1 Thessalonians 5:21 says: "Test all things; hold fast what is good."
This passage is very much on my mind today. You see, I recently read a book that claims to be a last-days message from God. The writer gushes about her love for the Lord Jesus and urges people everywhere to put their faith in Him. She says that Jesus is coming soon.
What could possibly be wrong with that?
Well, I was not convinced. There were some things about the book that disturbed me greatly. All the talk about how special she was to Jesus. Her obvious disdain for the authority that God has placed within His Church. And worst of all, the idea that God's Word was somehow not sufficient to warn people about hell and tell them about Heaven.
In Acts 16:17, a slave girl followed Paul, crying out: "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation."
What she said was true, but she was speaking under the influence of a demonic spirit. She was a vexation and hindrance to Paul. Even the truth can be dangerous if the source is not right.
Christians need to be less gullible regarding sensationalist claims. We need to exercise discernment. We should not reject what is good, but we are called to test everything, even the gifts of the Spirit.
Steve
