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)Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” The apostle Paul said the same thing.
If you are living a life by pure momentum, just because you always have, because your parents did, or because it is just something you do, you are having problems in your faith.
In order for faith to be real, it must be your own faith, not someone else’s.
The writer of Hebrews wrote: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. He goes on to say without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:1, 6).
We cannot have a personal faith unless we have that faith ourselves. Our parents, our grandparents, our children, our community, our government – none of these can give us that faith. They may help us build it, but only God can give it and only we can get it.
Paul said that here in this scripture. Check yourselves out. Make sure your faith is genuine.
He never tells others to test your faith. He never gives permission to committees or boards to test the faith of others. An inquisition or a trial is never in God’s plan.
Instead, the word says, Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord’s help, they will do what is right and will receive his approval. (Romans 14:4).
Our faith is between us and God. It is an intensely personal thing.
It is not, however, a private thing. A faith that is not shared is a worthless faith. God brings us into the faith so that we can bring others.
But the ultimate test of our faith has to be made by ourselves. And there is nothing wrong with look at it. God fully expects us to do so. He never intended that we blindly accept a bunch of stuff and never look at it critically. That really isn’t in human nature.
And, after all, he made us with that human nature. He expects us to use it. Many are those who went to his written word to tear it down and ended up believing because they examined it.
Look. Study. Read. Examine. Do not leave your brains at home when you come to church. Use them. The Bible will stand up to any examination, especially if made in faith.
Make your faith genuine and truly yours. Don’t let it be a second hand faith.
The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. (1 Timothy 1:5)
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