Week of August 25

Artificial Intelligence has arrived and is here to stay. This set of technologies have been here for quite some time, but what is new for many of us are the applications. A recent media interview was held with the CEO of a digital company and his A.I. clone. It was eerie to view his AI substitute as it answered the interviewer’s questions and to watch the company executive nod each time the answers were correct! I was amazed and concerned at the same time, because I realized that I would have a difficult time determining what was real and true! I had no real background of training to test the veracity of what I was seeing and hearing.

John warns similarly for believers to “test the spirits” which proves to be sage advice with spiritual concerns. There were many false teachers and teachings swirling about then, and he was seeking to protect the church from being caught up in a whirlwind of harmful doctrine. We do well today to learn ways to recognize and avoid false teachers and teaching.

John stressed the importance of right belief as one proof of genuine Christianity. Church services then were much more informal than ours are today. People could stand up and claim to be speaking a message from the Spirit of God. The internet—the virtual church for many—is filled with similar types of declarations today. John provided believers with some direction on how to distinguish between true and false messages. He called for them to “test” the words of those who claimed to be speaking a message from God. What did he mean?

First, he teaches us that behind every statement is a spirit (Gk: pneuma), but not every spirit is from God. All of us may readily deduce this fact, but there is more. Secondly, we are to use sound critical thinking. He wants us to practice Christian discernment because we are not like lemmings that, at any moment, may mindlessly run off a theological cliff. We are to engage our minds and examine the content of a message (Acts 17:10-11). The word “test” means to “prove,” or “examine,” like coins that are tested for genuineness and proper weight. He uses a present tense imperative verb, which means this is to be a continual process. Thirdly, verification of God’s truth is an important church commitment. The verb is in the plural, meaning all believers are to exercise “the responsibility of discerning truth from error.”

I know! Many preachers today may exclaim, “I’ll tell my church members what to believe.” That is a tall role to fulfill, though, don’t you think? Love your pastor but use your God-given mind to examine what you hear and read. Theology degrees are helpful, but they are not essential when we put to the test what we hear and read. Consider John’s instruction. 

The Bible provides us with other examples of truth-discerners, like Elijah (1 Kings 18:1-22). Moses also set forth clear instructions about testing whether a person was a true or false prophet: 1) Does the message come true (Deuteronomy 18:22)? 2) Even if the false prophet performs signs and wonders (cf. the sorcerers in Egypt; Exodus 7), but calls for us to follow other gods, then they are false prophets (Deuteronomy 13:1-5) (NAC). The point is that not all spiritual activity is Godly activity. John says to measure the validity of all messages by the one standard of truth—the incarnation of Jesus Christ. In other words, it is about the deity of Christ. Is He God, and does He speak as God? I believe Jesus is Christ and is God, so when He speaks, I know that what He says is truth. I measure all other claims of truth by this fail-proof standard. This test is not only comprehensive, but it is also confessional. Is this spiritual message true? Then ask, “What does the person believe about Jesus Christ?” (4:2-3).

My family enjoys watching British television shows. I love the accents, and who doesn’t love the English countryside? We enjoyed watching Father Brown, a show about a Catholic priest who solved murders and other types of crimes. On one show, a vicar claimed to have found the bones of a deceased Christian martyr while hoeing in the church’s flower garden. Who would have thought?! He had taken that find and turned the “discovery” into a shrine and an annual festival. Of course, this made money, and it also made it important to keep “them bones” under glass and far away from forensic testing . . . which eventually occurred! Testing proved that the bones were not as old as the vicar had claimed them to be, thus exposing as false the theology that had grown up around them.

Here is my spiritual application that applies to similar situations in churches today. The church folk were quite resistant to solid critique and analysis, which is often the case in our communities of faith today. In the end, it weakened their witness. It has been said, “The first point of wisdom is to discern that which is false; the second, to know that which is true.” I will add, “and to follow that Truth!” (John 14:6).

1. There have been many challenges to the Christian life in this generation, not the least of which is to the divinity and supremacy of Christ. Reaffirm your commitment to the truth embodied in Christ. Begin to study the Scriptures and make sure to examine what you are learning through good critical and analytical dialogue with other scholarly Christians.

2. For Families: The best way for children to discern truth from falsehood, is to know what is real and genuine to begin with! This is why memorizing scripture, hearing sound biblical teaching, having family devotions each day, and learning early both to read God's Word and pray are so important! These training patterns are essential for strong mature Christian growth at any age!

Sometimes we hear words from a contemporary song, or a random conversation, or even from a Christian radio host, that are not quite true. When this happens, take time to repeat what you heard to your children and ask them what is wrong with the statement. Show them how to analyze what they hear, and to ask discerning questions. It is good to teach our children solid critical thinking skills, and to give them time to learn to think. With all of their distractions, we must carve out time to help them in this way.

If your kids grow up having a stable foundation of biblical knowledge, great models of spiritual maturity around them, know God's Word in their memories and hearts, and seek His guidance, when the false comes along, they will be in a better position to recognize it for what it is. Let's help our children to know the Truth.

May your paths be straight,
Larry C. Ashlock