Applying God’s Test For Truth

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February 26, 2006  A.D.

Applying God’s Test For Truth

Can anyone ever be sure about whether certain teachings are true, or even false? Is there a way one can determine if a teacher is true or false? If there is such a thing as a “true teacher” what determines if this is so? Is there such a thing as gray areas or are most things black or white? Does the bible teach that we re heading on a particular course and what that destination really is? Listen in as Pastor Landis digs in to these as well as a few other pertinent issues in this installment of our study in the epistle of First John.

Old Testament Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 18:9 – 22  (KJV)
Deu 18:9  When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

Deu 18:10  There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

Deu 18:11  Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

Deu 18:12  For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Deu 18:13  Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

Deu 18:14  For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Deu 18:15  The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

Deu 18:16  According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

Deu 18:17  And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

Deu 18:18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Deu 18:19  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

Deu 18:20  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

Deu 18:21  And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?

Deu 18:22  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

New Testament Scripture Reading: 1 John 4:1 – 6  (KJV)
1 John 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1 John 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1 John 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

1 John 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1 John 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

1 John 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Transforming Power Statements: 

#1) Perhaps the most crucial skills that should be developed in the lives of every Christian are the skills of discernment and spiritual analysis of everything in this life, because such skills are the governor of our reactions and interactions with every matter of life in the flesh, and the more acute our capabilities of discernment become, the more useful we become to God, and the more confident we become in our own hearts. 

#2) God has equipped every believer to be able to know and escalate in the area of discernment how to examine life’s issues in light of the truth through an increasing knowledge of His holy word, which gives the believer God’s course and plan for not only their personal life, but also for the world. 

#3) The test is really simple; anyone who is teaching or holding to a position that replaces, denies, or reduces the Bible described magnitude of Christ Jesus, is not of God. Anyone who teaches Christ Jesus as the Scriptures teach Him is of God.