Self Examination

            I have been thinking about our interaction with people and our great need to be more like Jesus in our daily life.  Often we claim to be followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, yet we seldom stop and examine our way of doing things. 

            God tells us in 2 Corinthians 13:5 - "Test yourselves to discover whether you are true believers: put your own selves under examination." (WNT)   The Word of God continues:  "You know, don't you, that Jesus Christ lives in you? Could it be that you are failing the test?" (ISV)  Do people who know you remark about how different you are?  Are you truly a different person?  Is  2 Corinthians 5:17 - " if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" really true for you?  We are to see if we have been true witnesses to the power of Jesus to give us victory over our old self.  In fact, we are to invite God to inspect our actions and our motives.  It is written again in Psalm 26:2 -  "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me"   

            Here is how it works in practice.  At the end of the day, go over that day's actions to see if you properly represented the One you claim to be following.  Remember the Word of God, the Bible, is the standard we are to use.  Don't compare yourself to other people.  That is absolute foolishness, according to 2 Corinthians 10:12.  Do not make excuses or defend yourself.  Let the Holy Spirit do His job and convict you of your sins.  HOWEVER, and this is key, examine yourself with Jesus by your side!  If you do it alone, you will just get depressed.  You will be pressed down with discouragement and feel like giving up.  The devil will be right there to destroy any hope you might have. 

            In the book  Steps to Christ  is this beautiful statement:  "We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John, "These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1 John 2:1. {SC64} 

            There is a wonderful representation given us in Zechariah 3:1-5.  Here the prophet sees the high priest, representing the children of God, standing in front of the Lord.  In your mind see yourself standing before the Lord.   Satan is there to accuse us, and we know we are guilty.  But don't listen to the devil, listen to what God says!  God says:  "The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD... rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?"   This is why we can safely examine ourselves only if Jesus is with us.  As we see our sins in the light of God's word, they will appear in their true hideousness.  But here is the Promise.   "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  (1 John 1:9) 

            No excuses!  Just confess your sin.  Tell God how much you want to be free from that habit, that evil mouth, those wicked thoughts, that failure to represent Him correctly.  Then believe that He forgives you.  Believe that He gives you power to overcome.  Believe it is so because God says it is so.  Then plan how to do right the next time.  In the power God gives we can be victorious.