Examining Self Through Faith in 2 Corinthians

The Apostle Paul exhorts believers in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to "Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified" ^[1]. This passage calls for a rigorous self-examination to ascertain one's spiritual state and genuine connection to Christ.

The command to "examine yourselves" (Greek: dokimazete heautous) implies a process of proving or trying one's own spiritual condition ^{[4, 10]}. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, suggests that this self-examination is linked to the Corinthians' demand for proof of Christ speaking through Paul. one tradition argues that if they were truly "in the faith," they would find evidence of Christ's presence within themselves, thereby confirming Paul's ministry ^[6]. The phrase "in the faith" can refer to being in the doctrine of faith, having a spiritual and experimental understanding of it ^[6].

This self-assessment is not merely an intellectual exercise but a deep spiritual introspection. It involves discerning whether Jesus Christ is truly "in you" ^[1]. If Christ is not found within, it suggests one might be "disqualified" or "reprobate" ^{[1, 4]}. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary emphasizes that this self-examination should be the primary focus for believers, rather than seeking external proofs of Christ's presence in others. They suggest that finding Christ dwelling within oneself by faith provides assurance that He also speaks through those ministers by whom that faith was received ^[10].

The concept of self-examination is also highlighted in other Pauline epistles, particularly in relation to partaking in the Lord's Supper. In 1 Corinthians 11:28, Paul instructs, "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup" ^[5]. John Gill interprets this as checking for a true sense of sin, repentance, and genuine faith in Christ, including love for Christ and other believers ^[8]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist commentator, adds that this examination should ascertain whether one has proper faith in Jesus and discerns the Lord's body in the elements of communion ^[7]. Calvin further elaborates on this, stating that those who approach the Supper "without any spark of faith, without any zeal for charity," do not discern the Lord's body and profane it ^[11].

The necessity of self-examination is a recurring theme in biblical thought. Torrey's Topical Textbook lists several aspects of this practice, including engaging in it with "holy awe" (Psalm 4:4), "diligent search" (Psalm 77:6), and "prayer for divine searching" (Psalm 26:2, 139:23-24) ^[5]. It should also be undertaken with a "purpose of amendment" (Psalm 119:59) ^[5]. The advantages of such examination include avoiding judgment (1 Corinthians 11:31) and gaining assurance (1 John 3:20-22) ^[5].

Paul's emphasis on self-examination in 2 Corinthians comes in the context of defending his apostleship. He challenges the Corinthians to look inward, implying that their own spiritual condition would validate his ministry ^[9]. one tradition asserts, "Such confidence we have through Christ toward God" ^[2], indicating that his confidence is rooted in Christ, and he expects the Corinthians to share in this confidence through their own faith. He also confronts those who might trust in themselves as being Christ's, urging them to reconsider and recognize that if they are Christ's, so too is Paul ^[3]. This suggests that a genuine self-examination would lead them to affirm Paul's standing as well.

Sources

2 Corinthians “Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don’t you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. -- 2 Corinthians 13:5”
2 Corinthians “Such confidence we have through Christ toward God; -- 2 Corinthians 3:4”
2 Corinthians “Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If anyone trusts in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again with himself, that, even as he is Christ’s, so also we are Christ’s. -- 2 Corinthians 10:7”
II Corinthians “II Corinthians 13:5 (ASV) — Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Self-Examination — Enjoined -- 2Co 13:5. Necessary before the communion -- 1Co 11:28. Cause of difficulty in -- Jer 17:9. Should be engaged in With holy awe. -- Ps 4:4. With diligent search. -- Ps 77:6; La 3:40. With prayer for divine searching. -- Ps 26:2; 139:23,24. With purpose of amendment. -- Ps 119:59; La 3:40. Advantages of -- 1Co 11:31; Ga 6:4; 1Jo 3:20-22.”
2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 13:5: Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith,.... These words are to be considered in connection with Co2 13:3 for seeing they sought and demanded a proof the voice and power of Christ in the apostle, he directs them to self examination, to look within themselves, to try, prove, and recognise their own souls; where if things were right, they would find a proof of Christ's speaking in him, to them: he advises them to examine the state of their own souls, and see whether they were in the faith; either in the doctrine of faith, having a spiritual and experimental”
1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 11:28: Let a man examine himself - Let him try whether he has proper faith in the Lord Jesus; and whether he discerns the Lord's body; and whether he duly considers that the bread and wine point out the crucified body and spilt blood of Christ.”
1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 11:27: But let a man examine himself,.... Whether he has a true sense of sin, sorrow and repentance for it; otherwise he will see no need of a Saviour, nor will he look to Christ for salvation, or be thankful to him for redemption by him; all which are necessary in a due observance of this ordinance; also, whether he is in the faith, whether he is a partaker of the true grace of faith, which is attended with good works, and shows itself by love to Christ, and to the saints; whereby a man goes out of himself to Christ for spiritual food and strength, peace and comfort”
2 Corinthians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 12:11: In these verses the apostle addresses himself to the Corinthians two ways: - I. He blames them for what was faulty in them; namely, that they had not stood up in his defence as they ought to have done, and so made it the more needful for him to insist so much on his own vindication. They in manner compelled him to commend himself, who ought to have been commended of them Co2 12:11. And had they, or some among them, not failed on their part, it would have been less needful for him to have said so much on his own behalf. He tells them further that they in p”
2 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Corinthians 13:5: Examine--Greek, "Try (make trial of) yourselves." prove your own selves--This should be your first aim, rather than "seeking a proof of Christ speaking in me" (Co2 13:3). your own selves--I need not speak much in proof of Christ being in me, your minister (Co2 13:3), for if ye try your own selves ye will see that Christ is also in you [CHRYSOSTOM], (Rom 8:10). Finding Christ dwelling in yourselves by faith, ye may well believe that He speaks in me, by whose ministry ye have received this faith [ESTIUS]. To doubt it would be the sin of Israel”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 99: and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body” ( 1 Cor. 11:27 , 29 ). For men of this description, who without any spark of faith, without any zeal for charity, rush forward like swine to seize the Lord’s Supper, do not at all discern the Lord’s body. For, inasmuch as they do not believe that body to be their life, they put every possible affront upon it, stripping it of all its dignity, and profane and contaminate it by so receiving; inasmuch as while alienated and estranged from their brethren, they dare to mi”

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