Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that
which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).
We live in a day when “spirituality” is popular. Even while the “nones” (those who claim no religious affiliation) are increasing in American culture, most people still claim to be spiritual, just not religious. Their spirituality can best be described like a buffet at a local restaurant. People pick and choose whatever spiritual “dishes” they like and ignore the rest. In this confusing day, it is crucial for us to test spiritual claims, using three simple guidelines from the Apostle Paul.
1. Don’t quench the Spirit; instead, be sensitive to His leading (verse 19).
Paul commanded these young Thessalonian Christians (and us by extension) not to extinguish or quench the Holy Spirit. Fire is often used in Scripture as a metaphor of the work of the Holy Spirit. For example, John the Baptist predicted what would happen in the ministry of Jesus, emphasizing the work of the Holy Spirit: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Matthew 3:11).
The book of Hebrews describes God as “a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). Remember the Old Testament account when God got the attention of Moses? God spoke to Moses through a burning bush that burned without being consumed. Believe me, he had Moses’ full attention! Paul also used the language of fire to challenge young Timothy to “stir up” or to “fan into flame” the spiritual gifts, the unique calling of God upon his life. These examples are all the opposite of what Paul emphasized here in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, when he said not to quench the Spirit. The opposite of quenching the Spirit is being filled with the Spirit, keeping in step with Him and fanning into flame His work in our lives.
Many people today are confused about the Holy Spirit. When do we receive the Spirit? What does He do? The moment we come to faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes into our lives. Throughout our Christian lives, the Spirit works within us to produce holiness, move us to love others, do good works, and cultivate His fruit. We must choose whether to cooperate with His gentle yet powerful influence or to douse His fire within us.
2. Test every spiritual claim against Scripture (verses 20-21a).
Too often, we turn this around and test or judge the Scriptures through the lens of our experiences. This is a big difference. Being sensitive to the work and leading of the Holy Spirit does not mean we are naive, unthinking, or quick to embrace anything or anyone claiming the work of the Holy Spirit. Instead, the Spirit Himself calls us to test everything. Does a spiritual experience, message, or claim pass the test of the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures?
We must remember the Thessalonian church lived during a transitional period in salvation history. The New Testament was still being written. Some manifestations of the Holy Spirit remained in effect in those days that are no longer operational today. Among these special, transitional gifts was the gift of prophecies, to which Paul referred in verse 20. Perhaps these young Christians were treating prophecies with contempt. Perhaps some so-called prophecies hadn’t proven true. False prophets existed then, just as they do now (1 John 4:1).
While we no longer have prophecies in the strictest sense of the word, this verse remains applicable. Simply put, we must never divorce the work of the Spirit from the Word of God. God speaks to us today through His Word in settled, written form. Today, we have the Word for instruction and learning. We must beware of the myriad voices claiming to “have a new word from God,” because we no longer have active prophets. Scripture provides all the lessons, sermons, and prophecy we need.
Let’s face it. We live in an undiscerning age. Information overload floods us with news, facts, and figures. And, to add insult to information, more recently we have begun
to grapple with fake news. Sometimes, it is hard to filter out the genuine and reliable from the misleading and false.
I suspect we’ve all inadvertently passed along bad info on things like the weather, politics, or the recent pandemic.
We must be cautious not to bring this same practice into spiritual matters. Unlike the Thessalonians, we have the completed Bible, and it stands in perfect judgment over all things. The Bible, correctly interpreted, helps us be discerning in our confusing age. When anyone makes a spiritual claim, whether preacher, teacher, professor, or TV personality, we must study the Scriptures to see if the claim matches the truth of Scripture.
3. Act based on the truth you discover (verse 22b-23).
As you test spiritual claims against Scripture, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the claim will be revealed as either good or evil. Paul’s point is simple. Cling to what is revealed to be good. Abstain or avoid what is revealed to be evil.
The phrase appearance of evil doesn’t mean avoiding things that may appear evil which, in fact, are not. It is the idea of avoiding evil in every form. In contrast, we cling to what is good in the biblical sense. God is good — perfectly good — and He alone defines goodness. By extension, He also defines evil. This is a crucial concept to grasp, because Scripture warns against individuals who call evil good and good evil. Rather than allowing God’s definition of good and evil to stand, these people change the categories to fit their own desires.
Consider abortion. Abortion is the murder of the unborn, but today the practice has been renamed a woman’s right to choose. Our culture has labeled abortion good, but you can be sure this doesn’t change God’s view. In this confused “world upside down,” we must follow Paul’s simple formula. Cling to good. Avoid evil. This basic choice determines success in the Christian life.
When learning to water ski as a child, I remember the simple instructions: keep your skis together, legs bent, and arms straight. And when the boat lifts you from the water, remember one other important detail. Hold on! While I can’t recommend hanging on to the rope too long when water skiing (it’s a rough ride across the water), in the Christian life, a tenacious hold on the good is desperately needed. When we cling to the good, when we hang on for all we are worth, reinforcement comes, and our spiritual muscles are strengthened. Discernment becomes stronger.
How much better would our lives be if we followed these simple suggestions from Paul: test everything; listen to the Holy Spirit; rely upon the standard of God’s Word; and cling to good and avoid all evil? Paul answered that question in the next verse. The God of peace will “sanctify you wholly” and “your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
I don’t know about you, but that is how I want to live.
