"Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good." - 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21
It caused a big "stink" at my seminary. A professor wrote this article, telling how suspicion serves a healthy purpose in a fallen world. Even then, 25+ years ago, there were seminary students who were offended by the suggestion that suspicion was a positive tool in the Christian toolbox; they felt you should love, trust, tolerate, and accept everybody all the time.
Of course, then, as now, the only way you can get offended at the suggestion that "suspicion serves a healthy purpose in a fallen world" is by dismissing God's word in scripture as in today's Bible verse from 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 and the following two verses:
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." - 1 John 4:1
"[Jesus said,] Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves." - Matthew 10:16
The issue, as always, as from the beginning of time, is "whose word do we trust?" God's word in Old and New Testament tells me that I need God's goodness because I don't have any of my own. Both Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1 tell us there is none who does good [except God], "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good." And in Mark 10:18, Jesus reiterates those two Psalms saying, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone."
Positively speaking, here's the simple encouragement from the Lord God: If you really want good things to be a part of all the things in your day today, then welcome the Lord into all the things in your day today. After all, God's word says plainly, "Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:16-17)
So, have a good day! God is eager to give it to you, if you'll look to him as the One who can give it!
Praise God!
(For an archive of "Day of Praise", please visit my daughter Calley's website at http://dayofpraisepc.blogspot.com/?m=1)
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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