A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): Pastor John Randall says we can learn a thing or two from the Bereans.

John Randall: In Acts chapter 17, verse 11, it says concerning the Bereans, "They were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and they searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." In other words, they received God's word, but they also verified it to ensure that what was presented was actually accurate. Every sermon, every prophecy, every book, every influencer should be measured against the truth of God's word. The Bereans, they were a noble church, not because they believed it quickly, but because they believed it thoughtfully.

Guest (Male): So whether you're sitting in church, driving around listening to the radio, or scrolling through your newsfeed on social media, it is important to know not everything we're being fed is true. So we need to put it to the test. Today on A Daily Walk, Pastor John Randall shows us how to test what we hear to determine if it's the spirit of truth or the spirit of error. We're in 1 John chapter 4 with a message entitled "The Test for Truth."

John Randall: Beginning in verse 1, "Beloved, do not believe 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.

And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 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."

I don't know if you have received recently some random texts from the toll road bill collectors or the United States Postal Service telling you that you owe money and if you don't respond immediately, there will be consequences. They have official letterhead, they have correct terminology, they have a legitimate-looking link, but it's all a scam. Recently, there have also been, if you've seen these, AI reels. An AI reel is a highly realistic digital persona that is created artificially.

There are social media posts and videos that seem to feature real people, but the individuals shown are not actually people. They're generated using artificial intelligence and advanced digital rendering, and they are overlaid with AI-generated faces or voices to impersonate celebrities or politicians or influencers or fictional characters. Some of these things are used as satire, while others aim to deceive. We live in a time when not everything that looks official is authentic, and not every voice deserves your trust. This is true not only with phone calls and emails, but also spiritually.

The podcaster, the politician, even the pastor. Some voices sound like truth, even seem spiritual, but are leading people away from Christ. That's why the Apostle John tells us to test everything we hear with the truth of the word of God. We begin this morning, first of all, with a command to test. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God.

The church in the first century was facing many challenges from various truth claims. One of the false truth claims that John is refuting is the Gnostic truth claim. The Gnostics said that they possessed a deeper knowledge, a more profound truth than anyone else. However, the knowledge that they claimed to have was contrary to what Jesus taught. And therefore, John says to them, "Don't believe every spirit." And when you read "don't believe," it actually means "stop believing," as if some in the church had already fallen under the influence of the imposters.

John says stop believing them. Don't listen to them. Now when you read the word "spirit," "test every spirit," it's important to understand what is being referred to. The Bible, of course, speaks of first of all, the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit is the third person of the triune Godhead. John refers to Him earlier in 1 John chapter 3 in verse 24 when he said, "Now he who keeps his commandments abides in him, and he in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given to us."

That is a reference to the Holy Spirit. But here John's not referring to the Holy Spirit. The Bible also refers to angels, both good and evil. They are invisible to our eyes, but they are real. The good angels are called ministering spirits, sent to do the Lord's bidding and to protect believers. There are also fallen angels known as demons, principalities, powers in darkness, that seek to corrupt the world, lead people into bondage, and to oppress and harass God's children. I don't think that John is referring to those angels here.

But the word spirit, "test the spirits," also refers to the disposition or influence that fills and governs the soul of anyone, serving as the driving force behind any power, affection, emotion, or desire. In other words, if a person talks about a spiritual experience that they had, a prophetic word that they have received, a dream that they had, a book that they've written about their spiritual journey that they've undertaken, don't just accept it at face value. Instead, test it.

The word test is an important one. It means to examine, to prove, or to scrutinize in order to determine whether or not something is genuine. An example of this today perhaps would be with a geologist performing geochemical analysis where they test the ores or they test the metals to determine their composition in order to assess the value of the elements like gold, silver, copper, etc. In science today, there are methods to test a theory or a hypothesis to determine whether it's a fact.

You begin the process with research, then you analyze the data, and then finally you test it experimentally. And if something discovered during the experimentation, you then repeat the test to see if the results are consistent. And if they are, well then you can accept your discovery as more than just a theory. Now you can regard it as a fact. You have applied the test. Now you're able to determine it's factual. Did you know that there are also tests that can be applied when you are evaluating different truth claims?

I remember taking a class as a younger minister in apologetics, which involves defending and explaining the Christian faith. Why do you believe what it is that you believe? And in apologetics, there are tests that can be applied to various truth claims. And one of those words that is used in the study of apologetics is the word epistemology. I know that sounds big, but epistemology is a branch of philosophy that examines the origins, nature, methods, and limitations of human knowledge. Through epistemology, you are able to determine how do we know what we know.

