True Examination by Brother Duke Hansen

         There are a few scriptures we are going to be reading from this morning as they all are going to tie in together on one subject. The subject is examining yourself. We are first going to 2 Corinthians chapter 13 and starting at verse 5. We will also be going to the book of Titus. At Titus we will be reading from the 1st chapter and verse 16. 

        5 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?

        The question I would like to start with this morning in asking you is how could you examine yourself and know you are in the faith? Most people would say, "well it is through reading the scripture". The way our minds work that statement has the potential of being dangerous because often time our mind is going to interpret things read for the benefit of the flesh. What content could help us in self examination of our faith should be based on the word of God and the word of God based on those living an upright and pleasing life before the Lord. Do we measure up to those walking in the faith right now?

        Let us go back to the beginning of chapter 13 of 2 Corinthians. We will read the first two verses.

        This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

        2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

        These two verses are not about those in the world who sin. Paul was addressing this church in Corinth, which was very rich, but there were many things in the port city that posed a problem to them in the church. As you may have noted, though there are two letters directed to Corinth, the reality was that there were at least three. This second letter was addressing those while Paul was still imprisoned. You cannot sit idly by in this faith and let time pass. God did not call you as a believer to examine your neighbor but to examine yourself. You cannot claim to be of the faith if you are constantly shoveling dirt on others through gossiping and backbiting. Often when we are trying to keep our sins hidden, we will often search to find fault and sin in others as a means of justification of our actions. Let's go back to verse 6 of 2 Corinthians.

        6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates.

        The dictionary defines reprobate as an unprincipled person. In definition by scripture reprobate is rejected by God and beyond hope of salvation. This is something we need to be aware of in examining ourself. There is a danger in trying to keep your feet planted in both the world and the faith. We will go to Titus chapter 1 and the 16th verse.

        16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

        By this verse it is to be understood that a reprobate can profess to know Jesus yet he can still live in sin. Going a little deeper let's go to the book of Romans. We will start at chapter 1 verses 21-23.

        21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

        22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

        23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four footed beasts, and creeping things.

        Man will always take the spiritual things of God and try to mold and fix it into a carnal setting for his pleasure. It was going on when Paul wrote this to Rome and it is still going on today. Moving to verse 24;

        24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves:

        Paul is now leading into that, as we like to think there are many levels towards righteousness, the same can be said for reprobation. Moving on to verse 25.

        25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

        It nurses sickness and empowers sin. How can we worship the creature and serve the creature more than the Creator? We begin to strip away from the sanctuary tools like the anointing oil, the prayer altars, and replace them with mood lighting, modern renovations, top dollar sound system, all for the purpose of fashioning your church more as a business. Why else do you have so many churches shortening their name today? They have treated and fawned over speakers or singers as celebrities rather than anointed and it fuels their sense of worth and their ego. Moving to verse 26.

        26 for this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

        27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.

        28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

        29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of any, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

        30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

        31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful;

        32 Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

        I'm sure that there are those listings there that each and every one of us could attach a name to just now. How do we know the sins committed are worthy of death? Because in Romans chapter 6 verse 23 it says the wages of sin are death. Here's the thing, we can sit here right now and examine our neighbors life, or someone in church and what they're doing outside of church. We need to stay in our own lane. It's not our job to judge others! You should know who you are and what defines your life paralleled to the Bible. Now we are going to go back to 2 Corinthians chapter 13 and verse 7.

        7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.

        Is the battle and struggle we face truly with that glass of wine or liquor? The filthy language? The lusts we feel in our flesh? No. It is about the spirits that bring them at hand. That's where the real battle is. Moving on to verse 8.

        8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

        9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

        Do you know of people or come across them in life who are fine and happy when things seem to be at their worse? They find happiness in discontent? There are different examples of perfect as well as the steps to take toward perfection. Your goal is to be able to spiritually grow and mature over time in your walk.

        10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me to edification and not to destruction.

        11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

        Paul's letter is written to a church questioning Paul's God given ministry. The garbage you struggle with are known as imperfections. When people will stand on the lie that all man is going to heaven, they're spiritually imperfect. There are plenty of examples of perfection in the scripture. We are now going to Romans chapter 7 and the 19th verse. My challenge is for you to read Romans this week.

        19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

        Paul is saying that the laws of God only apply to you when you're alive and that the law is holy. This is not living in sin trying to perfect himself. Paul is breaking it down to us in how the law is there for you and I to use and examine ourself. If the sin is still there, it has to go.

        20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

        21 I fins then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

        22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

        23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

        What law is this that Paul is writing about? The law of God. God is fighting for you. The law of God is in constant battle with our minds are our mind is the judge.

        24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

        25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

        The only thing that can deliver us from the body of this death is the Holy Spirit. Learn the difference between this word of God and the reprobate interpretation of the word. Many people going to church are being handed over to reprobation. The question to ask is not can the reprobation can be forgiven but whether the person can stay away from the reprobation. Reprobates are all about merely believing in the idea of Jesus alone. God care today what you think and about you, and not others you know. You are to work on examining yourself rather than examining others. You need to build up your spiritual I.Q. Paul was an advocate to taking the imperfection and into perfection. We should go and do likewise.