Donald S. Whitney - Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health

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Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health

Copyright 2001 by Donald S. Whitney. All rights reserved.

Discussion Guide 2021 by Donald S. Whitney. All rights reserved.

A NavPress resource published in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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For him who is able to strengthen you... to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen (Romans 16:25, 27).

And for all three generations of my girlswife, daughter, and granddaughterand my grandson: May the Lord always grant you spiritual health and growth.

H AVE YOU HAD ANY TROUBLE SLEEPING ?

Have you experienced any shortness of breath?

Any changes in your eyesight?

Have you experienced any unusual fatigue?

Has the technician drawn your blood yet?

Now for this next test...

This is the way it goes during my annual physical checkup. The doctor always evaluates my bodily health by two means: questions and tests.

The English Puritans of 1550 to 1700 sometimes referred to ministers as physicians of the soul. In our day as in theirs, the timeless process of discerning ones spiritual health likewise involves questions and tests. My purpose in these pages is to act as a physician of the soul, asking questions and suggesting spiritual tests which can, by the help of the Holy Spirit, enable you to self-diagnose your spiritual health.

For there to be health, of course, there must be life. I wrote this book with the assumption that its readers would possess the eternal life given by grace to those who know God through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. The night before He was crucified, Jesus prayed, And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3). Stressing the necessity of knowing Jesus, the Son of God, in order to have eternal life, the apostle John adds, Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:12).

I realize, however, that many who begin reading this book will do so with a false sense of assurance that you know Jesus and that God has given you eternal life. Nothing in the world is more important than an eternal, life-giving knowledge of God through Jesus, who is the only way to the Father (see John 14:6). I urge you not to take the existence of such a relationship between yourself and God for granted. The Bible itself implores you, confirm your calling and election (2 Peter 1:10).

Where eternal life through Christ does exist, there should also be health and growth. Thats what this book is aboutevaluating spiritual health and growth. Throughout, remember that as Jesus is the source of spiritual life, so He also is the standard of spiritual health. And regarding spiritual growth, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ (Ephesians 4:15). As Jonathan Edwards said so emphatically,

Christians are Christlike: none deserve the name of Christians that are not so, in their prevailing character.... The branch is of the same nature with the stock and root, has the same sap, and bears the same sort of fruit. The members have the same kind of life with the head. It would be strange if Christians should not be of the same temper and spirit that Christ is of; when they are his flesh and his bone, yea are one spirit (I Cor. 6:17), and live so, that it is not they that live, but Christ that lives in them.

So, whatever the present state of your spiritual health or rate of your spiritual growth, lets begin by looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), and press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). May the Lord be pleased to use this little volume to help you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (2 Peter 3:18).

If you struggle with assurance of your salvation, allow me to recommend my book, How Can I Be Sure I Am a Christian? (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2019). If the possibility of false assurance concerns you, pay particular attention to chapter 9, False Assurance of Salvation.

).

So holy desire, exercised in longings, hungerings, and thirstings after God and holiness, is often mentioned in Scripture as an important part of true religion.

JONATHAN EDWARDS

L ORD, I WANT TO KNOW Y OU MORE, sang Mike, just before the sermon. One of my seminary professors from years back, who was guest preacher at our church that Sunday morning, sat next to me on the front pew and listened, transfixed. As Mike continued to sing, I could hear my older friend sigh occasionally. When the song was over, T. W. sat motionless for so long I thought he had forgotten that he was now supposed to preach.

As I turned to remind him, I saw his shoulders lift and fall with the slow draw and release of his breath. Finally, he opened his eyes and stepped thoughtfully to the pulpit. He looked down for what seemed to be a full minute before he could speak. And then, Lord, I