EXAMINATION TIME

“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 Cor. 13:5 NKJV).

Tests and examinations are a very important part of schooling, and here in our verse, we are told to take a spiritual test, to do some spiritual examining. Thus, we want to note the who for the examination, the what in the examination, and the ways of the examination.

The who for the examination – “Yourselves.” Note the emphasis on “yourselves” in this verse. At least seven times in this verse the apostle Paul makes reference to “yourselves,” and “you.” At times we may need to examine others, but this verse is about examining ourselves. Some folks only examine others forgetting they need to examine themselves, too. If we only examine others and never examine ourselves, we play the hypocrite.

The what in the examination – “Whether you are in the faith.” This examination has to do with our soul’s salvation. We are to examine ourselves to see if we are really saved. No examination is more important since nothing is as important as our soul’s salvation. If there is one thing we need to be certain of in life, it is whether or not we are saved. Let’s examine ourselves, making certain we are saved and headed for heaven when we die.

The ways of the examination – There are three suggested ways to examine ourselves to prove whether or not we are saved. First, do we have an affection for the Savior? The Bible says, “If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed” (1 Cor. 16:22). Unbelief does not love Jesus Christ, but faith does. Second, do we have an affection for the Scriptures? A person who is saved will love and obey the Word of God. In 2 John 1:6, we read, “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.” And 1 John 2:3 states, “We do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Third, do we have an affection for fellow believers? In 1 John 3:14, we read, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.”

(Adapted from Butler’s Daily Bible Reading 3)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“A Christian is: a mind through which Christ thinks, a heart through which Christ loves, a voice through which Christ speaks, and a hand through which Christ helps!”

Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430)

Theologian and Philosopher  

Word Study

Finish

In Rom. 9:28 we read, “For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth” (NKJV).

“Finish” is the Greek word sunteléō (συντελέω = soon-tel-eh'-o). It is made up of two words: “sun” with means together, and “teleo” which means to finish. Thus, the word means to bring together to completion. It is the bringing together of an intended purpose. In classical Greek sunteléō means bring to an end, complete. In the Septuagint sunteléō means carry out, achieve, to complete. And in the New Testament sunteléō primarily means the completion of a period of time. In context, sunteléō refers to God’s work of judgment during the Tribulation period when the nation of Israel will be persecuted and judged, and only a small remnant left to enter into the kingdom when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth.

Did You Know…

The apostle Paul was convinced that Timothy also had the same kind of “genuine faith” that his grandmother Lois and mother Eunice had (2 Tim. 1:5).

Bible Quiz

How is faith described in the Book of Hebrews?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz

King Darius made a law forbidding any man to pray to any god except him. How many days was the law made for? 30 days ((Dan. 6:12).

Prophecies Fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ

Seeking the death of the Son (Psalm 22:12-13; cf. John 19:6)

"Many bulls have surrounded Me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, like a raging and roaring lion!” (Psalm 22:12-13 NJKV).

In context, the Psalmist David felt that he was at the mercy of his enemies, as a person is in the presence of a dangerous bull or lion. He declares, “Many bulls have surrounded Me,” meaning that men with the fierceness and fury of bulls have surrounded him. All this is designed to denote the anger and hatred with which the enemies of the Lord Jesus sought his life, even after Pilate declared on three occasions, “I find no fault in Him.” And when the chief priests and the officers cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him,” they were asking for the most brutal form of capital punishment. They knew the brutality of crucifixion, the terrible excruciating pain and the slow, lingering death. Crucifixion was considered a curse by the Jews, a shattering of character, reputation, and life. Thus, it was usually reserved for criminals, slaves, and especially revolutionaries. The Lord Jesus was none of these, and Pilate knew it. But the Jewish enemies of the Lord Jesus wanted not only to kill him but also to discredit and humiliate Him thoroughly. It has been said that when men are determined on evil, they cannot be reasoned with. However, by His humiliating death on the cross, the Lord Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. He satisfied the just demands of a righteous and holy God.

Did You Know – Christian History

Missionaries Kidnapped in Columbia

On January 31, 1993, armed guerillas from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known as FARC, entered the village of Púcuro, Panama. There they seized three American missionaries - Dave Mankins, Mark Rich, and Rick Tenenoff. Shortly afterward, Nancy Mankins, Tania Rich, and Patti Tenenoff learned that FARC had radioed the mission, and the guerillas were demanding millions of dollars for the release of the three husbands. Like many missions, New Tribes has a policy not to pay ransom for hostages. With over three thousand missionaries serving worldwide, many in politically troubled areas, New Tribes fears that paying ransom will encourage kidnappings, putting all missionaries at increased risk. New Tribes radioed the guerillas that there was no money to meet their demands. The two sides continued to talk by radio for about a year. In January 1994, FARC broke off contact. And so, the long wait continued. For the families, the silence could mean anything. Were the men ill or well, alive or dead? For the wives and children of the captured men, concern for their loved ones was a persistent ache of loss. New Tribes continued to negotiate quietly, hoping to bring about a happy ending. In 1997 there was a brief surge of hope when the Costa Rican government reported that a FARC official had confirmed that the hostages were alive and well. Other contacts corroborated this report, but then the silence returned.

Five years after the men were captured, their whereabouts and well-being was as uncertain as ever and there was no prospect of their release. The State Department of the United States even requested that the Colombian government at all levels do all they can to determine the welfare and whereabouts the American citizens. New Tribes continued their request for the release of the captives, and for action by humanitarian organizations, and for prayer by Christians. Yet the ordeal dragged on. The case remains one of the most infamous unsolved hostage cases in modern history, with no clear resolution until 2001 when eyewitness confirmation confirmed the men’s deaths. This world is a dangerous place, and those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ must be prepared to suffer. On their website, New Tribes Mission posted this note: “The Biblical foundation laid by Dave, Mark and Rick is bearing fruit. In the village of Púcuro there are believers who love the Lord Jesus as their Savior. Because of the ministry of those three men and their families, and missionaries in other locations, today more than 30 Kuna churches are rejoicing in their freedom in Christ.”

A Little Humor

Do you know how to make holy water? You take some regular water, and you boil the hell out of it.

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Christians, keep the faith... But not from others!”