How To Know If A Speaker Or Writer Is From God

I John 4:1 commands, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”  We are not to simply accept a speakers claim tha their message comes from God, but to test them.  John then proceeds to list several things to check to identify whether it is of God or not.

“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” (I John 4:2-3) 

The first test is what they say about Jesus Christ.  Do they believe that he is God come in the flesh?  If not, they are not of God, but are inspired of Satan.  Unfortunately most people stop with this test.

The second test is found in verse 4.  “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”  Examine their lifestyle.  If the Holy Spirit is present, they will not be controlled by sin.  I John 3:3-6 states, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.  Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.  And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.  Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.”

What is their message about? I John 4:5 says, “They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world,…”  If it is just about things here on earth, raising healthy kids, or managing your finances, or taking political action, for example, it is of the world.  That doesn’t mean it is bad, just that it is not from God.

Who listens to them?  This fourth test is also found in verse 5.  “They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them."  What kind of people find their message attractive.  As the old saying goes, “Birds of a feather flock together.”  They attract people like themselves.

What is their doctrine based on?  Is it solidly based on what the apostles taught or on some other man’s writing’s?  I John 4:6 declares, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.”  If it is not based on the Bible, there is no real commitment to the truth.  It is the surest way of identifying the spirit behind the teacher.

What is their attitude toward other people, and especially other Christians.  I John 4:7-8 advises, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”  A Person who hates other Christians cannot be a Christian himself according to I John 2:9.  “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.”

How Are We Building on God’s Foundation?

“According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.  If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” (I Corinthians 3:10-15)

When the housing bubble burst, many construction crew walked off the job leaving houses across the country uncompleted.  Houses where a good foundation had been placed could still be built on that foundation as the concrete should not be hurt by exposure to the elements.  Houses that the framers had finished and were properly dried in can probably be completed with little or no reconstruction.

Unfortunately those that had not reached that stage will probably have to be torn down to the foundation and restarted because some of the exposed lumber will have warped and split until it is no longer satisfactory.  It may cost more to salvage than it would to have started over completely.

In the church, the foundation is already there.  It was properly laid by the apostles and prophets and is impervious to the elements.  While there are many who say a new foundation is needed, they are usually just trying to make some extra profit for themselves.  As Paul said, there can be no other foundation.  The problems are not with the foundation.

It is critical that the framers get the house framed and dried in as quickly as possible to minimize damage and distortion resulting from exposure of the materials to the elements.  Church planters and missionaries who do not move the church quickly toward true autonomy run the risk of distortion with the church becoming dependent on others for support or doctrinal guidance.  While the church may grow in size, it becomes spiritually weaker because they have not learned to trust God to provide for support of the church and pastor.  Forty years later such churches may still be dependent on other churches to support them.

Frequently the framer will also do the finish work on a house.  Once the house is dried in, his efforts are no longer primarily as a framer, but as a finish carpenter.  He exchanges his framing nailer for a drywall screw gun or finish nailer, and his skilsaw for a miter saw.  In the same way, once the church is established, the church planter or missionary moves to being a pastor. The requirements of the job, while closely related, demand focusing on different details, and a different approach than that of a missionary or church planter.

Frequently a finish carpenter has a different idea about how things should be than the framer did.  A wise finish carpenter will carefully consider what he framer has done, usually only necessitating minor changes if any are required.  If he makes too many drastic changes he risks weakening the whole structure.  A new pastor who is concentrating on turning the church into what he wants may destroy it because he hasn’t taken the time to see why things were done a certain way.

It is critical that both the framer and the finish carpenter understand it is not their house, they are building it for the owner.  He expects them to follow the plan closely, only making changes with his approval.  If they do so, few changes should be needed.  If the finish carpenter finds need for major changes he better check to see if his plans are the right ones.  The owner is the one who decides when the house is finished, and who gets the job.  He may not pay for the changes if he doesn’t think they are needed or they are not in the plans.

Frequently pastors, church planters and missionaries forget whose building they are building, trying to make it fit their plan rather than God’s.  It results in churches that are not what they ought to be.  As Paul points out, they will be tested, and what doesn’t measure up will be destroyed, leaving the builder with nothing but his own life to show for his effort.

How does our work stack up?

The Evangelist

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” (Ephesians 4:11)

The Evangelist is only mentioned in the Bible three times, in the above verse, in Acts 21:8, where Luke says, “…we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him,” and in II Timothy 4:5 where Paul commanded Timothy to “…do the work of an evangelist…”

The word evangelist means one who announces the gospel. This is the first indication of what an evangelist does.  One does not announce things to people who already know.  The other source of information is to examine what Philip did since he is the only person named as an evangelist.

Both Acts 21:8 and Acts 6:5 make it clear that he was one of the seven chosen as deacons.  Acts 8:5-6 describes Philip going to the city of Samaria and preaching to the people there.  “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.  And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.”  It was an area where the gospel had not been preached.

He baptized those who believed and started a church according to Acts 8:12-14.  “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.  Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:”   The church at Jerusalem sent Peter and John to help him train the people.  The implication is that they stayed for a considerable period.

After starting the church in Samaria, Philip went about sixty miles southwest to witness to a single foreigner in Acts 8:26-31.  “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.  And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.  Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.  And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?  And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him."

Clearly, though he had been in Jerusalem, the eunuch had not heard of Christ.  When Philip taught him about Jesus fulfilling the prophecies in Isaiah 53, The eunuch accepted Christ and was baptized as we see in Acts 8:36-39.  “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?  And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.  And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.” The eunuch he led to the Lord returned to Ethiopa where he started a church, which later led to the Coptic Church still found in Ethiopia and Egypt.

