How do we Know Who or What to Believe?

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…”

1 John 4:1

This has been a confusing time for many of us.  I have experienced it in the ever-changing news and advice about how to handle the COVID19 pandemic.  You hear so many rumors, so many conflicting, even contradictory news reports, that it’s hard to know who or what to believe.  All of that has made re-opening the church extremely challenging.  That’s why I am so thankful for the people from our congregation, especially those who serve in the Medical profession.   

I was reminded this week that this is also true in the area of faith.  Sometimes there are so many different voices and opinions out there that we don’t know what or who to believe.  The other day a friend shared with me an article and a video by a pastor claiming to have received a prophetic vision from God about terrible things that are happening right now and, this pastor claims, are about to happen.  What he wrote, scared me.  I can imagine it scared others too. 

How do we as Christian evaluate something like that?  Is this real or crazy?  Can God give visions like that to someone?  Of course, He can.  God can do whatever He wants.  Well, then how do we as believers evaluate such modern day “prophecies?”

There is only one way.  Compare all  such claims and teachings against what is taught in Scripture.  That’s the only way to judge what anyone teaches as words coming from God.  That’s the way you should evaluate everything I teach and preach.  After all, we believer’s trust that the Bible is the word of God.  If someone claims something is a word from God but it contradicts what God teaches us in the Bible, then it’s not from God. 

The Scriptures themselves tell us to do this.  Listen to these words from 1 John 4

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error."

There you have the most important test to apply – What is being taught about Jesus?  In the case of the video/article that was sent to me, this is what troubled me.  I heard no message of Jesus Christ or the Gospel in the video or the article.   Think of the Book of Revelation.  That book was not written to terrify Christians but to comfort them in times of trial and persecution with the certain message of hope that Jesus Christ will triumph!  I didn't find that message in this article.  Perhaps I missed it. 

The Scriptures do proclaim that in the last days terrible times will come.  But they do not go on to say that we should respond, as this prophecy seems to imply,  by going out to buy guns and store up food.  They tell us to get out there and fearlessly tell people about the love of God and the salvation He offers in Jesus Christ.  Again, maybe I missed it, but I didn't find that urgency about the mission of the church in the video/article that was shared with me.

That’s how we discern and evaluate the many voices claiming to speak God’s word – mine included.  That’s how we know what or who to believe. Judge everything according to the Bible, God’s inspired Word.

As to the worries and fears we are all experiencing right now - Are we living in terrible times of turmoil and upheaval?  Yes.  That means that right now it is time to firmly cling to Jesus, to courageously proclaim Him to everyone and to earnestly pray to him in the words that end Holy Scripture (Revelation 22:20-21) - "He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!  The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen."