Self-Examination Questionnaire

Written by Eddie Foster

We will soon be observing the solemn festival of Passover. As we examine ourselves in preparation, this questionnaire may be helpful and illuminating.

When was the last time you put a magnifying lens over your life? We are not talking about a casual glimpse or a sweeping overview of ourselves, but a deep and often painful evaluation to discover who we really are.

We should do this at least once a year as we prepare for the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. During this season of the year, we should make a concerted effort to determine if we have grown spiritually since the last Passover.

In 2 Corinthians 13:5 Paul tells us: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” We are to generally examine our work year-round (Galatians 6:4), but we’re specifically told to do a self-examination before the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:28).

But what does this examination look like? What are Christians looking for in themselves? The following questionnaire gives an example of one approach a Christian can take to examine himself or herself.

A questionnaire

Part 1: What does my Christianity look like? (Do I follow Christ or myself?)

Do I strive to keep all of the 10 Commandments all of the time, and not just the ones that I like or the ones I rate as more important than others? Or do I have ones I justify in my mind, thinking they can be broken in certain situations (Exodus 20:1-17; James 2:10-11)?
Do I keep and observe the Sabbath all 24 hours, using my time for godly activities, conversations and thinking (Isaiah 58:13-14; Matthew 12:8; Mark 7:7-9)?
Do I keep and observe the holy days the way God designed them to be kept—preparing for them and reflecting on God’s plan of salvation and my responsibility to be a part of that plan (Leviticus 23; Acts 18:21; 1 Corinthians 5:8)?
Do I agree with and follow what the Bible says about, well, everything? Do I diligently obey God’s commands on tithing, assembling together, avoiding becoming entangled in the world and so on, as opposed to following my own human reasoning (Acts 5:29)? Am I compromising any of God’s commands? If so, why?
Do I model my life after Christ’s actions, teachings and character on a daily basis (Leviticus 20:26; 1 Corinthians 11:1)?

Part 2: Just how Christian am I? (“The nitty-gritty.”)

Do I make time to pray to God every single day, making sure the majority of that time is without any distractions? If not, why not (Luke 18:1)?
Do I spend time reading and meditating on God’s Word every single day, making sure the majority of that time is deep study as opposed to just background noise or casual reading? If not, why not (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:97)?
Do I fast on a regular basis throughout the year, not just on the Day of Atonement? If not, why not (2 Corinthians 11:27)?
Am I actively practicing the Beatitudes—being humble in spirit; mourning for the suffering of our world; hungering and thirsting for righteousness; being meek, merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker and one who endures persecution? If not, why not (Matthew 5:3-10)?
Am I demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit in my life? Have I admitted and resolved to change any destructive work of the flesh that is hindering my spiritual growth? If not, why not (Galatians 5:19-25)?
Would the love I show toward both God and men be characterized as kind, patient, thinking no evil, rejoicing in the truth, bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things and never failing—as opposed to parading itself, being puffed up, behaving rudely, seeking its own, being provoked and rejoicing in iniquity? If not, why not (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)?
Would the wisdom I base all my life decisions on be characterized as pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy—as opposed to being bitter, self-seeking, envious, earthly, sensual and even influenced by demons? If not, why not (James 3:14-17)?
Would God look at my life and consider me to be a better person today than I was a year ago? If not, why not (Philippians 3:13-15; Hebrews 6:1)?
Do I love God more than I love any human being, national allegiance or myself? If not, why not (Deuteronomy 10:12-13; Luke 14:26-33)?

The questions never stop

This self-examination questionnaire only scratches the surface of what we should analyze about our personal faith during our preparation for the spring festivals—and throughout the year. By properly examining ourselves and making needed changes, we can worthily observe the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:27).

To learn more about self-examination, read “Self-Examination: Asking the Hard Questions” and “Spiritual Examination: How Deep Is Your Focus?”