“But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.” (Acts 8:40)

Philip then preached in the various cities along the coast as far north as Caesarea, where he apparently helped start another church.  He was there when Paul and Luke came back in Acts 21.  Peter opened the door for non-Jewish believers to join that church in Acts 10, when he met with Cornelius and his friends.  As an apostle, Peter could unlock the door for Gentiles to join the church.

From the description it is clear Philip went and preached to people who had never heard and started churches, making him the first missionary.  Paul did not even get saved until later.  The biblical word evangelist thus refers to what the modern church calls a missionary.

In Paul’s analogy to construction of a building, the evangelist would be the framing crew, who erect the basic framework of the building on the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets.  Once the building is dried in and protected from the weather, they turn the work over to the finish crew and move to another job.    

The Office of Prophet

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” (Ephesians 4:11)

The second office of ministry mentioned is that of prophets.  The Greek word translated “prophesy means “foretell”, “divine”, or “to speak under inspiration.”  Like the apostles, the prophets received direct revelations from God, as we learn from Ephesians 3:5.  “Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;”

I Corinthians 14:22-25 declares, “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.  If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?  But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.”

Telling people what God wants them to know and do was not primarily to get the attention of unbelievers, but to strengthen the church.  Outsiders who heard it would be convinced and convicted of their sin and become believers.

I Corinthians 13:8-10 states, “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”

The office of prophet was a temporary office to bridge the gap until the word of God was complete. It would provide a complete and dependable source of prophecy, minimizing the opportunities for false prophets.   II Peter 1:19-21 tells us, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”  Like the gifts of tongues and special knowledge, the office of prophet would no longer be needed once the scripture was complete.

While the office of prophet has ended, the principle of telling people what God has said has not.  Revelation 19:10 states, “… for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”  Every preacher who preaches the word of God does the job originally done by the prophets.  In essence he is prophesying, although he does not receive special revelations.

Using Paul’s analogy of building construction, the prophets would function much as the forms for the foundation, temporarily holding the foundation materials in place until the foundation hardens in it’s permanent form.  Once the concrete has set, the forms are removed.  If allowed to remain, the forms provide easy access for termites to attack and destroy the building.  Groups which insist on keeping the office of prophet provide easy entrance for false doctrine.

The Apostle’s Ministry

Ephesians 4:11-15 gives the intention of the church and the different offices of ministry God gave to accomplish that goal.

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith,

 and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” (Ephesians 4:11-15)

The word Apostle is a transliteration or English adaptation of a Greek word meaning a delegate, and ambassador, or commissioner. Many today claim to be apostles although they may insist they are not Apostles with a capital “A”. In Acts 1:15-20 Peter described the necessity of selecting another apostle take Judas’ place after his betrayal and death.

“And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishopric let another take.” (Acts 1:15-20)

According to Psalms, another was to be given Judas’ place. Peter then went on to describe the necessary qualifications in Acts 1:21-22.

“Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”

It had to be someone who had been taught by Christ and could witness to his resurrection. Two other men met those requirements, and Acts 1:26 declares, “And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.”  Though they counted him as one of them, there is no indication God considered him as such.

In Romans 1:1Paul introduces himself as, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,”  In Galatians 1:17, he describes the time he spent being taught of the Lord in Arabia. In I Corinthians 15:8 he describes his seeing the resurrected Christ as the final qualification. “And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.”  No living person today can meet these requirements, and scripture does not distinguish between an apostle with a “a“ and one with a “A“. Every American traveling abroad represents America, but only those officially designated as such have the authority of an ambassador. In the same way only those designated by God are apostles.

To describe the role of the apostles, Paul uses the construction of a building in I Corinthians 3:10-11 as an illustration. “According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”  He uses the same illustration again in Ephesians 2:20-21 describing Christians, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:”

The Old Testament prophets had laid out the building, like a surveyor’s crew, but the apostles had constructed the actual foundation on which all the rest of the building would depend. Once the foundation was complete, their services were no longer needed, so no new apostles were selected.

Ministry’s Objective

Today, in the church in America, we have all kinds of “ministries.”  We have preaching ministries, music ministries, youth ministries, jail ministries, youth camp ministries, food ministries, Christian book and so forth.  For over thirty years one group made their ministry bringing fresh grapefruit and oranges to the Navajo Reservation at Christmas.  In the process of developing some of these ministries, I suspect we have forgotten the purpose of ministry.  Ephesians 4:11-15 defines the ultimate purpose of ministry.

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” (Ephesians 4:11-15)

Ephesians 4:11 names five specific ministries that God placed in the church.  While each serves a specific function, each is to contribute directly to the accomplishing of the goals stated in verses 12-15.  I hope to examine each of these ministries more carefully in the future, but for the moment, I would like to focus on those goals.

Verse 12 says that the purpose of the different ministries is, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”  If they do the job properly the result will be what is described  verses 13-15.  “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” 

Proper ministries ought work toward a unity of faith, soundly based on the knowledge of Jesus Christ which produces a similar attitude in us.   This will produce Christians who are not misled or swayed by other beliefs and deliberate falsehoods.  Instead, they will focus on the truth, growing ever more like Christ in their daily lives.  Literally, verse 12 states that the ministry’s job is to do what ever work is required to bring the believers to that point.

II Timothy 3:16-17 declares that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”  A valid ministry can accomplish its purpose by teaching and applying the scriptures properly.

Is it legitimate to call something a ministry that does not?