1 Thessalonians 5:21 says “but test everything; hold fast what is good.” This verse encourages Christians to carefully examine and discern all things in light of God’s truth as revealed in Scripture. Here are some key points about what it means to “test everything”:
The context of 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Paul wrote this letter to the Thessalonian church to encourage them in persecution, give them guidance in holy living, and teach them on topics such as the return of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 is set in the context of Paul’s instructions to the church regarding proper Christian conduct.
In verse 19, Paul urges them not to “quench the Spirit.” They should be sensitive to the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit. In verse 20, he tells them not to “despise prophecies” – they should value spiritual gifts properly. Verse 21 then follows with the command to “test everything” – they need spiritual discernment. Verse 22 adds they should “hold fast what is good” – cling to what is true and excellent.
So this passage addresses key spiritual disciplines for believers – being led by the Spirit, weighing spiritual phenomena carefully, embracing truth wholeheartedly. The command to “test everything” sits right in the middle of this thought progression.
The meaning of “test everything”
When Paul urges the Thessalonians to “test everything,” he uses the Greek word dokimazo which means to critically examine something in order to approve or validate it. The verb tense implies an ongoing process – keep testing all things continuously. Some key implications include:
- Be discerning – don’t accept everything at face value, but scrutinize carefully.
- Evaluate against Scripture – measure all teachings and ideas against God’s Word (Acts 17:11).
- Test professing believers – inspect fruit to assess true salvation (Matthew 7:15-23).
- Judge prophecy – weigh all alleged prophecies against the Bible (1 Corinthians 14:29).
- Prove God’s will – confirm whether something lines up with God’s desires (Romans 12:2).
- Watch for counterfeits – many deceivers seek to lead people astray (1 John 4:1).
- Expose falsehoods – don’t tolerate dangerous false teachings (2 Corinthians 11:4).
In summary, “test everything” means continually examining all teachings, doctrines, prophecies, practices, and people by the standard of God’s Word. No idea or leader is exempt from scrutiny.
Why test everything?
There are several vital reasons why Christians must continually test everything:
- Uphold biblical truth – Scripture calls us to contend for the faith, expose lies, and pass truth on intact (Jude 1:3, Titus 1:9). Testing protects sound doctrine.
- Unmask deception – Wolves in sheep’s clothing seek to infiltrate the church (Acts 20:29-30). Careful watchfulness uncovers false teachers.
- Preserve unity – False teaching naturally brings division. Examining all beliefs helps preserve church unity (1 Corinthians 1:10).
- Follow biblical examples – Heroes of the faith like Paul and the Bereans tested new teachings against Scripture (Acts 17:11, Galatians 2:11).
- Heed warnings – Repeated Scripture warnings tell believers to avoid being deceived by false doctrines (Colossians 2:8). Testing provides necessary discernment.
- Receive correction – Honest evaluation shows where we may be believing something contrary to God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
If Christians fail to test everything carefully by Scripture, we leave ourselves vulnerable to deceit. We risk believing clever lies and drifting into serious theological error. Testing protects us.
How to test everything
Testing everything relies on knowing Scripture thoroughly, since God’s Word is the standard for evaluation. Some practical tips on how to test everything effectively:
- Pray for wisdom and discernment through the Spirit (James 1:5, Philippians 1:9-10).
- Search the Scriptures diligently to understand its full counsel (Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 2:15).
- Understand essential doctrines like the gospel, God’s attributes, salvation, etc.
- Be constantly reforming views to align with Scripture.
- Evaluate all teachings, ideas, and practices in light of Scripture.
- Ask questions to identify assumptions or inconsistencies.
- Consult wise, biblically-grounded believers for input.
- Approach with humility, openness to correction, and patience.
- Remove any personal agendas or preferences.
- Look to Scripture as the final authority on what is true and right.
The Bereans modeled thorough testing against Scripture, receiving Apostolic teaching eagerly but still examining the Scriptures daily (Acts 17:10-11). We must follow their example – proving the truth for ourselves.
What to test
Scripture commands us to test everything – meaning no person, teaching, doctrine, practice, prophecy, or idea is exempt from biblical scrutiny. Here are some key areas that require thorough testing:
- Teachers/prophets – Assess the life/fruit of those claiming new revelation or doctrine (Matthew 7:15-20).
- Doctrines taught – Scripture, God, salvation, end times, spiritual gifts, etc. Verify against the Bible.
- Supernatural manifestations – Test prophecies, tongues, healings, etc. per 1 Corinthians 14:29, 1 John 4:1.
- Personal “words” – People often claim God spoke privately to them. Check against Scripture.
- Authors/books – Don’t assume Christian authors are infallible. Scrutinize teaching.
- Sermons/lessons – Preaching should align with Scripture. Don’t accept errors.
- Personal beliefs – Honestly assess where your beliefs may diverge from the Bible.
- Church traditions – Long-held doctrines/practices should still be verified biblical.
- Culture/morality – Carefully check where culture may contradict God’s Word.
- Inner thoughts – Even our own thoughts must be captured and tested (2 Corinthians 10:5).
