My dad was a talented woodworker and carpenter, doing many renovations in our home and even building a rowboat. I took a woodworking class in high school, and although I was not skillful, I did gain an appreciation for the beauty of wood. The tools for fashioning wood and for building are fascinating. A spirit level is a tool used to check whether a horizontal surface is level or a vertical one is plumb. A magnet will distinguish magnetic metals, like iron and nickel, from non-magnetic ones like aluminum, copper, and brass. A chemical solution is used to test old paint for lead before it is stripped off a surface, so that the woodworker can wear protective gear if necessary.

Wouldn't it be great to have a gizmo in your pocket to be a handy test for truth and falsehood? When it comes to teaching about the Christian faith and our Lord Jesus, not every message is true, as the apostle John reminds us.

1 John 4:1-3a,6 – Beloved, do not believe in every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because 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 of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (NKJV)

Here, John assures us of our own faith, and advises us to test whether or not the messages about Jesus are true. Some people who speak of spiritual things can be convincing and passionate, even about supernatural things, but is that teaching from the Holy Spirit, or from a selfish, prideful spirit? We have the Scriptures to test every message, for Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the living, active Word of God "is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart".

Anyone who doesn't acknowledge that Jesus is God in human flesh is not of God. Many people have nice things to say about Jesus, and even acknowledge Him as a prophet, but stop short of accepting that He was fully human and fully God. This is the beating heart of the gospel, that He came in human form to live with us and to take on God's punishment so that we may be saved. This truth is the test for a genuine message from God.

Let's be confident about the tools that we have at hand to discern truth from falsehood. Don't be afraid or discouraged, because our God is a mighty God, and His truth will last for all eternity.

Prayer: "Thine forever! God of love, hear us from Thy throne above; thine forever may we be, here and in eternity." (Mary Fawler Maude, 1819-1913) Thank You for Your enduring truth, and for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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About the author:

Shirley Moulton <shirley_moulton@yahoo.ca>
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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