The Way of Self-Examination

by Bishop W. Reynold Storr

Disobedience is spiritually what sickness is physically – an abnormality in God’s plan for mankind. He never intended for either of them to be a part of the human experiences. Jesus came to deliver man from sin and its curses and reestablish his union with God.

John 3: 8

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

The angel who appeared to Joseph described the purpose of Jesus’ life in these words: “…he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). So we se that God wants Christians saved not only from wrath but from its cause; not only from hellfire in the hereafter but from sin’s control in the here and now. Although this victory over sin is God’s will for all Christians, it is experienced only by those who desire it and cooperate with him by practicing self-examination. To assist them with their inner vigil, God has sent the Holy Spirit into the world.

Jesus called the Holy Spirit the Parakletos, which means “one called alongside to help”. Once we have received of the Holy Spirit’s fullness, thereafter he lives in our bodies: “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy (Spirit) who is in you…” (1Cor. 6:19). From within us he helps us daily to monitor our spiritual condition. If we fail to maintain our union with Christ, the Holy Spirit immediately alerts us that we are disconnected from the Vine.

The moment we turn aside from the light ever so slightly, he wants us to know it. Why? Lest we enter the deceptive and dangerous realm of spiritual darkness. He knows well what Jesus testified – that anyone who walks there will soon ‘stumble,’ or fall into more open and destructive sins: “If a man walk in the night (darkness), he stumbleth because there is no light in him” (John 11:10). To help us recognize our departure from the light, the Spirit gives us signs of spiritual darkness.

Jesus promised that signs would follow true Christians. Regarding obedient, faith-filled believers he declared, “These signs shall follow those who believe…” (Mark 16:17), and he went on to describe the miracles that appeared after the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost (16:17-18). These supernatural signs of the Spirit’s presence and power authorize the early Christians as Jesus’ representatives and confirmed their message in the public eye.

(Mark16:19-20)

v.19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

v. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.

But these spectacular signs are not the only ones the Spirit has given. There are others that attend disobedient Christians – the signs, or spiritual indicators, of spiritual darkness. Just as surely as signs of divine power follow Christians of extraordinary faith, the signs of darkness follow those who regard sin in their hearts. But they are internal, not external; private, not public; quiet, not obvious. Whenever we turn aside from abiding in Jesus and his Word, the Holy Spirit within us manifest one of his warning indicators.

Invariably, the signs of spiritual darkness come whenever we have failed to bring out thoughts into captivity to Christ or have otherwise disobeyed the Lord. When our heart vigil breaks down, the Spirit intervenes to alert us of our failure and prompts us to correct ourselves. This is his ministry of redirection. He simply reminds us of what we have ignored – thoughts or emotions we recognize as wrong yet allow to slip into our hearts unchecked; words or deed we knew were wrong but failed to confess as sin; words or acts that we knew gave offense yet for which we refuse to ask forgiveness. It is then up to us to deal with the matter the Spirit reveals. If we do so, we escape from spiritual darkness and do not stumble. So where our self examination fails, the Spirit’s examination prevails… if we respond to the signs of broken fellowship with God.

1. Loss of Peace

“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts…” (Cor.3:15). This text exhorts us to let God’s peace “rule” or act as judge, in our hearts. We see, then, that God’s peace is the judge of our hearts. The amplified Bible states that peace should “act as umpire continually in your hearts – deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds…” So God’s peace is also our umpire. These two examples are synonymous because both judges and umpires are authorities employed to render clear, final decisions – the judge in the court of law and the umpire on the field pf play. Judges rule defendant innocent or guilty, and baseball umpires rule players safe or out. So also the peace of God rules in our heart.

The peace of God that passes all understanding should be our constant companion. If we walk in the light, our hearts abide free from agitation and filled with deep peace. Whether our surroundings are heavenly or hectic, placid or panicky, our personal inner sanctums abide at rest. The loss of this wondrous soul-rest is the surest indicator that we have erred. Whenever tranquility exits and anxiety enters, the Spirit is rendering a decision in our soul. Judge Peace rules we are “guilty” of disobedience, and the Umpire shouts we are “out” of the Spirit.

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