Test All Things

Reading assignment: I Thess. 5, II Thess. 1, 2, Prov. 21

I Thess. 5:20-21 (NKJV)
20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

Paul was writing this to the church in Thessalonica. This was the same church Luke, the writer of Acts, compared to the church in Berea in Acts 17:11. He said the Bereans were more noble than the Thessalonians because they searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether the things Paul and Silas taught them were true. He also said they received the Word with all readiness – openness and responsive to what was taught.

By comparing the two churches in this way, he was implying that the church in Thessalonica was not as responsive to the Word and was not as diligent to search out the Word as the church in Berea. Now Paul is writing this letter to the same church. In fact this is the first book in the New Testament the Holy Spirit inspired him to write.

In this passage Paul is instructing them that prophecies are not to be despised, but they must be tested or checked out. In fact, he said they were responsible to test or check out all things and hold fast to only that which is good. This is precisely what they had failed to do a few years earlier when Paul was there on his first missionary journey to their city.

There are a lot of things that have the label or name of God on them that are not God at all. There are also a number of false doctrines and false teachers and prophets who likewise use the name of Jesus who do not represent Him at all. It is our responsibility to test these things. There are three primary ways I test prophecies or new teaching or new teachers.

First, I test everything I hear by the Word. I have concern for many in the church today who do not have a relationship with God through His Word. It is not possible to know Him or love Him fully apart from knowing the Word. After all, Jesus is the Living Word – Jn. 1:1, 14. This is my primary passion and motive for writing this blog each day. I know if I can encourage you to spend time in His Word, you will truly know God, awaken to who you are in Christ, and not fall into deception and false doctrine.

Second, I run prophecies and new teachings through the screen of godly counsel – men and women I trust who know God, walk in integrity, and know the Word. I Cor. 14:29 says, “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.” Of course they, too, are responsible to judge prophetic words or new teaching by the Word. The fact is each of us only know in part and prophesy in part – I Cor. 13:9. That is the reason we need others to help us judge what we have heard.

Third, I check out the fruit of the prophetic word or teaching. Did what they say come to pass? Does it help me and/or others draw closer to the Lord and walk in love toward others? Does it help your marriage, family, relationships, and your walk with God or hinder it? Don’t despise prophetic words or new teaching, but test everything you hear by the Word, by godly counsel, and by the kind of fruit it bears. Hold on to only that which passes these tests!