Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Corinthians 13:5

"Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate." — 2 Corinthians 13:5 (ASV)

Examine yourselves.

The particular reason Paul calls on them to examine themselves was that there was reason to fear that many of them had been deceived. Such had been the irregularities and disorders in the church at Corinth, and so ignorant had many of them shown themselves of the nature of the Christian religion, that it was extremely important for them to conduct a strict and impartial examination to determine if they had been entirely deceived.

This examination, however, is never unimportant or useless for Christians, and an exhortation to do it is always appropriate. So important are the interests at stake, and since even the best are so liable to deceive themselves, all Christians should often be encouraged to examine the foundation of their hope of eternal salvation.

Whether you be in the faith. Whether you are true Christians. Whether you have any true faith in the gospel. Faith in Jesus Christ, and in the promises of God through Him, is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true Christian; therefore, to determine if we have any true faith is to determine if we are sincere Christians.

Prove your own selves. The word used here (dokimazete) is stronger than the one used before and translated "examine" (peirazete). This word, "prove," refers to assaying or testing metals by the powerful action of heat; and the idea here is that they should make the most thorough trial of their religion, to see if it would stand the test.

The proof of their piety was to be found through a faithful examination of their own hearts and lives, by a diligent comparison of their views and feelings with the word of God, and especially by testing it in life. The best way to prove our piety is to subject it to actual trial in the various duties and responsibilities of life.

A man who wishes to prove an axe, to see if it is good, does not sit down and look at it, or read all the treatises he can find on axe-making and on the properties of iron and steel—valuable as such information would be. Instead, he shoulders his axe, goes into the woods, and tests it there.

If it cuts well, if it does not break, if it does not quickly become dull, he understands the quality of his axe better than he could in any other way. So, if a man wishes to know what his religion is worth, let him try it in the places where religion is of any value.

Let him go into the world with it. Let him go and try to do good, to endure affliction in a proper manner, to combat the errors and follies of life, to admonish sinners of the error of their ways, and to advance the great work of the conversion of the world. He will soon see there what his religion is worth—as easily as a man can test the qualities of an axe.

Let him not merely sit down and think, compare himself with the Bible, and look at his own heart—though this may be valuable in many respects. Instead, let him treat his religion as he would anything else: let him subject it to actual experiment. That religion which enables a man to imitate the example of Paul, or Howard, or the great Master Himself, in doing good, is genuine.

That religion which enables a man to endure persecution for the name of Jesus, to bear calamity without murmuring, and to submit to a long series of disappointments and distresses for Christ's sake, is genuine.

That religion which prompts a man to a life of unceasing prayer and self-denial, which will make him always conscientious, industrious, and honest, which enables him to warn sinners of the error of their ways, and which inclines him to seek the friendship of Christians and the salvation of the world, is pure and genuine.

That will answer the purpose. It is like the good axe with which a man can chop all day long, in which there is no flaw, and which does not get dull, and which answers all the purposes of an axe. Any other religion than this is worthless.

Know you not your own selves? That is, "Do you not know yourselves?" This does not mean, as some might suppose, that they could know by themselves, without the aid of others, what their character was, or that they could ascertain it themselves. Rather, it means that they could know themselves—that is, their character, principles, and conduct.

This proves that Christians may know their true character. If they are Christians, they may know it with as much undoubted certainty as they may know their character on any other subject. Why should a man not be as able to determine whether he loves God as whether he loves a child, a parent, or a friend?

What greater difficulty should there be in understanding one's character regarding religion than regarding any other subject? And why should there be any more reason for doubt on this than on any other aspect of character? And yet, it is remarkable that while a child has no doubt that he loves a parent, or a husband a wife, or a friend a friend, almost all Christians are in very great doubt about their attachment to the Redeemer and to the great principles of religion.

Such was not the case with the apostles and early Christians. Paul says, I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him, etc. (2 Timothy 1:12). John, speaking in the name of the body of Christians, says, We KNOW that we have passed from death unto life (1 John 3:14). We KNOW that we are of the truth (1 John 3:19). We KNOW that he abideth in us (1 John 3:24). We KNOW that we dwell in him (1 John 4:13). See also 1 John 5:2, 19, 20.

So Job said, I KNOW that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand in the latter day upon the earth, etc. (Job 29:25).

Such is the consistent language of Scripture. Where, in the Bible, do the sacred speakers and writers express doubts about their attachment to God and the Redeemer?

Where is such language to be found as we hear from almost all professing Christians, expressing entire uncertainty about their condition; absolute doubt whether they love God or hate Him, whether they are going to heaven or hell, whether they are influenced by good motives or bad; and even considering it a merit to be in such doubt, and thinking it wrong not to doubt?

What would be thought of a husband who should make it a matter of merit to doubt whether he loved his wife, or of a child who should think it wrong not to doubt whether he loved his father or mother? Such attachments ought to be doubted—but they do not occur in the ordinary relationships of life.

On the subject of religion, people often act as they do on no other subject. If it is right for one to be satisfied with the sincerity of his attachments to his best earthly friends, and to speak of such attachment without wavering or misgiving, it cannot be wrong to be satisfied regarding our attachment to God, and to speak of that attachment, as the apostles did, in language of undoubted confidence.

How that Jesus Christ is in you. To be in Christ, or for Christ to be in us, is a common way in the Scriptures of expressing the idea that we are Christians. It is language derived from the close union that exists between the Redeemer and His people.

Except you be reprobates?

The word translated "reprobates" (adokimoi) properly means not approved, rejected; that which does not stand the trial. It is correctly applicable to metals, denoting those that do not pass the tests to which they are subjected but are found to be base or impure.

The meaning here is that they could know they were Christians, unless their religion was base, false, impure, or such as would not stand the test.

There is no allusion here to the meaning sometimes given to the word reprobate—of being cast off or abandoned by God, or doomed by Him to eternal ruin according to an eternal purpose. Whatever may be the truth on that subject, nothing is taught about it here. The simple idea is that they could know they were Christians, unless their religion was such that it would not stand the test, or was worthless.

(Regarding is in you, see Romans 8:10; Galatians 4:19. Regarding reprobates, see 1 Corinthians 9:27; 2 Timothy 3:8.)