EXAMINE YOURSELF!

EXAMINE YOURSELF!

Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment.

            I am to examine myself, to test myself to see if I am genuine— “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart” (Proverbs 17:3). “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else” (Galatians 6:4).

            Before taking part in the Lord’s Table I am to examine myself. Actually, this is a good daily practice— examine myself to see if I am being faithful to God’s desires. Whether I am at the Lord’s Table to take part with other believers or going through my day… I should be the same. I should seek to be faithful at all times.

            Let there be no mistake— judgment can come to the believer who is not living faithfully for our Lord Jesus. The passage above says the believer can “bring judgment on himself.” This happens when taking lightly what Jesus has done for us, living unfaithfully and coming before Him frivolously. We are told in this passage what kind of judgment could come upon a person who is not honoring Jesus as he ought— weakness (frailty), sickness or death. This is what happened in the Corinthian Church among believers!  

What was this judgment? Again, the passage above tells us— “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” This judgment on a believer is the Lord’s discipline.   The believer is not condemned along with the unsaved world, but experiencing the Lord’s discipline as a child of God. Paul is encouraging the Corinthian Church to do be faithful so they would not experience this type of disciplining judgment from our Lord. Let us also heed this instruction.

Dear Father my desire is to be faithful. May it be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c43un3RTIfY