Lesson 18: How to Test Teachers, Part 1 (1 John 4:1-6)

“Don’t believe everything you hear.” This is advice that perhaps nearly everyone has been given at one point or another, but it’s a statement that has particular application for the church. The Apostle John knew this from experience; as he watched the church develop over the course of a few decades, he observed that people would get “creative” with the truth to the point of abandoning the gospel altogether. In light of this knowledge, he both issued a warning and provided criteria for how each messenger and message should be tested. Pastor Daniel brings these principles to the forefront in stating, “You must proactively evaluate the doctrine and ministry of those who claim to speak for Christ.”

Summary by Seth Kempf, Bethany Community Church Staff