Test yourself to see if you are truly living by faith?

[Curtis]

2Co 13:5 Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [ N1 not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you--unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? (AMP)

 

[KingJ]

How would you test yourself?

I have been a part of a bible study where this verse was discussed. The answers from different Christians was very interesting. I would like to hear what peoples thoughts are on what this verse is asking us to do.

 

[KingJ]

I will give an example that was used.

Who of these people have faith? and 'pass' the test?

People are in a shipwreck. Fall into shark infested waters and have a long way to swim home.

Person A - finds a small speed boat, goes flying past all drowning and gets back to shore safely. He had faith for a speed boat and must be a true Christian because he got back to shore quickly with no issues. Those drowning and swimming with sharks had no faith for speedboat. Oh ye of little faith.

Person B - finds a speed boat, picks up two people, sees another, knows that three will be too many, ignores the third and gets safely back to shore. Faith for a speed boat, good works in that they saved two people. The first two he picked up clearly had faith as they were the first two in line.

Person C - finds a speed boat, picks up three people and jumps off as it is full and won't make it back to shore. They swim among the sharks get eaten and die.

Person D - does not find a speed boat, helps others around them, gets tired out as a result, swims among sharks and dies.

Person E - does not find a speed boat, helps others around them, swims safely back to shore without getting eaten by sharks
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In this example, person C, D and E can pass as Christians. A and B fail 10/10. They have faith and will go with their faith to hell.

A Christian is the person that does unto others as they would like done unto them. A Christian has faith that in death from sharks or surviving sharks, God is with them all the way.

Matt 22:40 Jesus replied: “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. ' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. ' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.

Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

 

[Charlie24]

How would you test yourself?

I have been a part of a bible study where this verse was discussed. The answers from different Christians was very interesting. I would like to hear what peoples thoughts are on what this verse is asking us to do.

The Corinthian Church would have known exactly what Paul was referring to in 2 Cor. 13:5, "examine yourselves."

When Paul gave instructions to the Corinthians for the Lord's Supper, in 1 Cor. 11:28 he said,

"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup."

So they would have remembered that in 2 Cor. Paul was referring to 1 Cor. concerning "examining yourself" by way of the Lord's Supper.

 

[KingJ]

The Corinthian Church would have known exactly what Paul was referring to in 2 Cor. 13:5, "examine yourselves."

When Paul gave instructions to the Corinthians for the Lord's Supper, in 1 Cor. 11:28 he said,

"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup."

So they would have remembered that in 2 Cor. Paul was referring to 1 Cor. concerning "examining yourself" by way of the Lord's Supper.

I like that point you have made.

Some people believe it is their ability to muster up faith for miracles. Faith to heal the sick = Christian. Faith for prosperity = Christian.

 

[complete]

'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?'
(2Cor. 13:5)

Hello @KingJ,

I believe that this instruction is centred on the words, '... Jesus Christ is in you'. He who was crucified in weakness (v.4), but now lives by the power of God, was in them: and though they were also weak, being in the flesh, they would also live by the power of God, in Christ Jesus their risen Lord.

The Corinthian believers needed to recognise that they died with Christ (1 Cor.2:2), were quickened, and raised with Christ, by the power of God. They needed to go on unto perfection (v.9), as those who are, of God, in Christ Jesus: laying hold of His strength.

'But of Him (God) are ye in Christ Jesus,
Who of God is made unto us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
That, according as it is written,
He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.;
(1Cor.1:30-31)

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Curtis]

2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.