Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified (2 Corinthians 13:5).
There has lately arisen a discussion among friends as to the meaning of Paul’s words here. Taken from their context, they are used by preachers of dubious education and intent to call their hearers to do good works, and judge their Christianity by their behavior. If you’re a Christian, you’ll exhibit the fruits of the Spirit; you won’t drink, smoke, or chew, or go with girls who do. But is that what Paul is saying here? Is that the type of test he is talking about?
We have to understand Paul’s words here, as always when we try to understand the words of Scripture, in their context. Paul is answering the Corinthian congregation’s demand that he prove his words are from Christ. They have been influenced by outside teachers, and now they doubt Paul’s veracity. They want to see his credentials, so to speak. His response to them is that they, rather then he, need to put themselves to the test. Paul isn’t talking about some legalistic morality test. He isn’t instructing them to examine their “faith-walk” by looking at how nicely they behave toward others, so that they will cultivate good behavior and have a closer, more personal relationship with Jesus. He is telling them to examine their doctrine. He wants them to look at what they believe, teach and confess, and see if it lines up with what he, and the Scriptures, taught them to believe.
This is essentially the same thing Paul told the faithful Timothy. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.[1] In his letter to Timothy, Paul encourages Timothy to continue teaching true doctrine. Writing to the Corinthians, Paul is warning them to test their doctrine, to see if they have strayed from the truth.
Paul begins this portion of his letter with his concerns for their faithfulness. Paul betrothed the Corinthians to the bridegroom, Christ, as a chaste virgin. Now he is worried that their minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.[2] They have put up with the preaching of another, counterfeit Jesus, spirit, and gospel. So, how does he expect the Corinthians to test themselves? Scripture tells us. When Paul went to Berea and preached in the synagogue, the Bereans received the word that Paul preached; they searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether the things Paul preached were so.[3] Scripture, the Word of God, is and should remain the only rule and norm of all doctrine. Everything should be subjected to God’s Word.[4]
Paul seems confident that the Corinthians will pass the test. He bids them farewell as brethren; he tells them to become complete, to be of good comfort, to be of one mind, and to live in peace. These are good directions for we Christians living today. We should also examine ourselves as to whether we are in the faith. This examination is one of doctrine, rather than behavior. Do we profess that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures?[5] Do we teach Christ’s disciples to observe all things that He has commanded, as Jesus said to his Apostles after His resurrection?[6] Or, do we put up with another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel? We must test our doctrines against Holy Scripture.
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