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2 Corinthians 13:5 - Spiritual Check-Up Time

2 Cor 13:5 (NIV) Examine yourselves to see 
whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do 
you not realize that Christ Jesus is in 
you--unless, of course, you fail the test? 

INTRODUCTION

Just as we get physical check-ups, Paul 
urges us to give ourselves spiritual checkups. We 
should look for a growing awareness of Christ's 
presence and power in our lives. Only then will we 
know if we are true Christians or merely 
imposters. If we're not taking active steps to grow 
closer to God, we are drawing further away from 
him. [Life Application SB]  

COMMENTARY PEARL

To Grow Wise, Examine Your Life
   An unexamined experience is worthless.
   There are people who are 50 years old who 
havent truly lived 50 years. Instead, theyve 
lived one year 50 times. They make the same 
mistakes over and over again because they never stop 
and extract the lessons. They never ask, What 
happened in this last year? What can I do differently 
so that I can live life better going 
forward?  
   The Bible says you should take time to 
review your life: Examine yourselves to see if 
your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely 
you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, 
you have failed the test of genuine faith (2 
Corinthians 13:5 NLT). 
   When you examine your life experiences, 
look for two things: 
   Look for benefits. What have you really 
enjoyed in your life? Dont just say, I really 
enjoyed that job. Ask, What was it about that 
job that I really loved? Dont just say, 
I really liked that class. Ask, What 
exactly about that class did I like? Why was it so 
fulfilling to me? Youll get little clues about 
where you should be headed with your life.  
   Look for patterns. Particularly, look for 
patterns in your failure. When you fail, you tend to 
do it the same way every time. So, look and 
ask, Where have I failed in the past? What 
patterns do I keep repeating? Dont look for 
patterns so you can beat yourself up but because you 
want to be different. 
   If you ignore the mistakes of your past, 
youre likely to repeat them. This was the problem 
with the Israelites when Moses led them out of 
Egypt. Their trip to the Promised Land should have 
taken only a few weeks, but instead it took 40 
years because they refused to learn from their 
experiences and from the tests God put before them. Each 
failed test meant one more lap around the desert.  
   The Bible says in Job 32:7, The longer 
you live, the wiser you become (The 
Message). 
   That verse is a possibility, not a 
promise. There are people who are old and foolish. 
Wisdom does not automatically come with age.  
   But wisdom is possible for anyone. No 
matter your age, maturity comes as you let God 
teach you through the everyday experiences of 
life. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: 
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] 

COMMENTARY

Let every soul carefully consider his 
condition, and inquire, What is my state before God?  
Let him examine closely what kind of material he 
is bringing into his character-building.  Is it 
that which can be compared to solid timbers, or 
that which can only be likened to that which is 
rotten and worm-eaten?  We are charged in the word 
of God to "keep thy heart with all diligence; 
for out of it are the issues of life." The 
unconverted heart is the habitation of the evil one, and 
it is filled with unholy thoughts, with evil 
surmisings, envy, jealousy, falsehood, and uncontrolled 
passions, with strife and confusion and every evil 
work.  Let each one search diligently, and 
inquire, Is my heart free from all these?  Let each 
one closely examine himself to see whether he is 
in the faith, whether the truth which he 
professes to believe has been kept in the outer court, 
or brought into the inner sanctuary of the 
soul, that he may be sanctified thereby.  The 
whole heart must be entered and purified by the 
searching Spirit of God.  Jesus will not abide in the 
soul where pride exists; and if we desire his 
presence, the soul temple must be cleansed of all evil 
occupants.  If the door of the heart is open to Jesus, 
he will come in, and his presence will expel 
every unholy thought, and by faith we may hold 
sweet communion with God.  If Jesus abides in the 
heart, we shall glorify him in our lives; for the 
Christian is to let his light shine forth to the world 
in good works.  PH152P30.31 

   Fellow Christians, search carefully to 
see whether the Word of God is indeed the rule 
of your life. Do you take Christ with you when 
you leave the place of prayer? Does your 
religion stand guard at the door of your lips? Is 
your heart drawn out in interest and sympathy for 
those in need of help? Are you seeking earnestly 
for a clearer understanding of God's will, that 
you may let the light shine forth to others? Is 
your speech seasoned with grace? Does your 
demeanor show Christian nobility?...  
   Remember that you need to be braced by 
constant watchfulness and prayer. So long as you look 
to Christ you are safe, but the moment you 
trust in yourself you are in great peril. He who 
is in harmony with God will continually depend 
upon Him for help. {HP 223}  

PSYCHIATRIC OBSERVATION

   Question: Are New Year's resolutions a 
good idea if you're likely to break them? 
   Answer: Even if you suspect you're going 
to break your New Year's resolutions, there are 
some reasons to at least start out the year with 
some hopeful intentions. Eagerly pursuing a 
specific goal can activate your brain's pleasure 
centers, giving your mood a boost, at least 
temporarily. Also, if you make the same resolutions year 
after year, its clear that those goals (finishing 
your novel, losing 20 pounds, visiting Hawaii, 
etc.) are important to you. And if you haven't 
accomplished them yet, then maybe try to go after them in 
a different way this year. 
   The argument against making resolutions 
is that you may already have an effective way 
of achieving your goals. You may not need an 
artificial framework to set and accomplish a new set of 
goals. And if you stop and think about it, you know 
you can achieve goals or start working on them 
at any time of year. There's nothing special 
about the first of the year other than the 
convenience of a new calendar. And lastly, if you break 
your resolutions and have excuses or reasons why 
every year, try focusing on what's keeping you 
from sticking to your resolutions rather than the 
resolutions themselves. Identifying your barriers may 
pave the way for a big year of achievement. 
[Massachusetts General Hospital Mind Mood and Memory 
Newsletter 010120] 

APPLICATION

GROWING UP
Check-mark the items that are true of your 
relationship with God.   
1.	I understand God better now than when I 
first stated learning about Him. 
2.	I genuinely enjoy being involved in 
activities related to my faith.   
3.	God helps me love and care for people.
4.	My relationships are better as a result 
of my faith in God.  
5.	I understand Scripture better than I used 
to. 
6.	I ask God to help me solve problems.
7.	My friends and family know I'm a 
Christian.  
8.	I take time each day to pray.
9.	I know God loves me.
10.	I ask God to forgive me when I do 
something wrong. 
11.	I am honest with God about my feelings.
12.	I tell people about Jesus.
13.	My relationship with God deeply 
influences my actions. 
Now rate yourself:
6-13; Your faith is definitely growing.  You 
are experiencing the type of growth described in 
Act.19:1-7. 
3-5; Be careful that your faith is not 
stagnating.  Read the items you didn't checkmark, and 
begin building those things into your life.  Be 
encouraged by Act.19:1-7. 
0-2; Your faith is wilting.  Water it with 
the Word of God and get involved with other 
Christians soon - before your faith withers.  Be 
challenged by Act.19:1-7. [Youth SB; p.1128] 

ONE LINER

Socrates said, The unexamined life is not 
worth living. [Wiersbe Expository Outlines] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY 

2 Corinthians 13:5 - Spiritual Check-Up Time!

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2012/20121230-2059.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/