Week 15, Day 2: Examine Yourselves

Today’s Reading:  1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:20

Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…

Paul told the Corinthians that they needed to examine themselves to see if they were in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).  This is something that we probably do not do often enough, and it may very well be one of the short falls that leads to one falling away from Christ.  There is a need for constant vigilance, so that we know whether we are a part of the Lord’s body of saved people.  We must constantly be examining ourselves to see if we are truly being faithful.

It is important for us to always be honest with our evaluation.  If we are examining ourselves with some kind of blinders on, we will never identify those areas that we need to improve in.  If we cannot identify those areas that we need to improve (or grow) in, then we will start regressing, rather than progressing.  Instead of just saying that we are doing fine, we need to scrutinize our own service to God and see where we have shortfalls (for we all do!).  Only when we are honest with ourselves will we truly make the changes that are necessary to be pleasing to God.

We also have to use the right measuring stick when we are examining ourselves.  Earlier in the book, Paul commented on those who used the wrong standard to measure themselves (2 Corinthians 10:12).  I attended a gospel meeting just last night in which the speaker (Greg Gwin) commented on this passage, and made the observation that we can all compare ourselves to others and declare that we are better than someone.  Theoretically, there is only one person on the face of the earth that cannot say he is better than someone else–the absolutely worst person on the earth!  The rest of us can always say we are doing better than at least one person.  But, there should be no comfort in that.  You see, we are using the wrong standard!  We need to use the standard of the word of God, since that is what He will be using to judge us in the end (John 12:47-48).

Self examination also has to be something that is done on a constant basis.  It is not something that we can do one time, and be done with it.  Every day we have to remind ourselves that we are going to be faithful to God.  Every day we have to check ourselves to make sure that we are remaining in the faith that was once delivered to the saints (Jude 3).  This passage indicates more than just making sure we live morally.  We have to have the right doctrine as well.  There are a lot of people who are good moral people who are not in “the faith”.  The only way to know if we are continuing in the doctrine delivered in the first century is to constantly study the word of God.  We must be honest enough to recognize when we are not faithful to those teachings and make changes to our own beliefs and practices so that we can be the true children of God!