September 19
Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5
1 Thessalonians 5:21, “But test everything, hold fast what is good.”
Naïve miners during the gold rush days occasionally stumbled upon what they believed to be the mother lode, only to discover later that what they had found was just iron pyrite (fool’s gold). Though fool’s gold looks something like the real thing, it is relatively worthless. There is even a story of a 1500’s ship captain who erroneously and embarrassingly transported a shipment of fool’s gold back to England.
It is quite possible to be deceived in spiritual matters. “Satan, who deceives the whole world” is a well-trained master of deception (Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 11:3). He who first deceived Eve—and brought sin and error into the world—is at work to this day. On the one hand, we are encouraged to “not quench the Spirit” and to not “despise prophecies” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-20). The Spirit of Truth has something to say to us and we need to listen (John 15:26; Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22). But, on the other hand, we need to be careful to ascertain that what we are hearing has indeed come from Him (2 Corinthians 11:4). We can only do that when we are careful to “test everything” and only “hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
This particular verse of Scripture meets with ready application in the postmodern environment in which we live. Most people (and many professing believers) deny the existence of an “absolute truth” (John 18:38). The “culture-bound” modern church is far too gullible in this respect. Exasperating the problem is the church’s tendency, in its unwillingness to “endure sound doctrine,” to “accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3). The tragic result is that many are “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14). Much that is espoused to be “Christian” in our day is in reality like fool’s gold. It may look like the real thing but is in reality far from it.
This tragic nature of this present state of affairs is all too apparent. In recent years, the church has experienced a radical de-emphasis in the importance of sound doctrine, though sound doctrine is exactly what we need. Paul’s instructions to Timothy chapter 3 speak to how a believer is to live in the last days, during the promised “times of difficulty” (2 Timothy 3:1). It is in that context that we are reminded of the authority and value of God’s inspired word: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God, may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). When it comes to walking on God’s path of righteousness, and the deceptions and temptations that we all face, God’s word is able to show us the path (teaching), reprove us when we wander (reproof), put us back on the path (correction), and keep us on it (training).
The term translated “test” in this passage was a term used of the testing of metals. It is here in the present tense implying the need for constant vigilance regarding the need to examine the things we are exposed to. You can distinguish fool’s gold from the real thing by examining its shine, hardness, and the residue it leaves behind. We can identify error for what it is when measured against the standard of God’s inspired Word (2 Timothy 3:16). The “Jews (in Berea) were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica” because “they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Theirs is a good example for us to follow.
In this respect, it is not enough to merely go to church on Sundays to hear what the pastor has to say. Every true believer in Christ has the Spirit of God as a teacher (1 John 2:27). The Spirit of God will never speak contrary to the Word of God (John 4:24; Ephesians 5:18-20 vs. Colossians 3:16-17). It is incumbent on the Spirit-indwelt believer to be a good student of the Word, maintaining a “but what does the Bible say?” way of thinking about things (2 Timothy 2:15). In this manner the believer is delivered from the embarrassing prospect of latching on to some error (i.e., fool’s gold) as a substitute for the real thing and being “led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3).
“He who has the Holy Spirit in his heart and the Scriptures in his hands has all he needs.” – Alexander Maclaren
Holy Bible, book divine,
Precious treasure, thou art mine;
Mine to tell me whence I came,
Mine to teach me what I am:
Mine to chide me when I rove;
Mine to show a Savior’s love;
Mine thou art to guide and guard;
Mine to punish or reward
LookingtoJesus 