What does the Bible say about self-examination?

To you who have no doubts I speak now. Your danger is in coming to the Lord's Supper without adequately weighing your ways and state of heart. "Let a man examine himself," not to see whether he is a Christian, as some say. But, if assured of salvation as we should be, the Lord intends that there should be a solemn searching of heart, and challenging of the soul every time, with a view to our seeing in what spirit and state we are coming to the Lord's Supper. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily is guilty with respect to the body and blood of the Lord; for he falls into no small offence as to Christ who treats His Supper irreverently. Consequently the Lord does not fail to come in and vindicate the honour of His name thus set at naught, and to judge, as we see He did at Corinth.

"But let a man prove himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he that eats and drinks eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body." Grace is thus maintained, but through righteousness, as ever. Each is to put himself to the proof, and so to eat and drink. The Lord would have His own to come, but not with negligence of spirit or levity; this were to be a party both to His own dishonour, and the deeper evil of his followers. Still He invites all, if He urges the trying of our ways. Self-judgment is with a view to coming, not to staying away. For it is a question of those whom grace counts worthy; whatever their past or personal unworthiness, they are washed, they are sanctified, they are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. Having the Spirit, not of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind, they are assumed to be in peace with God, and delivered from the law of sin; they are contemplated as jealous for the Lord's glory, and hating what grieves the Holy Spirit of God, whereby they are sealed unto the day of redemption.

It is not supposed that they could persevere in evil that they discover themselves exposed to, or that they confess sin in which they begin again to indulge, as if God were mocked by an acknowledgment which would thus aggravate their wickedness. Grace strengthens the man who tries himself with integrity, and it emboldens him to come. Where there is lightness on the other hand, the Lord shows Himself there to judge. "For he that eats and drinks (most add "unworthily," but the most ancient omit) eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the body," that is, the Lord's body, as the mass add, in both cases needlessly, though right enough for the sense which is implied. To bring in the church would falsify the thought: the wrong was forgetfulness of the Lord's self-sacrificing love. He instituted the supper to remind us of it continually.

The Lord's Supper is also to be eaten with self-examination. Not self-examination to see whether we are good enough, prepared enough, and the like, for it is not a question as to fitness for eating or not; but having examined ourselves, we are to eat. That is, we are not to take the Lord's Supper in a careless state of mind, but to come to it in a condition of soul suited to the Lord's presence. "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." (v. 28.) We are to approach the supper of the Lord with self-examination and self-judgment, that not a spot of unjudged evil may be allowed on us, the Holy Spirit be show grieved, and our Lord well pleased; for it is the Lord's presence, the Lord's table, the Lord's Supper, the body and blood of our Lord, in the perfectness of divine love, which engage us on this occasion.

But some may say, I dare not examine myself; if I did, I should make such appalling discoveries that I could not go to the Lord's table, because I should find myself so unfit. This, however, is not what we find here. It is a divine direction to "examine himself, and so let him eat;" that is, that true self-examination as to life and walk answers to that state of soul which suits the Lord on such an occasion. No doubt, when we are in the searching light of God's most holy presence in the exercise of self-examination, much will be detected which we deplore before the Lord; but are we to stay away from His supper on this account? Certainly not. But having judged ourselves, and condemned, as in His sight, every thing we have discovered contrary to His mind we are to eat — "So let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup." Therefore these precious words are added, "For if we judge ourselves, we should not be judged." (v. 31.) We should partake of the Lord's Supper then, not in a state of mere formality or carelessness, but with all solemnity, as having examined and judged ourselves, and therefore not conscious of associating any uncleanness with His presence; for how otherwise could we be enjoying the Lord and His work? If the head of a well-ordered household would have each member approach the family table with order and cleanliness, and would feel that disrespect was cast upon him by one taking his seat there bespattered with spots of defilement and carelessly attired, could our adorable Lord be less sensitive as to the state of soul with which we surround His table? Could it be a matter of indifference to Him whether or not we appeared there with unjudged evil? Most certainly not, as the Scripture before us clearly shows; yet how blessed is the divine assurance, that "if we judge ourselves, we should not be judged." On the other hand, because the Lord loves us, and we are His own, He must govern and discipline. "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten." The two lines of truth, that the Lord's people are objects of His love, and also of His government, run like parallel lines all through Scripture; nor can His ways with us be understood, unless these two lines are clearly seen. If then there be the absence of self-judgment, it will call for the Lord's governmental judgment, or it may be the judgment of the assembly, for these three orders of judgment are found in this epistle. If the Lord's governmental interference be called for, He must judge according to His own perfect wisdom and faithfulness; but, as we have seen, this would not be needed if we judge ourselves; "but when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." (v. 32.) The present sphere of the Lord's judgment is the house of God, by-and-by it will be the world. Those who are not dealt with governmentally now, will be condemned with the world then. Let us never forget that our present blessing, as well as the Lord's glory, are connected with the state of soul in which we are found at the Lord's table. Our title to be there is, that we are redeemed by Christ; our blessing when there is, that our state is according to Christ, and that we are occupied with Him.

True, the evil does not appear in the same form in our midst, as in the Church of Corinth. This could hardly be expected; but it in nowise alters the real principle of the thing. The question is, Are we really discerning, by faith, the Lord's body in the breaking of bread? if not, we are eating and drinking unworthily; we are eating and drinking judgment to ourselves; we are guilty (enocos) of the body and blood of the Lord. Solemn thought! We need to remember that while the Table is spread on the ground of accomplished redemption, it is to be surrounded in the power of personal holiness, that while we are not saved by personal holiness, we are saved to it — that while as Christians we are entitled, through grace, to partake, we are called upon to examine and judge not merely our ways, but ourselves. Christ was judged for our sins on the cross, and we are exhorted to judge ourselves, and then show forth His death. Now we believe that this holy exercise of self-judgment is a deep, earnest, habitual thing. It is not the formal, wordy, lip confession, on the Lord's day morning, of the sins and follies of the past week, to be followed by the sins and follies of the next.

