Self-Knowledge and Self-Judgement
True Self-judgment shuts out the adversary.
The more we exercise ourselves in Self-judgment, the more will the flesh in us be discerned by ourselves, and the less will it be seen by others.
In our exercise of Self-judgment, we should keep our eye upon the Advocate with the Father, else we shall have a self-vexing conscience which profits not.
Self-examination is a solemn and profitable business it should mainly consist in this, “My soul, believest thou? lovest thou?” (Heb. 11:61; 3:12.132; John 13:34.353; Rom. 13:104; 1 Cor. 135)
The custom of Self-judgment is among the best of spiritual habits.
“The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by Him actions are weighed” (1 Sam. 2:3)6. Because God tries the heart, therefore, in instances innumerable, God’s judgment condemns where man may approve and praise.
The oftener we invite Him with whom we have to do to use the keen edge of “the sword of the Spirit” in our own consciences, the less will there be in us for Satan’s fiery darts to fix upon.
If we better considered that “we have an Advocate with the Father” (1 John 2:1)7, we should not go far from the paths of the Lord and the presence of God. This Advocate speaks to the pity and love as well as to the holiness of the Father. It was the Advocate who said, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41)8. He knows all our circumstances, and the power of temptation and trial. Let it be the first business of the conscience to think of this “Advocate with the Father;” then what child of God will be slow to make confession whenever it is due?
Each one of us has in himself some especially besetting evil - a weight to be laid aside. (Heb. 12:1.)9
Let me ask the Lord to give me self-knowledge; for self-knowledge, though a painful, is a necessary thing, worth all the trouble of the search, and all the mortification it may cost me.
When Israel suffers defeat before Ai, it is time to do what should indeed have been done before: to search out the Achan in the camp. (See Joshua 7)10
When I see a brother overtaken in a fault, let me beware of my own besetments, and seek to restore him in the spirit of meekness.
Fußnoten
Hebrews 11: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.↩︎
Hebrews 3: 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.↩︎
John 13: 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.↩︎
Romans 13: 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.↩︎
1 Samuel 2: 3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.↩︎
1 John 2: 1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:↩︎
Matthew 26: 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.↩︎
Hebrews 12: 1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,↩︎