When is self-evaluation appropriate?

2 Corinthians 13:5Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.

1 John 5:10-12All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don’t believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don’t believe what God has testified about his Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.

Many people assume that they are Christians because they live in a “Christian country,” have believing parents, or have lived a relatively good life. But the only valid test is their own relationship with Jesus. So, we can evaluate ourselves to see if our “faith is genuine,” that is, if we have trusted Christ as Savior.

Mark 11:25“When you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.”

1 Corinthians 11:27-28Anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup.

Before partaking of the Lord’s Supper (Communion), we should evaluate ourselves to see if we need to confess any sins to God. We should also forgive those who have sinned against us.

James 4:17Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Sin can be subtle, not just words or actions that we know are wrong. We also should be careful to do what we know is right.