A principal lesson of the story of Job, if not the principal lesson, is his realising the presence of God in such a way that he abhorred self. This is not by any means a popular department of truth, because we don't react sympathetically to the idea that self has to be denied. Why is there so much spinelessness about our Christianity today? It is because we have forgotten such words as those of the Saviour: “if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee … if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee” (Matthew 5:29-30). There is to be ruthless self judgment. What do you do when you read: “laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings”? (1 Peter 2:1). Does the Spirit of God bring to your mind personal feeling against someone? Malice, guile, hypocrisies, envies and evil speakings are to be laid aside, they're not to be passed over. The Word of God will reveal, and so bring us into the presence of God, as we abhor ourselves, as we judge ourselves, in the light of the cross. Then the Holy Spirit is not grieved and His power is made good to us. Unless there is this application of the cross we are turning our backs upon an enormous portion of the New Testament. Why does it say in Colossians, mortify, put to death, kill your members which are upon the earth? (Col. 3:5). It is a job to be done. Am I doing it? Are you doing it? As we read Holy Scripture are we allowing it to search us? Are we allowing it to go into the inner parts of our hearts, and as we see ourselves as God does are we doing what God has done, judging ourselves and turning away from ourselves? Then the way is open for an ungrieved Spirit to fill us with the real vision of Christ where He is and the freedom that comes from walking in the truth. It is a negative thing but it is because we have given so little attention to the need of dealing with self that there is so little of the other side: being full of the Spirit and with boldness witnessing, and at the same time entering into the reality of the heavenly side of the truth. In 1 Corinthians 11, when it talks about women having their heads covered, it is “because of the angels” (1 Cor. 11:10). That is a plain indication that there are things behind the directions that God gives us that are hidden from us. They belong to the heavenly sphere and we are not told very much about them. It is clear enough in Ephesians 6 that there are principalities and powers in heavenly places that set themselves against every movement that we make to enter into our true Canaan. There are things behind the struggle we have that are never explained to us, but what is open to us is to remember those words “let a man examine himself” (1 Cor. 11:28). That is not introspection. It is cutting, it is killing, it is sword work. “… if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged” (1 Cor. 11:31). “I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes”. So Job sailed into prosperity, and there is spiritual prosperity ahead of us if we learn this basic lesson that came to Job.

It might be very difficult, or even impossible, for us to form a right judgment on the actions of men, but the heart-searching God knows the true motives of every heart, and judges righteously. Such things as we have considered have been written that we might be found before God, judging what is of the flesh, and endeavouring to act by God's grace in love, saying like one of old, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).

But even where the thing is clear, conscience may be dull and indifferent. The common sights and sounds with which the world is full tend insensibly to dull us; the dust with which the air is full settles upon the mirror, we know not how, and it gives no more the clear witness that it did so short a time since: we need therefore continual recourse to Him whom the Psalmist invoked: "Search me O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me" (Ps. 139:23-24). Ah! what incompetent judges are we in our own case! and how thankful may we be to have such an One as is here before us to judge our case for us! It is involved in this, that we come into His hands, not for mere settlement of this matter or that; we do not say to Him, "Search out this or that," but, "Search me;" and thus, if we are perfectly honest in it, we are inviting the light to be poured into all the dark corners and crannies of our lives and hearts: we are with Him without reserve, — for self-judgment indeed, but as He manifests us to ourselves and thus enables us.

Is it not a comfort to the soul that really loves holiness, to know that God will come and sweep the house, lest there should be a single thing left there to offend His eye, or hinder us from walking in the light in which He dwells? Grace emboldens the saint to say, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." What amazing confidence! And God does search us, and that by the light of the word. He shows us the evil by the word. This is the use the Spirit makes of the word: "For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Ver. 12.) We are brought into God's presence; we have, as it were, God speaking to us. He searches my heart even in the sweetest testimonies of His grace: and then, having discovered to me the evil, does He speak about it in judgment, as that which is imputed tome as sin? No! He says, "Here is something not in accordance with my love, something that does not satisfy my love."

And looking at communion as taught in the New Testament by the apostle Paul, we find that "many" came under the Lord's discipline, both in being afflicted with sickness, and cut off, because they did not judge themselves as to their walk and state in partaking of the Lord's Supper. They did not discern the Lord's body. Hence we read: "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world." (1 Cor. 11:29-32.) How impossible, then, it is that we can be in communion with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ, and with one another, with careless, unjudged walk! It was not self-examination with the people to see if they were Israelites, for that was their birth condition; nor is it self-examination with us to discover whether we are children of God, for that was for ever settled when we were born of God by faith in Christ Jesus; but, as an Israelite, who had uncleanness upon him, by reason of having touched what was defiling, had to be cleansed from it, and made clean before he ate of the peace-offering, so we have to be clean when approaching the Lord's table, or to enable us to be in communion with the Lord as to anything else. How blessed it is to know that, having been perfected for ever by the one offering of Christ, when we do, as God's children, sin, it is a question then, not of eternal condemnation, but of communion; and through the advocacy of the Lord Jesus, and the action of His word and Spirit on our souls, we are bowed before Him in confession, and cleansed by the Word, so that we are again restored to communion with Him who is the holy and the true.

What is self-judgment? It is looking at yourself (note it well), not in contrast with other saints, but in contrast with Christ, the perfect, heavenly Man.