So when a particular truth claim confronts you, there are some basic tools that you can use to test that truth claim to see whether or not it is true. One way to evaluate a truth claim is based upon authority. Who is making the claim? What authority supports it? Is their source of truth trustworthy? Is it reliable? Many of the things today that we believe are based upon some authority related to that subject. So when you evaluate a truth claim, you need to determine whether the source is trustworthy or credible.

Have you found it difficult to find sources that are trustworthy and credible today? Do we trust any news person? It's like, who knows? You read something, you think, "Did you hear about this?" And then just wait before you comment on it or post about it, because the very next day someone's going to contradict it and you're going to find that everything you thought was true actually wasn't true. And even what they said wasn't true, that probably wasn't true either. You just don't know.

It's important when testing a truth claim to have an accurate understanding, a definition of truth. When a person says, "That thing is true," we mean the thing itself matches the way that the world is. That would be correspondence definition of truth. A thing is true if it matches the way the world is. Let me give you an example of this. Hinduism. Hinduism teaches that the physical world that we live in is nothing more than an illusion, a deceptive appearance that distracts the soul from the ultimate reality they call Brahman.

And what we see and touch, they say, and experience, it's not ultimately real. And so I hear that truth claim and I ask myself, is that really how the world is? Is the world just an illusion? The answer is no. It's actually real. I'm experiencing it firsthand at this moment, and so are you. And since the Hindu belief is a core part of their system, I see it as false. Why? It does not match reality. It's not reality. The Bible reveals that the world is real, that it is created by God.

Genesis 1, God declares in His creation is good. Though the world is now fallen because of sin, it is waiting for redemption, the Bible tells us in Romans. But another way to test a truth claim, and this is an important one, is intelligent design. Intelligent design. Most people would agree with it. Maybe the person on the street, even if they initially hesitate to admit it. Even some scientists who do their best to deny or explain away God as the intelligent designer would agree that the universe came into existence as an effect, which leads us to the truth that if there is an effect, there has to be a cause.

So the question becomes, what's the cause that led to the effect? I wonder. We know. Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God created." He is the cause and the effect is the world that we live in. God created the heavens and the earth. Intelligent design is a way to test a truth claim. The heavens declare the glory of the Lord, the Bible says. Creation reveals the Godhead, Paul said in Romans. Another example of this would be testing the atheist or the agnostic belief. The atheist denies the existence of God.

The agnostic would say we can't be sure that there is a God. But when you truly think about it, the fact that a person makes atheism their belief or creed shows that they have a supposed truth claim that they follow. They believe nothing. They believe nothing. And saying you're an atheist and believe nothing reflects your belief system. That is your faith, whether you want to admit it or not. Even some atheists are willing to admit that there is a designer, but they'd phrase it like this, "God probably doesn't exist."

Which again, that statement alone reveals a truth claim. You believe something. You believe that God probably doesn't exist. But think what would happen if you applied that mindset to other areas of your life. Few people today would eat carne asada if it was labeled "probably not poison." Less people would board a plane marked "probably safe to fly." Atheism, in making a truth claim like that, you know what it does? It ignores the seriousness of the truth claim and it requires a great deal of evidence to support it.

The atheist truth claim carries eternal consequences if it is wrong. So the atheist, the agnostic, they must provide compelling evidence for their position. But the sad part is they offer nothing to prove their claim that God probably doesn't exist. One person put it this way and I thought it was profound, "Atheism simply cannot meet the test for evidence for the seriousness of the truth claim that it makes. Instead, using a supposed argument from silence, the atheist and those whom he convinces of his position slide into death with their fingers crossed, hoping that they don't face the unpleasant reality that eternity is a long time to be wrong."

The Apostle John gives us here a command, don't believe everything, test everything. But the second thing we find is the cause to test. What is the reason for us to test everything? Verse 1 reveals it. He says, "Because many false prophets have gone out into the world." Throughout the Bible, there are countless warnings, both Old and New Testament, concerning being aware and discerning of false teachers and false prophets. Jesus warned us in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter 7, in verse 15.

Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." They have a sheep outfit, they put it on, you know, and then but really underneath if they were to strip it down, they're actually a wolf in sheep's clothing. They are disguised. In Matthew chapter 24, in verse 4, Jesus answered and he said to them, "Take heed that no one deceives you, for many will come in my name saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will deceive many."

When Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 4, he also gave him this warning in chapter 4, verse 1, when he said, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons." Watch out for that. Have you noticed in recent days how many people either are declaring or writing books or articles about the deconstruction of their faith? I mean, it's just prevalent. It's happening. People are buying into it and they're deconstructing their faith.

