There is a saying that goes, “Physician, heal thyself.” The meaning of this phrase is that physicians can be going about bringing healing to other people and not taking care for themselves. They may not take the time to heal themselves, or they may or may not be aware of the fact that they are sick. So the saying is for the physician to heal himself, also.
We can bring this thought into our Christian life. The title “Know Yourself” has the same idea as the physician healing himself. There are people out there who do missionary work, and are very zealous in the cause of God, who are spiritually sick and may not be saved. “Many a star that we have admired for its brilliance will then go out in darkness. Those who have assumed the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will then appear in the shame of their own nakedness.” –Maranatha, p. 196
Also, there definitely will be those leaders/ministers, who do not know themselves, yet God will not let His work languish. “We have been inclined to think that where there are no faithful ministers there can be no true Christians, but this is not the case. God has promised that where the shepherds are not true He will take charge of the flock Himself. God has never made the flock wholly dependent upon human instrumentalities.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 80
To know yourself is very important. Some people do not want to know themselves. It can be disheartening to know the real state of your human heart. They prefer to not know their inner heart. If you try to help these people and show them their errors, they get angry or make excuses for their sins, as did Adam and Eve or King Saul.
Some think they know themselves, but really do not, as with the believers comprising the Laodicean church (Revelation 3:17). They are blind to their true condition before God. To be saved, you must know yourself.
There are others who readily repent when they are shown their errors, like King David. He even went as far as to ask God to search his heart—his inner heart—to find all the dark spots, so they could be cleansed. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23–24
EXAMINE YOUR LIFE
Paul counsels Christians to, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” 2 Corinthians 13:5
And David asked the Lord to, “Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” Psalm 26:2
Paul also reminds us that, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31. Sometimes it is better for us to humble ourselves and submit to the Lord, rather than leaving it to the Lord to humble us. Oh, He will, but it may not be that pleasant an experience.
When we read the word of God, are we promised only pleasant experiences? Paul tells us that, “the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12. The Word of God cuts away the sin and dross in our character. It may be an unpleasant experience, but the end result is peace if we submit to be worked by God.
The counsel to know oneself is for all, including teachers, deacons, preachers, missionary workers and leaders, also. None are infallible. The most successful workers in the cause of God are those who recognize the true condition of their inner self and do something about it.
“To know oneself is great knowledge. True self-knowledge leads to a humility that will open the way for the Lord to develop the mind and mold and discipline the character. No teacher can do acceptable work who does not bear in mind his own deficiencies and does not put aside all plans that would weaken spiritual life. When teachers are willing to lay aside that which is unessential for the life eternal, then it can be said that they are working out their own salvation with fear and trembling, and that they are building wisely for eternity.” –Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 419
SHOW MYSELF TO ME
Our prayer to the Lord should be, “Show myself to me as You see me.” This can be frightening, when we think of our righteousness as being filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), but praise God He has promised to clothe us with His righteousness (Zechariah 3:4). Our prayer should be that we see ourselves—not as we see ourselves, but as we study the Bible, that the Lord will reveal to us how He sees us. Although the answer may be disheartening, thankfully He does not leave us in this condition, but provides a remedy.
“Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not be pardoned and blotted out of the books of record, but will stand to witness against the sinner in the day of God. He may have committed his evil deeds in the light of day or in the darkness of night; but they were open and manifest before Him with whom we have to do. Angels of God witnessed each sin and registered it in the unerring records. Sin may be concealed, denied, covered up from father, mother, wife, children, and associates; no one but the guilty actors may cherish the least suspicion of the wrong; but it is laid bare before the intelligences of heaven. The darkness of the darkest night, the secrecy of all deceptive arts, is not sufficient to veil one thought from the knowledge of the Eternal. God has an exact record of every unjust account and every unfair dealing. He is not deceived by appearances of piety. He makes no mistakes in His estimation of character. Men may be deceived by those who are corrupt in heart, but God pierces all disguises and reads the inner life.” –The Great Controversy, p. 486 (emphasis mine)
You can hide your inner life from mankind, but not forever. Today, you may keep your inner life secret from man, and only God may see your heart, but in the not too distant future, “be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23. “The time is near when the inner life will be fully revealed. All will behold, as if reflected in a mirror, the working of the hidden springs of motive. The Lord would have you now examine your own life, and see how stands your record with Him.” –The Review and Herald, November 10, 1896. Yes, examine your heart today and make it right with the Lord. You don’t want to leave it until the judgment day. You don’t want to see your inner heart post-millennium. “While it is said, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” Hebrews 3:15. Today, let Him search your heart and bring out the deep inner workings of your heart and let Him make it right.
