Examine Yourself!

b. Paul would have said that many of these false apostles” that were infecting the Corinthian church looked good on the outside. Wise philosophers. Gifted orators. Influential individuals….AND TOTALLY LOST! UNSAVED REPROBATES. (KJV) Gk word: adokimos – unapproved, spurious, worthless, not discerning. IN the Septuagint, Prov. 25:4 says “Take away the dross from the silver, And there comes out a vessel for the smith.” “dross” was reprobate silver…that even though it was falsely stamped or coined it would be rejected. Don’t comfort yourself that you walked an aisle. That you prayed a prayer. That you signed a pledge. If you have no desire for the things of God you fail the test! Don’t comfort yourself with some form of false positive.

B. Be Sure to Take Corrective Action if you have Failed the Test.

1. Paul tells the Corinthians to beware if they have failed the test.

a. Illust: In the academic world, if you fail a test, your professor may want to set up a time for you to visit with him/her. Possibly give some extra assignments. Maybe you secure a tutor. No different in the spiritual life. Ask a pastor. Elder. Christian friend. Get alone with the WOG and pray and seek the Lord Jesus. Past Monday afternoon got a text from man in the church, knew of a young couple who were struggling and wanted to know if I would meet with them. Met them later that night. Talked for about an hour. Background on lives and the problem experiencing. I said: I am not a doctor, or a therapist, I am a pastor. I believe your problem is spiritual. If you can take 15 minutes more, I can tell you the solution to your problem. Couple had no church BG, no Bible. Took out “Steps to Peace with God” and read each verse. Asked if they recognized were sinners? Yes. Asked if understood why Jesus came. Yes. Asked if died right now where would go? Hell. Asked if like to change that outcome. Yes! Prayed to receive Christ. They took the actions to correct the failure of the test.

2. You can be confident of your position in Christ. v.6 Notice what Paul claims in v. 6 – “But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.” Paul was confident of his standing before Christ. II Tim. 1:12-14 ““I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me” In Phil. 1:6 he says: “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

C. Illust: An elderly man said to H.A. Ironside, "I will not go on unless I know I’m saved, or else know it’s hopeless to seek to be sure of it. I want a definite witness, something I can’t be mistaken about!" Ironside replied, "Suppose you had a vision of an angel who told you your sins were forgiven. Would that be enough to rest on?" "Yes, I think it would. An angel should be right." Ironside continued, "But suppose on your deathbed Satan came and said, ’I was that angel, transformed to deceive you.’ What would you say?" The man was speechless. Ironside then told him that God has given us something more dependable than the voice of an angel. He has given His Son, who died for our sins, and He has testified in His own Word that if we trust Him all our sins are gone. Ironside read I John 5:13, "You may know that you have eternal life." Then he said, "Is that not enough to rest on? It is a letter from heaven expressly to you." God’s Spirit used that to bring assurance to the man’s heart.