This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. 1 John 4:2 HCSB
Recently I was asked to substitute teach a Sunday School class by a teacher who had just started using a video-based study. When I watched the weekly session, I was appalled that the instructor was using God’s Word to justify his own personal thoughts and beliefs. He made it sound like what he was teaching was directly from God’s Word. I quickly determined that I would not use that video but found another one based on the same Scripture to use in its place.
There are many ways to test someone’s message. One way is to question if the message claims that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, He came and lived a perfect life here on earth, and that He died for our sins, was buried, rose from the dead, and lives today. Other tests include the personal commitment of the teacher to Jesus Christ, his life-style, and fruit of his ministry. The final test is to determine if the teaching is aligned with God’s Word.
Challenge: Be discerning and diligently examine the teachings of those who instruct you. Test their teachings by examining their commitment to Christ, how they live their lives, and if their teachings are consistent with God’s Word.