Test Everything!

Today we look to Paul's encouragement in 1 Thessalonians 5.  As I was reading this chapter this morning verse 21 really jumped out and hit me - Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 

Now there's really nothing all that surprising about the last part of this verse.  Of course Paul's going to encourage us to do the good and stay away from the evil.  The part that really is interesting to me is the test everything.  Paul is actually telling us that it's not only OK to test everything but it's encouraged.  Paul takes this section to load the people up on the encouragement and final instructions for what a life in Christ looks like.  Paul is telling the followers of Jesus in this small town to make sure that what they're being told is really of God.  Don't just assume that it's all on the up and up.  Don't just take someone's word for it.  Test it to make sure that it's true. 

This makes me think of buying a car - we don't just walk into a dealership and say, "I want that car." Settle on a deal and walk out.  Generally we'll take that car for a test drive.  We want to make sure that it accelerates the way we need it to.  We need to make sure our family fits comfortably in the seats.  We need to test it to ensure that it meets our needs.  Now if we'll take that kind of time testing a car, why not spend the same kind of care - testing the messages that we hear. 

Paul is encouraging us today in the same way.  We are to test what we are being fed to make sure that it is of God and not of some false prophet trying to get us to buy-in to his personal ambition.  If we were to follow Paul's final words to this church we would test everything that came from the pastor's mouth on Sunday!  We would diligently listen - not for him to slip up, but to ensure that what is being said is actually biblical.  It's easy to assume that just because the pastor is the professional church worker that he's got it all together, but let me give you a little secret - we pastors are sinful people too!  We need the love and forgiveness of Jesus - just like the next person!

As a pastor I love it when a person in the congregation comes to me after a service or later in the week and challenges something I've said on Sunday.  It gives me a chance to make sure that what I've said is accurate and to explain my point of view based on Scripture, and if need be to make public apology for misrepresenting the gospel.  (And yes I've had to do that when I misspoke on a Sunday morning and public apology for it the following Sunday.) 

So - test everything!  Test it not against what the world says but against what the Bible says.  This means that we need to be in the word on a regular basis.  We need to know what the bible says!  We need to be constantly feeding ourselves with a diet of God's Word. 

Lord, feed me today with the things of your spirit.  Enlighten me with your gifts and help me to set aside that time to connect with your word in a way that speaks to me.  Give me the courage to test everything, using your word as the source of norm of my faith.  In Jesus' name.  AMEN