By “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). That’s what the apostle Paul admonished the Christians at Thessalonica to do.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit [i.e., teacher], but prove the spirits [i.e., teachers], whether they are of God [i.e., whether they are speaking the truth]” (1 John 4:1a). That’s what the apostle John admonished his audience to do. Why? The old apostle immediately gives the reason: “because many false prophets [i.e., teachers] are gone out into the world” (1b).
In other words, some people teach things that are not true, and will even use Scripture to “confirm” their claim (cf. 2 Pet. 3:16). This stratagem is straight out of the devil’s playbook (cf. Matt. 4:6). However, the honest and serious follower of Jesus will test those teachers—prove those claims, whether they are truly what the Bible teaches or not. In order to do this, one must use logic and reasoning—a stratagem taken straight from the Lord’s playbook (cf. Matt. 4:7).
…some people teach things that are not true, and will even use Scripture to “confirm” their claim (cf. 2 Pet. 3:16). This stratagem is straight out of the devil’s playbook (cf. Matt. 4:6).
Take, for instance, John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Someone might quote this verse and say something like this: “You see, all one has to do is believe in Jesus, and he will have eternal life.”
But the honest heart will see through the shroud of deceit in that statement, for there are other Scriptures in the New Testament, and those Scriptures mention some other things that must be done in order to inherit eternal life!
