwardly while carrying an unseen spiritual problem within. Therefore, every believer needs regular moments of spiritual examination.

Paul's question remains relevant to the church today: “Is Jesus Christ in you?” Christianity is more than church attendance, religious activity, ministry position, or Christian vocabulary. Christ must be present in our hearts and evident in our lives. We must therefore examine our faith, our character, our motives, our relationships, our obedience, and the fruit of our lives.

1. EXAMINE WHETHER YOU ARE TRULY IN THE FAITH

The first question of spiritual examination is whether our faith in Christ is genuine.

a. Examine Your Foundation (1 Corinthians 3:11) — Jesus Christ is the only true foundation. Our spiritual life must be built upon Him rather than tradition, personality, position, or human achievement.

b. Test Your Faith (2 Corinthians 13:5) — Paul instructed believers to prove themselves and determine whether their faith was genuine.

c. Believe In Christ Personally (John 1:12) — True Christianity involves personally receiving Christ and becoming a child of God.

d. Continue In The Faith (Colossians 1:23) — Genuine faith produces perseverance and a continuing relationship with Christ.

Biblical Example: The Bereans examined Paul's teaching against the Scriptures daily to determine whether what they heard was true (Acts 17:10-12).

2. EXAMINE WHETHER CHRIST IS IN YOU

Christianity is not merely about knowing about Christ; it is about Christ living in us.

a. Christ Lives In The Believer (Galatians 2:20) — Paul described his life as one in which Christ lived through him.

b. The Holy Spirit Dwells In You (Romans 8:9) — A person who belongs to Christ has the Spirit of Christ dwelling within.

c. Christ's Presence Produces Transformation (2 Corinthians 5:17) — Anyone who is in Christ becomes a new creation.

d. Christ Must Be Seen In Your Conduct (Philippians 1:27) — Believers are called to live in a manner worthy of the gospel.

Biblical Example: Zacchaeus demonstrated genuine transformation after encountering Jesus. His changed behaviour showed that his encounter with Christ was real (Luke 19:1-10).

3. EXAMINE YOUR HEART AND MOTIVES

God is concerned not only about what we do but also why we do it.

a. Allow God To Search Your Heart (Psalm 139:23-24) — David invited God to search and know his heart and reveal anything that needed correction.

b. Examine Your Motives (1 Corinthians 4:5) — God will ultimately reveal the motives and intentions of the heart.

c. Guard Your Heart (Proverbs 4:23) — The condition of the heart affects the direction of life.

d. Serve God With A Pure Heart (1 Timothy 1:5) — Christian service should flow from love, a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith.

Biblical Example: Ananias and Sapphira appeared generous outwardly, but their hearts were filled with deception. Their story warns believers about the danger of hypocrisy (Acts 5:1-11).

4. EXAMINE YOUR CHARACTER AND CONDUCT

Our daily behaviour provides evidence of the condition of our hearts.

a. Examine Your Words (Matthew 12:36-37) — Jesus taught that people will give account for their words.

b. Examine Your Actions (Galatians 5:22-23) — The fruit of the Spirit should increasingly become evident in the believer's life.

c. Examine Your Relationships (Romans 12:18) — Believers should pursue peace with others as far as it depends on them.

d. Examine Your Integrity (Psalm 15:1-2) — The person who walks uprightly and speaks truth from the heart demonstrates godly character.

Biblical Example: Daniel maintained integrity even when his enemies searched for grounds to accuse him. His conduct demonstrated consistency between his faith and his life (Daniel 6:4-5).

5. EXAMINE YOUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD

True faith produces obedience.

a. Be A Doer Of The Word (James 1:22) — Hearing God's Word without obeying it creates spiritual self-deception.

b. Obey God's Commands (John 14:15) — Jesus connected genuine love for Him with obedience to His commandments.

c. Walk According To The Word (Psalm 119:105) — God's Word provides direction for daily life.

d. Correct What God Reveals (James 1:23-25) — Spiritual examination becomes valuable when it leads to practical change.

Biblical Example: Josiah responded to the discovery of God's Law by humbling himself and leading the nation into spiritual reform (2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3).

