Self-judgment Through Confidence in Christ - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2026

Let a man prove himself, and thus eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
1 Corinthians 11:28

Self-judgment Through Confidence in Christ
The above passage does not allow for the kind of self-examination which is really based upon a system of doubts and fears and has no warrant whatsoever in the Word of God. This self-judgment is a sacred Christian exercise of the most salutary character. It is based upon the most unclouded confidence as to our salvation and acceptance in Christ. The Christian is to judge self because he is, and not to see if he is a Christian. This makes all the difference. Were I to examine myself for a thousand years, I should never find myself to be anything other than a ruined, vile thing which God has set aside and which I am called to reckon as "dead." How could I ever expect to get any comfortable evidence by any such examination? Impossible!

The Christian's evidences are not to be found in his ruined self, but in the risen Christ; and the more he can get done with self and occupied with Christ, the happier and holier he will be. The Christian judges himself, his ways, his habits, his thoughts, his words, and his actions, because he believes he is a Christian, not because he doubts it. If he doubts, he is not fit to judge anything. It is as knowing and enjoying the eternal stability of God's grace, the divine efficacy of the blood of Jesus, and the all-prevailing power of His advocacy, that the true believer judges himself. The human idea of self-examination is founded upon unbelief. The divine idea of self-judgment is founded upon confidence in Christ.

C. H. Mackintosh
Conscience now no more condemns us,

For His own most precious blood

Once for all has washed and cleansed us—

Cleansed us in the eyes of God.

J. von Poseck (tr. Frances Bevan)