As believers, we are charged in this opening verse to examine, test, discipline, scrutinize, prove our own selves, (not our neighbor). It is our responsibility to know without any doubt that we are in the faith. Faith here is not an abstract concept of belief.

From G3982; persuasion, that is, credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly constancy in such profession; by extension the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself: - assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

We have a problem if our trust in our salvation is based on anything or anyone external. Believing in Christ is first and foremost a personal experience. No one can give you entrance into God's presence. God must draw you. Others may be used to assist and encourage you, but you must possess a fundamental personal relationship with God within your own heart. Without that personal relationship, you do not know God, and you are not in the faith. You will know whether Christ is in you or not.

Reprobate is a word seldom used today, it is From G1 (as a negative particle) and G1384; (and means) unapproved, that is, rejected; by implication worthless (literally or morally): - castaway, rejected, reprobate.

Now Paul is speaking to believers in his letters to the Churches, not to the unsaved. And he continually exhorts them to examine their own hearts, to be true to the Gospel of Christ. Faithfully going to Church and paying your tithe does not bring you into compliance with walking in obedience to Christ's commandments. These things are outward actions, performed by multitudes the world over in every religion. The Muslim's faithfully stop whatever they are doing and pray to the East five times a day. Does this fulfill any commandment of our Lord. No. But people feel justified by those outward things they can be seen doing.

We Christians here in America have just as many forms of worship with all the outward trappings as the other religions of the world. We go through the motions of performing religious acts that in essence are no different than those performed by the multitudes of non-believers toward their false gods. We find comfort in our traditions, our Easter Sunrise Services, our Passion Plays, our Christmas Cantata's. It is our flesh that feeds from these performances. This mentality is so ingrained in our psyche, that many will find it very offensive to even suggest that our works and efforts could be anything but delightful in the eyes of God.

Unfortunately, we are much more adept at and concerned with pleasing men than we are with pleasing God. We possess a tendency to embrace the outward show, all the while ignoring the required inward working. We have a form of Godliness, but deny the power thereof. 2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. Multitudes today are on the wide road that leads to destruction, and do not even know it.

How so? 2Timothy 3:7 Because they are ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. There are many today claiming to have the truth. Every "Ministry" out there, is presenting itself as the one true way to God. The choices are overwhelming, whose voice should one listen to? How about the still, small, voice of the Spirit?

John 4:23,24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

What does this mean? It means to make diligent effort, to substantially exhibit ourselves tried and approved, that is, acceptable to God. We are the laborer here, and if we do not want to be ashamed before God, then it is our responsibility to correctly dissect the word of truth. It is our duty when we expound or teach the divine message, to do so correctly.

[Looking to the Concordance for the word 'Study' in the above verse, we find: G4704; to use speed, that is, to make effort, be prompt or earnest: - do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavour, labour, study]. It takes effort on our part.

What is politically correct in the eyes of man will not meet the requirements of God. We have already been exhorted in 2 Timothy 3:5 to turn away from those who only have a form of godliness. We are living in the perilous times referred to. It is time for believers to lay hold of the reality that if we place our trust in those things that we see with our eyes and hear with our ears, we are in danger of the very deceptions Paul warned the early Church of. Those deceptions are greatly multiplied today.

We need to examine our own hearts. What do we believe and why do we believe it? Do we believe simply because it is what we grew up with, or is our belief based on a personal encounter with the Son of God? Are we daily growing in our inner man, dying to the lusts of the flesh and the carnal desires of the reasoning mind? Is the Spirit reigning in our life, directing our steps, teaching us what true righteousness is, or are we immersing ourselves in the works if men? Are we too busy spreading the message to have time to fully comprehend what the message we are spreading really is? It is said that 'a man's life is an open book, read of all men'...and this is true. Do we have one face that we wear at Church, another that we wear at work, and still another that we wear at home or when we are alone and think no one can see us?

There is such a din of so many 'clamoring voices' , all claiming to be right, that the result is division and confusion.

2 Timothy 1:7,8 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

The popular attitude prevalent today is one of tolerance. Tolerance and compromise are very closely related. Jesus called us out to Follow Him, to partake of Him. To speak the truth as the disciples did requires KNOWING (intimately) He of Whom we speak. In the face of today's compromised, tolerant religious system, those who speak the Word of the Lord, will be sneered at as troublemakers and lunatics. Are we willing to face to rejection, slander and threats today? Do we comprehend that if we are ashamed of the Lord, if we deny Him, then He will also deny us? Are we ready to share the sufferings of Christ? Or would we prefer to believe that Christ suffered and died for us so that we don't have to suffer anything in this life? These are all choices that are very real, and pertinent, and apply to every believers life.