Peter also warned concerning deception when he said in 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 1, he said, "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you." And this is what they do. They secretly bring in destructive heresies and deny the Lord who bought them and bring on themselves swift destruction. Folks, this is the reason, this is the cause why we are to test all things. The Apostle Paul, when he was on his missionary journey, he made his way into the area of Thessalonica.

And he was able to preach there for three Sabbaths before he was driven out of the town by his accusers, those that were persecuting him. And so he went to the next town, which was Berea. And when he arrived in Berea, he also preached to them, but this was their response. In Acts chapter 17, verse 11, it says concerning the Bereans, "They were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and they searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

In other words, they received God's word, but they also verified it to ensure that what was presented was actually accurate. Every sermon, every prophecy, every book, every influencer should be measured against the truth of God's word. The Bereans, they were a noble church, not because they believed it quickly, but because they believed it thoughtfully. So the command is given to test things. The cause for testing is because there's false prophets that have gone out into the world.

But the next principle presented is this: the criteria for testing. What is the test? What are the questions on the test? What am I looking for? Here's the criteria for the test in verse 2. "By this we know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you heard was coming, and is now already in the world."

When we apply the test to determine whether what is being presented is true or false, whether or not it is biblical or heretical, there are specific signs that we look for and things that we need to carefully listen to. And the most important thing above everything else, here it is, what do they say about Jesus? What do they teach about Jesus? Now John, of course, writing with the Gnostic in mind, says anyone who admits that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, confesses that he has come in the flesh, speaking of his incarnation, they are of God.

But he says, on the other hand, anyone who denies that he came in the flesh, denies the incarnation, that is Antichrist. Don't believe it. It's not of God. Again, the Gnostics denied that Jesus came in human flesh. They claimed that he was a phantom, that he was a spirit. He kind of hovered when he walked. There wasn't really any footprints when he walked. He just kind of just floated across like a phantom. And by denying his incarnation, that is God being clothed in human flesh, the incarnation of Christ, what they rejected was the virgin birth.

Which would also deny the effective atonement of Christ for our sins and the physical resurrection, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. That was not of God. John says do not believe it. This is the criteria that you apply.

Guest (Male): Today on A Daily Walk, Pastor John Randall has given us a command to test, the cause to test, and finally the criteria for testing. It's part of our study in 1 John. Pastor John will be right back with the rest of today's message. As we leave you today, we'd like to say how much it means to us each and every time we hear how God is at work in our listeners' lives. It would be so encouraging to hear from you, so please write today while it's fresh on your mind.

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It would be wonderful to hear from you right now. We've made it easy to make a donation online at adailywalk.org or call 877-242-0828. Pastor John recalls some good advice on how to test for truth.

John Randall: Now perhaps you have read, studied the man, late AW Tozer. Written a lot of great books, very convicting writer. But he had some wise advice and questions that you ought to ask when it comes to knowing something is true. How do you test for truth? Here's a glimpse of some of the things he said. When it comes to somebody's presentation of the word of God, here's something that you ought to ask: How does the teaching I'm receiving influence my relationship with God? Is he magnified? Is he glorified, or is he diminished?

Another question to ask when it comes to receiving the teaching from the word of God: How does the teaching influence my attitude toward Jesus? Does it magnify him? Does it make him first, or does it subtly shift my focus more to be on me rather than on Jesus? There's a lot of that teaching going around today, focused upon you rather than upon him. How does the teaching influence my attitude toward scripture? Does it originate from and align with God's word? Does it deepen my love for God's word? Does it make me have a desire to know him more by studying his word?

Is that what you receive? I pray that's what you receive when you come here. How does the teaching affect my personal life? Does it nourish me? Does it promote pride in me, or does it bring about humility? How about this? How does the teaching I'm receiving impact my relationship with other Christians? Does it cause me to withdraw, to find fault, to feel superior, or does it lead me to genuine love for those who know Jesus and even a love for those who do not know Jesus? How does the teaching influence my relationship with the world system?

Does the teaching I receive encourage me to chase after the desires of the flesh, of the eyes, of the pride of life? Does it prompt me to seek worldly riches, reputation, pleasures, or does it crucify me to the world? That is what I need to ask myself in the teaching that I'm receiving from God's word. And finally, how does the teaching influence my attitude toward sin? Does it accept sin in my life? Does it just tolerate it, or does it turn from it with a desire to pursue holiness? All these are great questions when you're sitting under the word of God to ask yourself. Is that happening to me, or is it not happening? Great questions there as we test for truth.

Guest (Male): We'll talk more about this next time on A Daily Walk as Pastor John Randall continues through the Bible. This program is brought to you by Calvary South OC and made possible through your generous support.