2 Corinthians 13:5(AMP) Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you – unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit?
In this scripture, Paul asks the church in Corinth if Christ is truly in them. Do they still believe what they believed when Paul first introduced them to Jesus? Or is their trust now in someone or something else?
Paul asked one of the most critical questions a Christian can ask – are you in the faith? How do you know? The real issue here is what it means to test yourself or to examine yourself and how you do it.
A genuine Christian is someone in whom Christ dwells. Paul suggests that we ask ourselves if we have evidence that Jesus Christ lives in us.
The Spirit of God within us, testifies that we are children of God. Romans 8:16(AMP) The Spirit Himself testifies and confirms together with our spirit [assuring us] that we [believers] are children of God.
1 Peter 2:1-3(MSG) So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You’ve had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God.
Lamentations 3:40(ESV) Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the LORD!
1 Thessalonians 5:21–22(ESV) but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
Psalm 139:23–24(ESV) Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
I conclude with this version of 2 Corinthians 13:5-9(MSG) Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. I hope the test won’t show that we have failed. But if it comes to that, we’d rather the test showed our failure than yours. We’re rooting for the truth to win out in you. We couldn’t possibly do otherwise. We don’t just put up with our limitations; we celebrate them, and then go on to celebrate every strength, every triumph of the truth in you. We pray hard that it will all come together in your lives.