“Beloved, do not believe every spirit,
but test the spirits, whether they are of God,
because many false prophets
have gone out into the world.”
1st John 4:1

Some love to accuse believers of judgmentalism, but Scripture shows us that we MUST test the spirits. We’re not asking for judgment to come upon people, we are simply discerning for our own benefit what is of God and what is false.

vs 5-6:
“They are of the world, therefore they speak
as of the world, and the world hears them.
We are of God. He who knows God hears us,
he who is not of God does not hear us.”

What we speak will be CONTRARY to what the world believes. You can’t have it both ways. The world’s “wisdom” is CONTRARY to the Word of God.

“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.”
1st Corinthians 3:19

Believer’s are “the restrainer,” commissioned to restrain evil and “occupy” until the Lord comes. To do that, we have to examine what society puts out there, and especially what the churches put out there, otherwise we’re reneging on our responsibility.

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather EXPOSE them.”
Ephesians 5:11

One reason they hate us is because many do it in a mean-spirited way. That is totally unnecessary and only stirs up hatred. No, keep your voice gentle, don’t use insults, just state the truth.

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season;
correct, REBUKE and encourage…
2nd Timothy 4:2

Beloved, TEST the spirits!