6. EXAMINE THE FRUIT OF YOUR LIFE

The evidence of spiritual life should be visible in the character and fruit we produce.

a. Every Tree Is Known By Its Fruit (Matthew 7:16-20) — Jesus taught that a person's fruit reveals the nature of the tree.

b. Produce The Fruit Of The Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) — Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control should increasingly characterise believers.

c. Bear Fruit That Remains (John 15:16) — Christ calls His followers to produce lasting spiritual fruit.

d. Let Your Life Bless Others (Matthew 5:16) — Good works should point people toward the glory of God.

Biblical Example: Barnabas was described as a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and his life helped strengthen the early church (Acts 11:22-24).

7. EXAMINE YOUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION REGULARLY

Spiritual self-examination should become a consistent discipline.

a. Search Your Ways (Lamentations 3:40) — God's people are encouraged to examine their ways and return to the Lord.

b. Examine Yourself Before Communion (1 Corinthians 11:28) — Believers should examine themselves before participating in the Lord's Supper.

c. Examine Your Progress (1 Timothy 4:15-16) — Spiritual growth should be taken seriously and watched carefully.

d. Encourage Yourself And Others (Hebrews 3:12-13) — Regular spiritual examination helps believers identify hardness of heart and remain faithful.

Biblical Example: David repeatedly brought his heart before God and asked Him to search and lead him in the right way (Psalm 139:23-24).

8. RESPOND TO WHAT GOD REVEALS

Examination has little value if we refuse to act on what God shows us.

a. Repent When You Discover Sin (Acts 3:19) — When God reveals wrongdoing, the appropriate response is repentance and turning back to Him.

b. Confess And Receive Cleansing (1 John 1:9) — God promises forgiveness and cleansing to those who honestly confess their sins.

c. Make Necessary Changes (Proverbs 28:13) — The person who confesses and forsakes sin receives mercy.

d. Press Toward Spiritual Maturity (Philippians 3:12-14) — Paul refused to become complacent and continued pressing toward the goal.

Biblical Example: The people of Nineveh responded to Jonah's message with repentance, fasting, and a change of conduct, and God showed mercy (Jonah 3:5-10).

CONCLUSION

“Examine yourselves” is a loving call to spiritual honesty. Every believer should regularly ask: Is my faith genuine? Is Christ truly at work in me? Is my character becoming more like Christ? Are my motives pure? Am I obeying God's Word? Is my life producing spiritual fruit? These questions help us identify areas where we need repentance, growth, and deeper dependence on God.

Do not be afraid of honest examination. Invite the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to search your heart, reveal what needs to change, and lead you into greater maturity. When God exposes an area of weakness, respond with repentance rather than excuses. Let Christ be clearly seen in your life, so that when you examine yourself, you will find evidence of genuine faith, spiritual growth, and a life that honours God.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, search my heart and reveal everything in me that does not please You, in Jesus name.

2. Lord, help me to examine my faith and remain firmly established in Christ, in Jesus name.

3. Father, remove every hypocrisy, deception, and hidden sin from my life, in Jesus name.

4. Lord, let the character of Christ be formed in me and seen through my conduct, in Jesus name.

5. Father, give me grace to obey Your Word in every area of my life, in Jesus name.

6. Lord, let my life produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit abundantly, in Jesus name.

7. Father, give me courage to respond correctly whenever You reveal an area that needs correction, in Jesus name.

8. Lord, cleanse my heart from every wrong motive, pride, bitterness, and selfish ambition, in Jesus name.

9. Father, keep me spiritually awake and help me to examine my life regularly, in Jesus name.

10. Lord, let Jesus Christ be clearly seen in me, and help me to finish my Christian journey faithfully, in Jesus name.

PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS

1. Your faith shall remain genuine, strong, and firmly established in Christ.

2. Jesus Christ shall be clearly revealed in your character, conduct, and daily life.

3. Every hidden work of darkness in your life shall be exposed and overcome by the light of God's Word.

4. You shall walk in purity, integrity, holiness, and obedience to God.

5. Your life shall increasingly produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

6. You shall receive grace to recognise and correct every spiritual weakness.

7. You shall not become spiritually complacent, careless, or hardened in heart.

8. Your relationship with God shall become deeper, stronger, and more consistent.

9. Your life shall become a testimony that Christ is truly working within you.

10. As you examine yourself before God, you shall grow from strength to strength, remain faithful to Christ, and finish your journey well, in Jesus name.