What does “test yourselves” mean in 2 Corinthians 13:5?

Answer

The apostle Paul instructed the Corinthians to “test yourselves” when addressing serious issues of sin within the church of Corinth. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul was preparing for his third visit after spending a significant amount of time there. Before his return, Paul strongly advised the congregation to be ready to confront the previously mentioned issues. Part of Paul’s admonition included the following statement: “Examine yourselves to determine whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not recognize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” «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? », (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Paul did not desire to resort to church discipline in Corinth but preferred to see the wrongdoers repent. However, many individuals who had engaged in immoral behavior began to challenge Paul’s apostolic authority. Paul intended to take decisive action against those who disregarded his warnings and failed to repent before his return (2 Corinthians 13:2-3). Therefore, he flipped their challenge back to them, urging them to self-examine and test their faith.

This was not the first instance where Paul had urged the Corinthians to introspect. Previously, he had observed the congregation partaking in the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner. He instructed them, “Let a person examine themselves, and then eat of the bread and drink from the cup” «But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. », (1 Corinthians 11:28).

Believers are to examine their motives, actions, and the current condition of their hearts to ensure they do not bring God’s discipline upon themselves.

Paul’s primary concern was to bring spiritual health and wholeness to the Christian community in Corinth. If the individuals were truly in the faith, then they would know that Jesus Christ lived within them. His Holy Spirit would be at work within them, promoting sanctification and moral living. However, if their lives showed no evidence of the Spirit’s activity, then Jesus Christ was not dwelling in them. And if Christ was not in them, they failed the test.

Instead of scrutinizing others, believers are to focus on examining their own lives: “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else” «But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. », (Galatians 6:4). In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul told them, “I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified” «but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.», (1 Corinthians 9:27, NLT). Paul made it a practice to test himself, too. He knew that no one could escape God’s judgment «every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. », (1 Corinthians 3:13).

The words “examine yourself” and “test yourself” essentially mean the same thing. Some BibleVersions have “look carefully at yourself” or “ask yourself.” One way to test yourself is to check for evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in your life: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus confirmed that true prophets of God are recognized by their fruits « Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. », (Matthew 7:15).

A tough but spiritually beneficial question to ask ourselves regularly is, “What is my spiritual condition?” The prophet Jeremiah called God’s people to honest self-evaluation and repentance: “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD” «Let us search and try our ways, And turn again to the LORD. », (Lamentations 3:40). Scripture calls us to “test everything,” renounce evil, and “hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22;ESV). We might consider making this our prayer as David did: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).