Title: Two Tests of True Belief / Topic: Discernment

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 31; Jeremiah 32; 1 John 4

Scripture: 1 John 4:1-3, 7-8
1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Observation: Sometimes it is difficult to discern whether people are true believers or not. I noticed in these verses two distinct tests to determine what spirit is motivating a person. One test is doctrinal and the other is behavioral. This agrees with Paul when he instructs Timothy to "watch your life (behavior) and doctrine closely." The doctrinal test is pretty basic. Do they acknowledge that Jesus came in the flesh and is from God? Then they pass that test. The behavioral test has to do with love. Do they love others, with all that word implies? Love means treating others with kindness and respect but also with forgiveness when they wrong us. We tend to make the test of being a believer more complicated than this. We want them to pass a more rigorous doctrinal test. And for ourselves, we want to let ourselves off the hook if we don't pass the "love" test with everyone.

Application: God's box is a lot bigger than mine. If I meet someone who loves others and passes the very basic doctrinal test John gives here but isn't in my "box" of acceptable church groups, I'd better suspend my judgement of his/her faith. For myself, it's easier to focus on my doctrinal correctness than to make sure my behavior is passing muster with God. I need to work on truly loving my brothers and sisters (and even my enemies) as God says I must if I am truly going to be His witness in this world.

Prayer: Father, I want to "study to show myself approved, a workman that doesn't need to be ashamed" when handling the Word of God. I want my doctrine to be correct because I want to truly understand You better. But I also want to have Your love so shine in me that others will notice a distinct difference in the quality of my love for them than is typical in the world. I want them to know I am Your disciple because of my ability to love with the power of Your Spirit.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.