FOUNDATIONAL TEACHINGS
Learning to discern
with Scripture.
These introductory studies offer a starting point. Read the passages in their setting, consider the questions, and take time to examine what is being taught.
01 / DISCERNMENT
Test what is spoken.
Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:19–22; 1 Corinthians 14:29; Jeremiah 23:16–22.
There is a responsibility that rests upon everyone who claims to speak in the name of the Lord. A message may be delivered with great confidence and still require careful examination. The strength of someone’s conviction does not relieve the Church of its responsibility to discern.
In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul brings openness and discernment together. He warns against quenching the Spirit and despising prophesying, then instructs believers to prove all things and hold fast to what is good. Examination belongs within a faithful response to spiritual ministry.
Paul also tells the Corinthians that prophetic speech should be weighed. A person who ministers faithfully should make room for that process. Questions about a message are not, by themselves, evidence of unbelief or rebellion. They can express a sincere desire to honour God.
Jeremiah 23 gives a sobering warning about people speaking visions from their own minds. This calls us to distinguish personal impressions, desires, and interpretations from what we claim God has spoken. We must be honest about what we know, what we believe, and what remains uncertain.
Begin with Scripture. Read beyond an isolated verse. Ask whether the message agrees with the teaching of Christ and His apostles. Seek mature counsel, and allow time for careful judgment. A claim that demands immediate submission while refusing examination deserves serious scrutiny.
For reflection: When you hear “God told me,” what helps you examine the message carefully? Is there room to ask questions without pressure or fear?
Next: Look for the fruit ↓02 / CHARACTER
Look for the fruit.
Read: Matthew 7:15–23; Galatians 5:22–23; James 3:13–18.
Jesus warned His followers about false prophets and instructed them to consider their fruit. Outward appearance can be persuasive. Words can sound spiritual. The life and direction of a ministry must also be examined.
Fruit becomes visible over time. Consider how a person treats others, responds to correction, handles responsibility, and speaks about those who disagree. Humility makes room for accountability. Love takes the well-being of people seriously. Faithfulness includes honesty when something has been spoken wrongly.
The fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities provide an important picture of Christian maturity. Public gifting does not remove anyone’s need for this growth.
James describes wisdom from above as pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and sincere. These characteristics help us examine the spirit in which teaching is offered and received.
No minister is beyond the need for grace. Examining fruit is not a demand for a flawless history. It does require attention to patterns, willingness to repent, and a commitment to truthful accountability. Popularity and a large audience cannot answer those questions for us.
For reflection: What does this ministry encourage in the lives of its hearers? How does the messenger respond when correction is needed?
Next: Speak truth in love ↓03 / RESTORATION
Speak truth in love.
Read: Ephesians 4:11–16; Galatians 6:1–2; 2 Timothy 2:24–26; 1 Corinthians 14:3.
Truth carries a pastoral responsibility. When error has harmed people, correction should help them find firm ground in God’s Word. The way we speak matters because the people listening matter.
In Ephesians 4, ministry serves the maturity of the body of Christ. Paul speaks of stability amid misleading teaching and of speaking the truth in love. The goal is growth into Christ, with each part of the body contributing to its life and health.
Galatians 6 calls those who are spiritual to restore a person gently, while watching themselves. This instruction leaves no room for pride in correction. We approach others as people who also depend upon the mercy and keeping power of God.
Pastoral love can speak plainly. It can name manipulation, confront false claims, and protect those who are vulnerable. It also refuses to turn another person’s failure into entertainment. Its concern is for repentance, truth, and the well-being of the Church.
Paul describes prophetic ministry as speaking for edification, exhortation, and comfort. As we consider what is spoken, we should ask how it serves people in their walk with God. Correction must be handled with the care that belongs to those Christ loves.
For reflection: How can you speak clearly about error while preserving a desire for restoration? What would patient, truthful care look like for someone who has been misled?
Return to the homepage ↗04 / EXAMINING FALSEHOOD
Recognizing false prophetic claims.
Read: Jeremiah 23:16–22; Deuteronomy 13:1–5; 1 Corinthians 14:29.
Jeremiah confronted prophets who offered assurances that did not come from the Lord. They spoke from their own hearts and encouraged people to remain in disobedience. Their words sounded reassuring, but they failed to call the hearers back to God.
This warning invites careful examination of what a message actually does. Does it excuse sin? Does it flatter the hearer while avoiding repentance? Does it place the messenger’s authority beyond question? These concerns must be addressed through Scripture and truthful evidence.
Deuteronomy 13 makes clear that even an impressive sign cannot justify leading people away from faithfulness to God. Spiritual spectacle cannot become our standard of truth. The direction of a message matters, as does its agreement with what God has revealed.
We should also distinguish between a claim that needs correction and a settled judgment about the person who made it. Deal honestly with the words spoken, seek clarification, and look for a willingness to acknowledge error. Serious or repeated deception requires responsible action from accountable church leadership.
People who have been misled need patient care. Exposing error should help them regain freedom to ask questions, read Scripture in context, and seek counsel without fear. Our concern is their restoration and their confidence in Christ.
For reflection: What does this message ask you to believe or do? Can its claims be examined openly, and does the messenger accept responsibility for them?
Return to the homepage →