TO KNOW ONESELF BRINGS PEACE
To some, a knowledge of self, brings distress and dismay. Why? They love themselves so much that they have a difficult time tolerating any knowledge that would potentially wound their pride. Self is alive. Self needs to die.
“It is the love of self that destroys our peace. While self is all alive, we stand ready continually to guard it from mortification and insult; but when we are dead, and our life is hid with Christ in God, we shall not take neglects or slights to heart. We shall be deaf to reproach and blind to scorn and insult. ‘Love suffereth long and is kind’ (1 Corinthians 13:4, R.V.).” –Reflecting Christ, p. 263
Every person has a built-in response called self-preservation. When self is alive the person will do their utmost to guard it from mortification (death). These people are reactive, always trying to preserve self from outside attacks.
“We cannot afford to let our spirits chafe over any real or supposed wrong done to ourselves. Self is the enemy we most need to fear. No form of vice has a more baleful effect upon the character than has human passion not under the control of the Holy Spirit. No other victory we can gain will be so precious as the victory gained over self.
“We should not allow our feelings to be easily wounded. We are to live, not to guard our feelings or our reputation, but to save souls. As we become interested in the salvation of souls we cease to mind the little differences that so often arise in our association with one another. Whatever others may think of us or do to us, it need not disturb our oneness with Christ, the fellowship of the Spirit. ‘What glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.’ 1 Peter 2:20.” –Ministry of Healing, p. 485
HOW DO WE KNOW SELF IS ALIVE?
Spirit Of Self-Justification
After Adam and Eve sinned, the Lord came to speak with them. “When the woman was asked, ‘What is this that thou hast done?’ she answered, ‘The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.’ ‘Why didst Thou create the serpent? Why didst Thou suffer him to enter Eden?—these were the questions implied in her excuse for her sin. Thus, like Adam, she charged God with the responsibility of their fall. The spirit of self-justification originated in the father of lies; it was indulged by our first parents as soon as they yielded to the influence of Satan, and has been exhibited by all the sons and daughters of Adam. Instead of humbly confessing their sins, they try to shield themselves by casting the blame upon others, upon circumstances, or upon God–making even His blessings an occasion of murmuring against Him.” –Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 58
Rather than humbly admitting their faults, and confessing their sin, when their errors are pointed out, those who have not died to self will be making excuses for their sins. They will always be trying to justify their actions. Their actions were misinterpreted. They did not really mean it that way, and so on. This is the spirit of Satan.
DEFAMING OTHERS
Then there are other people who are constantly looking at the faults of others and bringing them to the notice of their brothers and sisters in the faith. This is an attempt to divert attention from oneself.
“Although we do not acknowledge that the object of defaming another is to exalt self, self-exaltation is behind the practise of noting the shortcomings of others. Let every soul remember it is best to be on guard, and to make straight paths for his own feet, lest the lame (spying ones) be turned out of the way. None of us are in danger of being too devotional, or of possessing too much Christ-likeness of character. The remedy for unlikeness to Christ, for giving occasion for your good to be evil spoken of, is to live humbly, to keep looking unto Jesus in prayerful watchfulness, until changed into the likeness of His beautiful character.” –The Review and Herald, May 12, 1896. This is the remedy.
EXALTING SELF
“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Philippians 3:3–6. Paul was a good Pharisee and he was proud of it. He kept the Jewish law with exactness.
God has given truth to us. Why? So that we can pride ourselves as to how well we keep the truth? No, to share it with others. We are not given it to hide it under a bushel, either.
