Examine Yourself Rightly

Have you ever thought about how so many attend church every week, and yet they do not do the things the Lord commands? They worship the Lord week after week, praising Him with their lips. But then later, they go away and curse publicly, show hatred toward others, lie, steal, and keep their wealth for themselves. They fail to obey the Words of God even though they sit and listen to them week after week.

They fail to look compassionately upon the homeless, broken, addicted, afflicted, and lost, many of whom have not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead of building up the body of Christ, they build up the church buildings and those who rule them to make themselves look good in front of others. In fact, they do not work for the Kingdom of God but themselves.

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. 1 Timothy 1:5-7

I assure you, this is not the behavior of a faithful follower of Jesus Christ. Think about it. Just because someone claims to be something does not make it accurate. Evidence and actions prove what is true. What about you? Do you truly know the Lord? Are you following and obeying His commands? If you were on trial, would your defense attorney be able to amass substantial evidence that you are a genuine follower of Jesus Christ?

Because Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” John 14:15

Do you go from your place of worship and walk in the ways of the Lord to help others and seek to do good to them? Are you the same at church as you are everywhere else? Because if you do not, you are lying to yourself. More importantly, you are lying to God. You are not walking in the light of God’s truth. You may be able to hide the fact from people, but not from God. He sees deep within your heart, and He sees what is false.

1 John 1:6-7 says, “If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Consider your ways, and think about your daily actions, words, thoughts, discussions, and motivations of your heart. Are you seeking God’s righteousness? Would your ways please the Lord? Remember, you live in a spiritual world, with angels and demons everywhere, waging war over your soul. God sees the very fabric of who you are in your soul, and you can not hide anything.

The Lord stands beside you every moment of the day, watching you and taking note of every thought and action you make. If you could realize that you are building up treasure or condemnation, you would be very careful to obey what He commands. Let’s look at what God instructs us on this matter.

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him, there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 John 2:9-11

Judge yourself in truth and honesty. Look at yourself in the mirror of God’s Law and see if you are walking in the fruits of the Spirit; “ love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;” If you are breaking His Law, you shall not lie, steal, lust, hate, covet, curse God’s name, and more, then you are in big trouble; this is a clear sign that God does not know you, you have not been changed from darkness to light, and you are not saved. Because those who are born again are drastically different than they used to be.

God will stand in judgment against all who have sworn by Him falsely. May your words be honest, your thoughts pure, and your actions mirror what is within your heart. God can make you a new creature if you only humble yourself and repent.

Fall on your knees and repent today by turning away from your sins. Then, follow and obey Jesus Christ in everything. Judge yourself with righteous and sober judgment daily so that you may be found in the faith and then walk in the truth of the Word of God. As James said, “Be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only.”

“As for you, son of man, your people who talk together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, ‘Come, and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say, but they will not do it;

for with lustful talk in their mouths, they act; their heart is set on their gain. And behold, you are to them like one who sings lustful songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. When this comes—and come it will!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” Ezekiel 33:30-33