In the context of biblical principles, "checking" can be understood as the act of examining, verifying, or restraining one's actions, thoughts, or words to ensure alignment with God's will and commandments. This concept is deeply rooted in the Scriptures, where believers are encouraged to live lives of discernment, self-control, and accountability.

Discernment and Examination

The Bible frequently emphasizes the importance of discernment and self-examination. In 1 Thessalonians 5:21, believers are instructed to "test all things; hold fast to what is good." This verse underscores the necessity of checking or testing everything against the truth of God's Word. Similarly, 2 Corinthians 13:5 urges believers to "examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves." This self-examination is a form of checking one's spiritual health and alignment with Christ.

Guarding the Heart and Mind

Proverbs 4:23 highlights the importance of checking one's heart: "Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life." The heart, in biblical terms, is the center of one's being, encompassing thoughts, emotions, and will. Checking the heart involves being vigilant about what influences it, ensuring that it remains pure and focused on God.

Philippians 4:8 provides guidance on checking one's thoughts: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things." This verse encourages believers to actively check and direct their thoughts towards what is virtuous and godly.

Self-Control and Restraint

The concept of checking is also closely related to self-control, a fruit of the Spirit as described in Galatians 5:22-23. Self-control involves checking one's impulses and desires, bringing them under the submission of the Holy Spirit. Titus 2:11-12 teaches that "the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age." This passage highlights the role of divine grace in enabling believers to check and restrain ungodly behaviors.

Accountability and Correction

Checking is not only a personal endeavor but also involves communal accountability. James 5:16 encourages believers to "confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." This practice of mutual accountability serves as a check against sin and fosters spiritual growth within the community of faith.

Moreover, the process of correction, as outlined in Matthew 18:15-17, involves checking a brother or sister in Christ who has sinned, with the goal of restoration. This passage provides a framework for addressing sin within the church, emphasizing the importance of checking behavior in a spirit of love and humility.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of checking encompasses discernment, self-examination, guarding the heart and mind, exercising self-control, and engaging in communal accountability. These practices are essential for living a life that honors God and reflects His holiness. Through the guidance of Scripture and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, believers are equipped to check their lives continually, ensuring they remain faithful to their calling in Christ.(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Check.578. apoblepo -- to look away from all else at an object
... expresses the activity of the astronomer who observes the heavenly motions, or that
of a painter who fixes his gaze on a model, constantly checking in order to ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/578.htm - 8k

Oh, How He Loves!
... and prayers; yet I would sooner have a measure of that enthusiastic noise than have
you constantly stifling your natural emotions, and checking yourself from ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 56 1910/oh how he loves.htm

The Exordium.
... challenged the maddening and insidious and seductive spirit, being themselves cajoled
and misled by him, so that there was no longer any checking him to silence ...
/.../urbanus/the extant writings of asterius urbanus/i the exordium.htm

The Acquirement of Spiritual Power
... A man commences to develop power when, checking his impulses and selfish inclinations,
he falls back upon the higher and calmer consciousness within him, and ...
/.../allen/the way of peace/the acquirement of spiritual power.htm

The Personality of Power.
... form a party of only a very few persons, mutually congenial, and personally agreeable,
one of whom is an experienced traveler, to whom checking baggage, buying ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on power/the personality of power.htm

The Hindrances to Mourning
... Then they began to be merry' (Luke 15:24). 4 Checking the motions of the Spirit.
The Spirit sets us a-mourning. It causes all our spring-tides. ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/9 the hindrances to mourning.htm

The Secondary Division or Teen Age Boys' Crusade
... will do the work. Another method is an annual checking up with the city
directory. (b) Home Visitation for Enlistment. This is best ...
/.../alexander/the boy and the sunday school/xiv the secondary division or.htm

The New Testament Checked the Imaginative Creation of Events in ...
... Thus, though it is true that the New Testament has the merit of checking, indeed
of partly stopping, the creation of new, authoritative, realistic legends, and ...
/.../harnack/the origin of the new testament/ 7 the new testament.htm

Our Instructor's Treatment of Our Sins.
... For nothing is so urgent in the first place as deliverance from passions and disorders,
and then the checking of our liability to fall into sins that have ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter ii our instructors treatment of.htm

Of Women's Dress.
... Touching modesty of dress and ornamentation, indeed, the prescription of Peter
[8872] likewise is plain, checking as he does with the same mouth, because with ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/on prayer/chapter xx of womens dress.htm

A Moment's Flashing Glance of Half-Amused Dismay at Angela...
... The Marquis took one or two quick impulsive steps forward"then checking himself,
stopped short, and selecting a chair deliberately sat down. ...
/.../corelli/the master-christian/xii a moments flashing glance.htm

Checking (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Check. Multi-Version Concordance
Checking (1 Occurrence). Colossians 2:23 Which things ...
/c/checking.htm - 6k

Worm (22 Occurrences)
... See Worm, n. 5 (b). 18. (n.) To cut the worm, or lytta, from under the tongue
of, as a dog, for the purpose of checking a disposition to gnaw. ...
/w/worm.htm - 21k

Fan (8 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Any revolving vane or vanes used for producing currents of air, in winnowing
grain, blowing a fire, ventilation, etc., or for checking rapid motion by ...
/f/fan.htm - 12k

Prophet (315 Occurrences)
... the heart-felt worship of Jehovah, and to act along and co-ordinately with the
priesthood and monarchy in guiding the state aright and checking all attempts at ...
/p/prophet.htm - 49k

Break (257 Occurrences)
... 36. (n.) A device for checking motion, or for measuring friction. See Brake, n.
9 & 10. 37. (n.) See Commutator. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BREAK. ...
/b/break.htm - 46k

Checks (1 Occurrence)

/c/checks.htm - 6k

Checker-work (1 Occurrence)
Checker-work. Checkerwork, Checker-work. Checking . Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia ... (ASV DBY JPS WBS). Checkerwork, Checker-work. Checking . Reference ...
/c/checker-work.htm - 7k

Corinthians (3 Occurrences)
... Paul thereupon wrote this letter, for the purpose of checking the factious spirit
and correcting the erroneous opinions that had sprung up among them, and ...
/c/corinthians.htm - 77k

Zoroastrianism
... apres le Mazdeisme (An. Mus. Guimet, 1901, needs checking); Boklen, Die
Verwandtschaft der jud.-chr. mit der parsischen Eschatologie ...
/z/zoroastrianism.htm - 17k

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