1Cor 11:28
Self Examination
Everything that we do in the body of Christ is for a reason. The New
Testament church is not steeped in ritual, ceremony, or rites; but
rather, we are practitioners of worship. As that is true in all
other aspects, so it is true concerning the Lord’s Supper. Sadly,
many Christians do not know the reasons for what we do. So as we
celebrate the Lord’s Supper tonight, let us share one of the reasons
for partaking of the Lord’s Supper. It is a self examination.
\\#28\\ Notice the Bible tells us plainly one of the purposes. In
the church, it is not primarily the pastor’s duty to examine the
members. Nor is it primarily the deacons’ duty to examine the
members. Nor is it primarily the other members’ duty to examine the
members. Rather it is the individual’s duty to examine himself or
herself. That does not mean that another Christian can not see some
thing amiss in your life and speak to you about it. It just means
it is not their responsibility first. Every believer is responsible
for their own spiritual life and God has given us this service, in
part, to encourage us to do just that.
What do we need to be looking for? Several things.
I. We should be examining our salvation.
A. The sad truth is that many of the religious are lost.
Matt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for
wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which
go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is
the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there
be that find it.
1. The greatest concern that I have is for lost church
members.
2. Too many have not heard the salvation message!
a. Some have never heard it for it was never told to
them.
b. Others have heard the words but resisted the message.
B. This is a great concern of the Bible.
1. Paul wrote the Corinthians.
2Cor 13:5 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?
2. As did the writer of Hebrews.
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise
being left us of entering into his rest, any of
you should seem to come short of it.
3. As did John the Baptist.
Matt 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees
and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto
them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you
to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for
repentance:
4. As did Jesus Himself.
Matt 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord,
Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in
thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name
done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never
knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
C. How can I tell if I am saved.
1. There is only one way. Salvation produces a change in the
sinners’ life.
2Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he
is a new creature; old things are passed away.
Behold, all things are become new!
2. It is not about changing a few habits, going to church,
or turning over a few leafs. It is about a new
birth that produces a totally new creature in Christ.
3. If there has been no change in your life, there has been
no Christ in your life.
4. Now you must look into your life and see if it was so.
a. Not a temporary change.
b. Not a partial change.
c. Not a on again and off again change.
d. But has there been a change in your life that rocked
you to your bones and altered the way you think and
live?
e. Look and see, Friend! That is what this service is
about. Do you find yourself having to confess the
same sins over and over again? Do you love Jesus
more today or less today that the last time we had
this occasion?
D. Now some will answer that salvation is personal.
1. They are quick to point out that salvation happens in the
heart and soul of the individual.
a. It cannot be observed, verified, documented, or
tested.
b. It moves different people to do different things in
different ways.
c. All of this true and because salvation is personal,
some use that as an excuse to deflect questions about
one’s salvation.
2. However, salvation is also spiritual.
a. That means it is always a work of the Holy Spirit. He
is always the person who is doing the work.
b. And that means salvation will always effect everyone
in some of the SAME ways. Two come to mind.
(1) Salvation will always move sinners away from sin.
The order of the sins we deal with may be
different, but the direction will always be the
same—away from sin.
(2) Salvation will always move sinners toward God and
worship. A love for the Bible, for church, for
Christian fellowship.
II. We should be examining our devotion.
A. How devoted are we to Christ?
1. That question is always answered by how much do we love
Jesus.
2. Those who love much are devoted. Those who are not
devoted do not love much.
B. Jesus gave us this truth in two short parables:
Matt 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like
unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a
man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof
goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth
that field.
Matt 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like
unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great
price, went and sold all that he had, and bought
it.
1. These parables makes sense only when you realize the
men in both of them loved wealth.
2. When they found what they loved, they sold everything else
to secure it.
3. When you find what you love, you will be devoted to it.
C. Now this brings up a real question.
1. There are some who just don’t seem to love Jesus very
much.
2. Their devotion is just so low.
3. What causes that? Just two things.
a. They have not been saved. (That takes us back to the
first point of our examination.)
b. They have not understood just how good Jesus was to
them.
Luke 7:41 There was a certain creditor which had
two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and
the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly
forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of
them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he,
to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him,
Thou hast rightly judged.
c. Notice who Jesus expected to receive the most love
from?
(1) The one He had forgive the most.
(2) Here is the thing, Jesus forgives us all of the
same bill—everything We are all just as guilty
no matter how much wrong we have done!
(a) All sins demand the same penalty - eternity
in hell.
(b) All sins demand the same price - Jesus death
on the cross.
(3) It is not the value of the bill but the
appreciation of the payment that produces love.
(4) Some just do not understand how great their sin
actually is.
(5) Do you think hell would be any more pleasant if
all you did was J walk?
(6) Friend, rethink your sinfulness and fall in love
with Jesus!
III. We should be examining our consecration.
A. This is a good Bible term that has only recently been brought
back up in importance to me.
B. Consecration is dedication, dedication to God’s holiness and
to God’s service.
1. In truth, every person who ever gets saved should have
consecrated himself at that point.
2. Yet, like the sinner does not have to fully understand
everything about doctrine to believe what he knows at
salvation, so he does not have to understand everything
about consecration to surrender all that he understands
at salvation.
C. I recently heard a preacher say that he believed every
Christian ought to have a definite date after their salvation
where they totally surrender their all in consecration to
God.
D. Christians need to understand Lordship.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth
in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me, and gave himself for me.
1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I
have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Ro 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall
die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the
deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are
upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and
covetousness, which is idolatry:
E. Who is in charge of your life? What do you thing about sin?
How much should we surrender to be pleasing to Christ.
IV. We should be examining our sanctification.
A. Sanctification means our separation from sin.
B. Sin is not something to be taken lightly. It is a toxin that
kills the body, hardens the soul, and separates our spirit
from God.
C. Christians are commanded to get away from sin and to stay away
from it.
Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said
unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin
no more.
2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all
filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as
strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly
lusts, which war against the soul;
D. Yet, like a familiar friend, we let sin gradually move back
into our lives.
E. Do not let it be so! Examine yourselves. Find the sin that
rooted itself to your heart and confess it God as you turn
from it.
1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness.
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