The Most Important Self Evaluation

In 2 Corinthians 13 the apostle Paul finishes his letter to the church in Colosse. He concludes with some personal remarks and final words. Perhaps the most important sentence in this chapter has to do with self-evaluation. I don’t think many of us like self-evaluation. I think most people shy away from evaluation all together. But here in chapter 13 Paul exhorts us to do a very important self-evaluation. Here it is: 5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. I believe this is the most important self-evaluation there is. Are you in the faith? Please notice the criteria given. The criteria are not the amount of good you have done versus the amount of bad you’ve done. The criteria are simply, “Is Jesus Christ in you?” That is the test. If you have the Son of God you have life. If you do not have the Son of God you do not have life. That’s the test.

I suggest you take this test in a quiet room or a place where you can remove distractions. Sit alone and open your heart to God. He’ll tell you whether or not Christ is in you.