自我省察
哥林多後書十三章5至8節
5你們總要自己省察有信心沒有，也要自己試驗。豈不知你們若不是可棄絕的，就有耶穌基督在你們心裡麼？
6我卻盼望你們曉得，我們不是可棄絕的人。
7我們求神，叫你們一件惡事都不做；這不是要顯明我們是蒙悅納的，是要你們行事端正，任憑人看我們是被棄絕的罷！
8我們凡事不能敵擋真理，只能扶助真理。
信息分享
如今來到他最關心的問題。他在第5節提醒哥林多信徒要反省一個問題：「你們是否真正屬於基督？你們究竟是甚麼樣的基督徒？」
他在第5節那句話實質是一個命令：「要經常察驗自己、證明自己，以致清楚知道自己是否真正在基督裡。」
每個信徒都應聽從這句命令，經常省察自己。保羅這樣說，並非是要我們懷疑自己，反之，卻是要我們肯定自己。信徒是為了本身的好處而要省察自己。他們肯定自己得救，便可以繼續往前邁進；同時，別人也可以從旁觀者的角度，看見他們是否在基督裡站立得穩。
我們如何獲得這確據呢？首先，是神的話語給我們的見證。羅馬書十章13節說：「凡求告主名的，就必得救。」它就是你屬靈生命的出生證明。
此外，生命的改變也是一個明證。哥林多後書五章17節說：「若有人在基督裡，他就是新造的人，舊事已過，都變成新的了。」當我們接受基督進入我們的生命，祂就會改變我們。
我們並非靠自己來省察自我。只要我們願意，聖靈必與我們同工。如此，我們並非只專注在自己身上，因為聖靈總會帶領我們注視耶穌基督。
你是否擁有這確據呢？你能否像保羅那樣肯定地說「我知道所信的是誰」？相信神的話，聆聽聖靈在我們心裡的微小聲音，就能每天給你帶來信仰的確據。
STANDING - IN CHRIST
2 Corinthians 13:5-8
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.
6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
7 Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.
8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
Message
Here he came down to the bottom line. In v.5 he asked his final question - Do you really belong to Christ? Are you the kind of Christians you say you are?
His words in v.5 are really a command, a continuing command - 'Keep on testing and proving yourselves whether you are really in Christ.' Are you real Christians?
There are good words for us all. Paul's plan was not merely to create doubt but to establish certainty. It was for their own benefit. If they knew the assurance of their salvation, then they could go on from that point. Their standing firm in Christ would also be seen by others.
How can we have the same assurance? First, there is the witness of the Word of God. Romans 10:13 says, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' That can be your spiritual birth certificate.
There is also the witness of a changed life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, 'If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.' We have been changed by Christ.
Self-examination is not something I do all on my own. The Holy Spirit will do it with me if I allow Him. Then I am not fixing my attention merely on myself, but He will point me always to Jesus Christ.
How is your assurance today? Can you say, with certainty as Paul could, 'I know whom I have believed'? Believe God's Word. Listen to the inner voice of the Spirit of God. It will bring the strong assurance you need to face each day.