Comments

 Hi Dini,

Your comments are very interesting and insightful. How can we know what we are being taught is true? There are some ideas to help us.

1. Is what they say in agreement with the Bible? Not mostly agreeing or sort of agreeing and definitely updated for modern times. Acts 17:11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. It is our responsibility to check what a teacher says with Biblical truth. Even check what I say. Now it is much easier to do this today than in Bible times because we can google verses and ideas on the internet. We can also check on pastors and teachers. Be careful, because false teachers cleverly mix truth and falsehood together.

2. Look at Jesus himself. Was he drawing attention to himself in flashy ways? Did he seek fame and publicity for himself? Did he ask for money? His miracles were done to prove he was the Son of God, not some famous magician.

3. Did the apostles build themselves up in importance or did they focus on God? Did they ask for money? Paul kept making tents to pay his own way.

4. The Holy Spirit comes to a person when he/she receives Christ, not when someone pats you on the head. Acts 2:38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

5. There is much discussion among Christians about the authenticity of tongues today. Many scholars believe that the God gave the early church tongues to demonstrate the reality of the early church and that the gift disappeared after that time as the New Testament was written. Biblically, the tongue spoken may have been unknown to the speaker, but was known to the hearer. It was not babbling. I tend to favor that view myself but I realize that God can use the gift of tongues if needed.

6. And don’t even get me started on the prosperity gospel. Most of the blessings God promises are spiritual not financial.

Prayer and discernment are important tools for evaluating pastors. God want us to know the truth, so he is happy to answer those prayers.

Sunny

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21