Approve or Reject

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE THESSALONIANS

APPROVE OR REJECT

1 Thess 5:19-22

19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

NIV

Having considered that first, we have the Spirit’s fire within and that we should not have any contempt for words of a prophetic nature we now are told to test everything. This gives us the picture of a teacher grading tests of the students. The teacher knows the right answer. Here we are to test everything, which has to refer to what we hear or read, that is not the bible. There are so many voices that are broadcast over the airwaves and books that crowd the shelves of bookstores. All expressing their opinion of what the scripture means, or how we are to think and live as Christians. Then there are the voices of the world as well as many forms of written material trying to persuade how we should think and live. We are to put it all to the test and either approve or reject everything. The Greek word translated as test carries the meaning of examine, prove, scrutinize, to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy. This requires first, that we have at least read the word of God, and second, that we listen to the Spirit as he leads us into all truth. When we hear or read something we should be able to know what we hear or read lines up correctly with the word of God. So often, those who are trying to persuade our thinking have such smoothness in their words, it appears to sound right, they make some pretty good points, but then they slip in that little deviation from the truth, ever so slightly, it might be difficult to detect, except if it weren’t for the Spirit who lets us discern that which is good and that which is evil. That seems to be the context of good and evil here.  We are to hold on to that which we hear and read that is good, that lines up correctly with the word of God, and we are to avoid or reject those who speak lies, or words of deception, which are evil. However, we could also apply this holding on to what is good and avoid every kind of evil to the word of God and everything else. The only thing that is really good is the word of God, or we should say, God, himself, and everything else is evil, which would be the world. How much of the way we think is influenced by God, and how much of our thoughts are influenced but the world? We have to test everything according to the word of God and either approve or reject it.