A Misunderstood and Misused Text - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2024

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.
2 Corinthians 13:5

A Misunderstood and Misused Text
This verse is often misunderstood and even misused to promote the idea that Christians should look within themselves for evidences of salvation. As a Christian I am always to examine myself to see , and to judge myself in God's presence. However, self-judgment is a much different thing from examining myself in order to find assurance of salvation. Due to the wrong interpretation of this verse, there are many Christians who are forever examining themselves to see whether they are "in the faith."

The Corinthians had been listening to the voice of false apostles and false teachers who had been questioning Paul's apostleship. Paul's answer to this slander and misrepresentation of his ministry was, "Since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me examine yourselves" (2 Cor. 13:3, 5). Paul is assuming they would answer his rhetorical question about whether Christ was actually in them with a positive affirmation. This is a rhetorical tool to awaken the Corinthians to the folly of questioning his apostleship: "How did you Corinthians become Christians in the first place?" It was Paul himself who had led them to the Savior. If they wanted to see the proof of his apostleship they only had to look at themselves! Paul is not telling them to look within for evidence of salvation but to look at their salvation as the credentials of his apostleship.

Our assurance comes not from looking within, nor from our feelings, but in believing what God has said (1 Jn. 5:10-13). In this regard Martin Luther once wrote,

Feelings come and feelings go,

And feelings are deceiving;

My warrant is the Word of God,

Naught else is worth believing.

Brian Reynolds