There is very great danger that God’s people can become spiritually proud because they have been entrusted with the truths for this time. However, with greater light comes greater responsibility.
“No man can of himself understand his errors. ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?’ Jeremiah 17:9. The lips may express a poverty of soul that the heart does not acknowledge. While speaking to God of poverty of spirit, the heart may be swelling with the conceit of its own superior humility and exalted righteousness. In one way only can a true knowledge of self be obtained. We must behold Christ. It is ignorance of Him that makes men so uplifted in their own righteousness. When we contemplate His purity and excellence, we shall see our own weakness and poverty and defects as they really are. We shall see ourselves lost and hopeless, clad in garments of self-righteousness, like every other sinner. We shall see that if we are ever saved, it will not be through our own goodness, but through God’s infinite grace.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 159
A classic case is the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. (Luke 18:10–13). The Pharisee was very thankful for his righteousness and he pointed out his good points to the Lord. The publican recognized the sinful nature of his inner self and prayed for mercy from God. He was forgiven. He knew himself while the Pharisee did not.
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14
“The Bible may be studied as a branch of human science would be; but its beauty, the evidence of its power to save the soul that believes, is a lesson that is never thus learned. If the practice of the Word is not brought into the life, then the sword of the Spirit has not wounded the natural heart. It has been shielded in poetic fancy. Sentimentalism has so wrapped it about that the heart has not sufficiently felt the keenness of its edge, piercing and cutting away the sinful shrines where self is worshipped. ” –Our High Calling, p. 203
THE DAILY BATTLE AGAINST SELF
The battle against self and sin is a daily battle. “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” 1 Corinthians 15:31. “So long as we are in the world, we shall meet with adverse influences. There will be provocations to test the temper; and it is by meeting these in a right spirit that the Christian graces are developed. If Christ dwells in us, we shall be patient, kind, and forbearing, cheerful amid frets and irritations. Day by day and year by year we shall conquer self, and grow into a noble heroism. This is our allotted task; but it cannot be accomplished without help from Jesus, resolute decision, unwavering purpose, continual watchfulness, and unceasing prayer. Each one has a personal battle to fight. Not even God can make our characters noble or our lives useful, unless we become co-workers with Him. Those who decline the struggle lose the strength and joy of victory.” –Gospel Workers, p. 477
“Self must be dethroned, pride must be humbled, if we would know the glory of the spiritual kingdom.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 57
“Genuine conversion is needed, not once in years, but daily. This conversion brings man into a new relation with God. Old things, his natural passions and hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong, pass away, and he is renewed and sanctified. But this work must be continual; for as long as Satan exists, he will make an effort to carry on his work. He who strives to serve God will encounter a strong undercurrent of wrong. His heart needs to be barricaded by constant watchfulness and prayer, or else the embankment will give way; and like a millstream, the undercurrent of wrong will sweep away the safeguard. No renewed heart can be kept in a condition of sweetness without the daily application of the salt of the Word. Divine grace must be received daily, or no man will stay converted. . . .
“Test and trial will come to every soul that loves God. The Lord does not work a miracle to prevent this ordeal of trial, to shield His people from the temptations of the enemy. . . . Characters are to be developed that will decide the fitness of the human family for the heavenly home—characters that will stand through the pressure of unfavourable circumstances in private and public life, and that will, under the severest temptations, through the grace of God grow brave and true, be firm as a rock to principle, and come forth from the fiery ordeal, of more value than the golden wedge of Ophir. God will endorse, with His own superscription, as His elect, those who possess such characters.” –Our High Calling, p. 215
When we do come to a realization of our true inner self, we do not need to be remorseful. “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” 1 John 3:20. Jesus came, not to call the righteous, but the sinners, to repentance. Remember “There is none righteous, no, not one.” Romans 3:10. Who is it that responded to Jesus’ ministry while He was on this earth? The publicans and sinners, and they found the true peace for which they were searching. They recognized the poverty in their inner heart. They appreciated the self-knowledge from Jesus, repented and found forgiveness.
It is my wish and prayer that we would see ourselves as God sees us and be willing to be changed and molded into His image. Amen.
Wendy Eaton