Self-Examination
J. Burns, D. D. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether you be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know you not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you… Observe — I. WHAT IS PREMISED IN THE TEXT. We are exhorted to examine ourselves. We may err in supposing — 1. Educational influence as synonymous with the faith. 2. In confounding a regard for, and an attendance on, religious services with being in the faith. 3. In mistaking inward emotions with being in the faith. II. TO WHAT THE TEXT DISTINCTLY REFERS. "Being in the faith," evidently, having the true faith of a disciple of Christ. Now if we are in the faith, then manifestly — 1. The faith of the gospel will be in us. 2. The experience of faith will be in us. 3. The signs of faith will be upon us. III. THE COURSE THE TEXT ENJOINS. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." And — 1. Do this with earnestness of spirit. 2. Do this with the Word of God as your rule. 3. Do it in the spirit of prayer. 4. Do it from time to time. IV. SOME MOTIVES BY WHICH THIS COURSE MAY BE ENJOINED. We should regard it — 1. As a duty. We should regard it in reference — 2. To our comfort. It is for the comfort of the traveller to know he is in the right way; for the mariner to know his course of sailing is correct; for the heir to be sure that his title is unquestionably valid. 3. It is connected with our safety. (J. Burns, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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? WEB: Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don't you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.