Discernment

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (I John 4:1)

The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Triune God-head. Space will not permit a detailed study of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit here. However, He is called our Comforter. He is a person. He came on the Day of Pentecost, filled every believer in the upper room and comes to abide in people when they give their lives to Jesus as they become saved. The Holy Spirit inspired men of God to write what they heard from God. These words are our Bible.

There are other spirits, not holy, not of God, in opposition to God, but able to lead the unsuspecting astray. Cults are founded by people who are moved by those unholy spirits. They have just enough truth to make them sound legitimate. That is why John counsels us to try the spirits to see if they are of God.

What are some of the tests for trying the spirits? First, does what they teach line up with Biblical doctrine? This is not like horse-shoes: close does not count. Second, what does their teaching say concerning Jesus, His virgin birth and His being the Son of God? What does it say about the absolute necessity of and the all sufficiency of the blood atonement of Jesus Christ for our sins? What do they say about His resurrection, the priest-hood of Christ, His Lordship and His second coming?

The word we are looking for is “discernment.” Have discernment in life, in Bible study, in temptations and in decisions.