Self examination is something we need to do! How well do you know yourself and are you honest with that knowledge? Everyone must take time to reflect on their own life. Too many are just cruising along in high gear speeding along with the crowd.
Jesus knocks at your door. You and you alone are responsible for how serious you take God, his plan for you and your relationship with God. Since God has a "plan" which concerns you, are you responsive to that plan. Most know God's plan, but don't place it of any importance in their daily lives. Hence, most people drift along from day to day. They plan little for tomorrow, let alone for eternity!
Think about it! What is the most important aspect of life? Yourself? Your spouse? Your children? Job? Education? Retirement? Recreation? Pleasure? Your church? Your friends?
Face it. The most important thing which you should worry about is your eternal destiny! If you give your destiny little thought, you're foolish indeed. While you're thinking about where you're going to spend eternity, think also about where you deserve to spend it. I bet that what you want for your eternal destiny is at odds with what you deserve!
Introspection is good for the soul! Think about what your mind dwells upon, how you feel about things, and what you sense is important. Do you think about the things of God? Do you feel guilt and want to do something about it? Is God's will important to you and is God a serious part of your life? If you're as most are, you're in the rat-race! A few minutes a week are devoted to God and then your mind wonders to worldly things. Be honest! You often even fail to pay attention in church and the sermon is just a blur. It's for others because you don't think deeply enough to apply it to your own life. That's because most of us do little self-examination.
Now is the time for that self-examination. Do your best to care and to pay ample time reflecting on yourself as you answer the following questions which apply to you:
1) Do you know what "doctrine" is?
2) What is "sound doctrine"?
3) Do you tell others your of your own belief in sound doctrine?
If a senior citizen (answer 4-8):
4) Are you sober (aware and discerning)?
5) Are you serious with the things of life?
6) Is your faith well-established?
7) Do you love others enough to give of yourself and your prosperity?
8) Are you patient with others?
If you're a female senior citizen (answer 9-18):
9) Is your behavior righteous?
10) Are you fair to others?
11) Do you abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages?
12) Do you take the time to teach the younger women to be sober (aware and discerning)?
13) Do you advise the younger women to love their husbands?
14) Do you teach the younger women to care for and love their children?
15) Do you teach younger women to be discreet (not forward) in behavior?
16) Do you teach younger women to manage their home well?
17) Do you teach younger women to be obedient to their husbands?
18) Do you teach the younger women to honor God?
12-18) Do you, senior lady, practice these things yourself?
If you're a young man (answer 19-25):
19) Are you sober minded (aware and discerning)?
20) Are you serious with the things of life?
21) Is your speech truthful?
22) Do you live such that others have no grounds to criticize you?
23) Do you encourage those under your care to work well for their employers?
24) Do you teach those under your care to be prompt in their affairs?
25) Do you teach those under your care under you to be faithful to God's will?
23-25) Do you young man practice these things yourself?
For all (answer 26-40):
26) Are you aware that God's grace provides salvation for everyone? Are you saved?
27) Are you aware that God's will is that we should be godly as he was? Are you Godly?
28) Are you aware that you should not lust after things, people or prestige? Do you avoid lust?
29) Are you aware that you are to live soberly (without mind-altering drugs) and to stay aware? Are you?
30) Are you aware that you are called to live righteously (as Jesus would live)? Do you?
31) Are you aware that you are to live according to God's will and not your own? Do you?
32) Do you look forward to the coming of Christ?
33) Do you believe that Jesus paid for your sins so that you won't have to? Have you accepted that payment?
34) Do you believe that by giving his own life that he died in your place?
35) Are you purified (deemed pure although you're guilty) by Jesus shedding his own blood?
36) Have you set yourself apart from the desires and behaviors of the world?
37) Are you an enthused hard worker in spreading the good news about Jesus?
38) Are you aware that you are a priest of God with authority to teach and correct?
39) Do you live a life free of behaviors which provoke others?
40) Did you really think about each question sincerely and examined yourself critically?
Here's where the test questions originated (This is how you're to be holy):
Titus 2:1 "But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
3The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
10 Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."
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