No person or teaching – no matter how godly or authoritative they appear – is above biblical scrutiny. Test everything without partiality.
Handling disagreement
When testing teachings and ideas against Scripture, we will inevitably find disagreements. How should we respond?
- Avoid prideful or combative arguments (2 Timothy 2:24-25).
- Don’t automatically reject disagreement – carefully hear it out (Proverbs 18:13).
- Go back to Scripture – does more careful study resolve the issue (Acts 17:11)?
- Pray for wisdom and unity (James 3:17-18).
- Consult wise counsel (Proverbs 11:14, 13:10).
- Allow time for thorough evaluation; don’t rush conclusions.
- Remain open to persuasion from Scripture (Acts 18:4).
- Put Jesus’ prayer for unity above personal preferences (John 17:20-23).
- If necessary, agree to disagree charitably (Romans 14:1-8).
When handled with grace, humility, and patience, disagreements can lead to personal growth and theological sharpening. But anger and pride hinder testing everything biblically.
Practical examples
How might this principle of “testing everything” work out practically?
- A respected author releases a book with controversial teachings. Read carefully, checking all claims against Scripture.
- A popular preacher makes alarming statements during a sermon. Examine closely against the Bible before accepting.
- A church decides to implement some new doctrinal requirements. Church doctrines and policies should align with biblical standards.
- A friend describes a prophecy she recently received. Check if it contradicts Scripture or makes false claims before validating.
- A seminary graduate questions longtime understandings from Scripture. Historical interpretations should still be verified as biblical.
- An admired Christian leader calls for unity on a doctrine. Only unite if careful scriptural testing confirms it is true.
- A radio host with a Christian audience promotes worrisome political views. Assess through the lens of biblical ethics and truth.
- A religious movement performs miracles and signs. Test the spirits behind it and compare fruit to Scripture (Matthew 7:15-23, 1 John 4:1).
- A church considers modernizing its doctrines on sexuality. Change requires confirmation this aligns with biblical standards on marriage and sexuality.
In all these cases, hearsay, emotions, admiration of people, popularity, or church traditions are not sufficient grounds for belief. All teachings and ideas – regardless of source – must pass the test of Scripture.
Warnings about failing to test
What warnings does Scripture give about failing to carefully test everything by God’s Word? Consider these dangers:
- Deception from false doctrine (Ephesians 4:14, Matthew 24:4-5,11).
- Shipwreck of faith by drifting from the Bible (1 Timothy 1:19).
- Divisive disputes by believing falsehoods (1 Timothy 6:3-5).
- Corruption of truth by tolerating false teachers (2 Corinthians 11:3-4, Galatians 5:9).
- Disqualification by believing lies (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
- Coming under judgment for complacency (Revelation 3:14-22).
Complacency about carefully testing all spiritual claims allows deceit and heresy to spread unchecked. We must take the command to “test everything” seriously to avoid these dangers.
Test yourself
An important aspect of testing everything is examining our own lives and beliefs. Scripture gives some diagnostics we can apply to test ourselves:
- Do my thoughts line up with Scripture or veer from it (2 Corinthians 10:5)?
- Does my life evidence fruit of true salvation (Matthew 7:21-23)?
- Do I Filter every sermon through Scripture or accept it blindly (Acts 17:11)?
- Is my understanding of key doctrines like salvation, Jesus, and holiness biblical?
- Am I believing any ideas contrary to Scripture or promoting false teaching (Titus 1:9)?
- Is my spiritual growth marked by increasing biblical wisdom and discernment (Ephesians 5:17, Philippians 1:9)?
Humbly asking these kinds of diagnostic questions ensures we are also submitting ourselves to the test of Scripture. We can’t overlook our own need for biblical evaluation.
Cautions about testing
While Scripture clearly commands us to test everything carefully, some cautions are also in order:
- Don’t become judgmental of others’ personal convictions (Romans 14:1-8).
- Beware hyper-criticalness over minor issues or doubtful matters (Romans 14:1).
- Don’t develop a cynical, fault-finding mindset.
- Don’t neglect other biblical virtues like grace, patience, and charity.
- Allow time and process for thorough, thoughtful assessment.
- Submit your own beliefs to the test of Scripture first (Matthew 7:1-5).
- Filter everything through Scripture – not your own opinions or preferences.
- Approach testing with humility, openness to correction, and teachability.
- Aim to honor Christ and preserve unity in the body.
While we test everything carefully, we must also speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), offer grace to those struggling with deception, and protect the fellowship of believers. Biblical discernment requires a balance of confidence in truth and compassion for people.
Conclusion
1 Thessalonians 5:21 provides critical guidance for Christians on developing biblical discernment. We are called to carefully and continuously test all teachings, ideas, practices, prophecies, and people against the standard of Scripture. Doing so protects us from deceit, preserves doctrinal truth, and honors Christ. However, we must test everything with humility and grace, not judgment or pride. Wise testing takes time and wisdom from above. But those who test everything find great reward in growing closer to God and his unchanging eternal truth.
