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. 1 John 4:1 (NKJV)
My dad advised me many times to “take everything with a grain of salt”. If I read something, heard something, saw something, or was told something I should always make sure it was true before I jumped fool-heartedly into it. Dad was a man of deep wisdom who relied on God and His word (Bible) as a guide; he taught me to be much like the Christians from Berea and to search the scripture and to never believe anything that was contrary to it (Acts 17:10-11).
In the time of Paul there were many differences in doctrines and arguments in regard to God and Christianity; believers began to be swayed back and forth with teachings while confusion abounded. Paul taught that we should stand firm in faith and not be moved by every wind of doctrine and that we should trust in the un-perverted doctrine of Jesus, found in scripture.
Today we are faced with a world of doctrines, and although some are minute and can be disagreed upon, some undermine the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We must be careful who we listen to and what teachings and doctrines we take to heart; we should always heed my dad’s advice and take everything with a grain of salt and allow the Bible to serve as our ultimate guide.
What do you believe? Have you taken it with a grain of salt? Or have you simply grabbed on to whatever feels or seems right to you now? Make sure you test the spirits to see if they are of God.
