The Spiritual Discipline of Self-Examination

CLASS SESSION #22 – THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2020
Presenter: Dr. Wilfred Graves Jr.

Self-examination is the study of one’s own behaviors and motivations.  Regular and intentional self-examination is an important aspect of the healthy Christian life.  The spiritual discipline was modeled by King David (e.g., see Psalm 139: 23-24). The Apostle Paul on several occasions also encouraged Christians to examine ourselves (e.g., see 1 Corinthians 11:28; 2 Corinthians 13:5). Through the process of self-examination, the Holy Spirit enables us to honestly review our motives, thinking patterns, beliefs, behaviors, etc. to see whether they line up with the Word of God. In this session of “Healthy Habits of the Christian Life,” we will focus on this essential spiritual discipline.

If you have not done so already, please sign up for this blog at the bottom of the page to be alerted of new posts by the Three Bible Teachers.  Do not forget to access the class materials and additional resources that are available through the “Quick Links” section. Today’s post is the first of a two-part series. Next week, we will deal with the closely related spiritual discipline of confession.

Video Presentation on Self-Examination
In this video, Dr. Graves introduces the topic of self-examination. If you like this video, please subscribe to his YouTube channel by clicking on the red button at the bottom right of the video (while playing).

Conversation on Self-Examination
The following video contains a conversation on the topic of self-examination by the Three Bible Teachers.

Session 22 of “Healthy Habits of the Christian Life”
The video links for this session are below. Please follow these links to choose the section of the class that you wish to view.

1. Welcome and Opening Remarks
2. Video Presentation on Self-Examination (same as above)
2. A Conversation on Self-Examination by the Three Bible Teachers (same as above)
3. Zoom Class Discussion, Homework, and Final Remarks (see embedded video below)

Homework on Self-Examination
The homework assignment from Dr. Graves can be found below. If you are especially blessed by this assignment, or any other assignment from the class, please send an email describing your experience to ThreeBibleTeachers@gmail.com. Also, feel free to email us at any time with your testimonies.

1. Each evening during the next week, sit down, relax, and mentally review your daily activities. How did you handle the various events of that day? Were there any areas that you feel need improvement? Talk to the Lord about these areas in prayer.
   
2. Think for a moment about the situations that evoke negative strong emotions within you. When is it that you feel really angry, sad, prideful, defensive, etc.? Why do you feel this way? How do these feelings affect your behavior? Bring these issues to the Lord in your prayer time.
   
3. How do you feel when other people give endless excuses for their immature or sinful behavior? Some individuals, like many who suffer from addictions, never seem to take responsibility for any of their self-destructive behaviors. In what ways have you been excusing your own ungodly thoughts and actions?
   
4. Finally, ask some of your family members and close friends to help you see your blind spots. Ask questions like: How can I be more sensitive to your needs? Do I recognize the needs and concerns of other people or do I always talk about myself?

Quick Links:
Link to: Self-Examination Power-Point Presentation
Link to: Chart of 52 Spiritual Disciplines
Link to: Website for Dr. Wilfred Graves Jr.