This time I simply write out some questions/reflections that we in the discerning community can use when we are "testing everything." Some of these may repeat what I said in part one, but I felt the need to list out some basic questions to use in evaluating things, whether it's a prophetic word, dream or vision or a teachings or book or anything else, so here goes. Some of these questions are without comment because they are rather obvious.
- What is the fruit of the person's life who is bringing this? In Matthew 7:15-23 Jesus warns His followers to be on the alert for false prophets and tells them that false teaching can be detected by looking for false living: "thus by their fruit will you recognize them." I could write a book about this passage, but for now note that the warning here is not just about false teaching but false prophets--the people themselves. We recognize these people by inspecting the fruit of their lives. This requires us to know something about their lives, of course, and also the effect their lives have on others. Does this person's life bring peace, love, joy, etc. to others? Do they live a life of integrity and healthy transparency?
- Do other, honest and godly, people endorse this? I am not suggesting that every honest and godly person has to endorse everything. Perfect agreement will not happen this side of Heaven! For example, I know of very few people who adhere to Calvinism who would endorse The Shack, but there are many other trustworthy folks who do (including yours truly!). But generally there should be some sense of broad agreement by healthy followers of Jesus.
- Does this _______ promote humility or pride in those who accept it?
- Who is lifted up by this ________, the Lord Jesus or someone else?
- Does this _______ promote a sort of elitism, i.e., assert that only certain special people "in the know" are buying into this teaching? Does it imply that special revelation has been given to a chosen few? The sense of "being special" or having "special knowledge" is as old as the Church itself. The early Christian heresy known as Gnosticism appealed to people's prideful desire to be part of the elite group composed of those who know special, deeper truth. Note that this call to elitism (the very opposite of the Good News) can be very subtle, but for me it's a dead giveaway that something is fishy. Note, however, that something can be new and embraced early by early adopters and not be elitism. The Pentecostal and Charismatic movements are proof that old truth, long hidden, can be unveiled to God's people and not be accepted by everyone. I believe that new understanding will indeed continue to be revealed to sincere followers of Jesus, but it won't promote elitism, nor will it disagree with the basic tone of Scripture or the character of God.
- How does this ______ fit with the whole of Scripture? I touched on this last week, but I bring it up again. The devil knows the Bible and felt free to quote it even to Jesus during the wilderness temptations. But Jesus knew His Abba so well, and He knew Scripture and well enough to fend off the enemy's deceptive use of Scripture. As a discerning community we will do well to ask Him to enable us to do the same.
Okay, that's enough for now, I think. No one gets everything right, of course, and focusing only on doctrine and teaching will divide us rather than unite us, but we can certainly learn to be a discerning community. We can, as Paul stated, be people who as a community are testing everything and holding fast to the good while discarding the bad. When we do so, the result will be deep transformation of lives and cultures, an abundance of the fruit of the Spirit, increasingly healthy relationships and the shattering of the kingdom of darkness.
Learning to discern in love, in community...
Tom, one of Abba's children
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