Testing what I hear

 

Someone I know is so in tune with spiritual matters that she senses the spiritual status of people around her. For her, this is so distressing that she avoids crowds because those who reject Christ have a strong effect on her emotions. She is also discerning with all media, so their television set is often turned off. I’m uncertain how this happens but know that God calls all His people to be discerning. He says:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. (1 John 4:1–3)

Normally these verses are applied to sects that try to imitate Christianity. They will not acknowledge that Jesus is the Lord who came in the flesh to die for our sin, nor will they fully acknowledge their sin and need of His grace. However, this sort of deception also creeps into churches. Some may attend yet err in their understanding of His identity and of the way of salvation. They may claim to follow Christ but cannot spot errors. Christians are told to test all spirits and be wary of what they teach because some are religious but actually not for Christ but are anti-Christ. 

This attitude is described as one person in the following long passage. It also describes the power behind the subtle lies that can deceive even genuine believers for a little while:

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:1–17)

Not everyone is gifted in discernment, but our protection from false teaching is secured in the Lord Jesus Christ. He works through His Word to help His people stand firm and recognize lies. The key is to read the Bible and keep short accounts with God so we can hear Him clearly. This long passage is a warning but also an assurance. I was chosen to glorify Christ, not to make up anything that suits what appeals to my flesh. Not only that, the One who called me also promises to keep me.

PRAY: While some of this seems complicated, Jesus I know that You are quick to impress my heart when someone teaches a lie that is against You. I might not have an immediate answer for them, but know that I can find truth in Your Word. I’m so glad to have the Bible and access to it, and to have the Holy Spirit who helps me recognize solid Christian teaching. I’m also thankful that You persist in feeding me truth to keep me trusting You — rather than anyone or anything else. Thank You, Jesus.

True or false?

Being misunderstood despite all efforts to be clear is particularly frustrating. Sometimes I blame myself for not being a good communicator, and that is even more frustrating. What is worse is when the truth is told and someone accuses you of lying.

Recently, this happened to me. As I read the Bible passages for today, I realized the power of lies in the human mind. No explanation, however clear it might be, can change the mind of someone who rejects truth and lucid reasoning. While it hurts when someone does it to me, I also feel upset when biblical truth is dismissed or even said to be a lie.

Lately I notice how many young people use social media and news channels on the Internet for their sources of information. These are not always reliable nor tested for their dependability. Also, God tells me to be on the alert and discern what I hear. It is dangerous to believe just anything.  

While it hurts when someone says I am telling a lie, it seems to me that when God is spoken of as not being true or relevant, He is more concerned for the one who has misunderstood  or dismissed Him. They have fallen into a trap . . .

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” (1 John 4:1–3)

Christians talk about the Antichrist as a person who will show up and mesmerize millions of people. The author of my devotional book points out several verses that indicate this antichrist is not a single person but a system or way of thinking that opposes Christ, and that it has been here for a couple thousand years. One of the verses he quotes says . . .

“Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.” (1 John 2:18)

Other passages say things like . . .

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming . . . .”

Regardless of whether Antichrist is a system of thought or a single person, the one behind the associated lies is the actual enemy. I need to discern His lies because they are terribly dangerous. He is in the business of deluding people so as to change their eternal destiny. Worse yet, those who believe his lies are in danger from God who can eventually give them over to such horrible delusion.   

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Today, after being attacked by someone who believes a lie about me, I have to remember truth about God, but also truth about myself. I am not telling lies, nor have I done things that this person accuses me of doing. This part of God’s Word is easily personalized to help me understand this attack . . .

I am thankful for those who are beloved by the Lord, because He chose us to be saved through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. It was this to which He called us through the Gospel, so that we have obtained the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We can stand firm and hold to the teaching of God’s Word, either through the Bible or sound preaching. The Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father loves us and gives eternal comfort and good hope through grace. He comforts our hearts and establishes us in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:1–17)

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Jesus, I cannot change the hearts of those determined to go against You, Your people, and against me personally. But I can trust You to give me grace to deal with it, and perhaps to show mercy to those who are in the grip of a false understanding.

Disobedience, punishment, and amazing grace

Daniel 9:1–10:21, 2 Thessalonians 2:1–17, Job 42:1–9

Most parents want their children to obey them. When the child rebels, those parents warn them of the consequences. If disobedience continues, the wise parent may even use those consequences to build an attitude of willing submission. This is not tyranny, abuse, or because the child is annoying them, but a wise decision made by a loving parent.

Why then do many people resist and are even angry about the idea that God is a heavenly Father who wants obedience from His children? He also might use the consequences of disobedience to train His children. This is for our good and not because He is riled.

Daniel was one of the few heroes of the Old Testament who understood that discipline is not a mean retaliation but a mercy.

In Daniel’s prayer of confession, he says: “To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice.” (Daniel 9:9–14)

Repeated disobedience brought a calamity. After seventy years in captivity, Israel did learn one thing; they abandoned idolatry and obediently worshiped God only.

Job was not rebellious but he did challenge the wisdom of God. After the Lord spoke to him about what He alone can do, Job answered and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:1–6)

Then the Lord turned to Eliphaz, one of Job’s ‘friends’ who accused him of sin. He said, “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.” (Job 42:7–8)

It is God’s prerogative to judge and punish sin. He tells parents to bring up their children in that same “nurture and admonition” but does warn the rest of us to be careful about making judgments. If what we say is not true, then we are in league with “the accuser” of God’s people, the lawless one.

Paul warned about unrighteous judgment also. He said, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7–12)

There are people who love their sin more than God, and don’t care about the consequences. Daniel and Job were not in that group. Neither are those who have yielded their lives to Jesus Christ. Of them, Paul writes, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16–17)

The well-known song, Amazing Grace, says, “Once I was lost, but now am found, blind but now I see . . . .” the way to this blessing is to follow Daniel and Job in their prayers of repentance and submission, knowing and believing the truth and desiring to be obedient to our Heavenly Father, yet the only reason we are able to think or act this way is because of the amazing grace of our God.