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Test Everything

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. - 1 Thessalonians 5:21

The word “test” was not used in English until after the King James bible had been written. The word “prove” is a good substitute in that it carries much of the same idea. Paul gives this instruction to the Thessalonians along with others at the end of his first letter to them. Christians today can also make use of this instruction as a way of making sure one is not deceived.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. - Acts 17:11

Luke records in Acts that the Bereans were more noble than those in Thessalonica because they searched the scriptures to see if what they were told was true. This process of comparative examination could be called testing. The measurement standard of God’s word seems to be a good way to determine if something is true.

The bible calls four things “truth”, the bible itself (John 17:17), God the Father (Titus 1:2), God the Son (John 14:6) and God the Holy Spirit (John 16:13). For truth to be truth it has to be absolute and unchangeable. The historically recent advancement of relativism (there is no right or wrong) has undercut the foundation of truth for many such that today some even believe that men can become women and women can become men. While it is true that people can mutilate themselves to become sad parodies of the opposite sex, their DNA does not change. To encourage people in these delusions is cruel especially when half of them, when faced with the truth of reality, will try to kill themselves.

The world is filled with all sorts of assertions that are often taken as truth. In the movie Caddyshack a character declares, “I have to go to college” to which another character asks, “What, is this.. Russia?”. If one begins to question the assertion that going to college is necessary (or even beneficial), one might consider that associating with the arrogant, putting oneself in debt, exposure to harmful philosophies, and the corruptive indulgences found in college may not be worth the chance of a higher income (Matt 16:26). This process of analysis can represent what is meant by “prove all things”.

Sadly the process of “proving” is perverted when something like a bible fragment is used to defend a particular fleshly (as opposed to spiritual) undertaking. For example, taking native Africans into slavery and justifying it as for their own good when it was really for the economic greed (idolatry, Col 3:5) of the buyer is an example of this sort of perversion of truth. One cannot “prove” anything without an uncompromising appreciation for truth.

Jesus was called a “stumbling stone” (1 Peter 2:8). Jesus said himself he would bring division (Luke 12:51-53). This is because Jesus is truth. When faced with truth, people will pick one of two directions. They will either chose humility and truth or those beliefs that benefit them or will make them feel good. Those who value feeling good more will not be able to “prove all things”.

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