Every Sunday night, we have a Bible quiz. I ask Bible trivia questions to test your knowledge. That is one kind of Bible test, but today we are going to talk about another kind of Bible test. This is a Bible test that God commands each of us to do every time we make a choice in life. Sometimes it may require Bible research, other times it can be done with basic Bible knowledge.

Transition

The Bible Test contains three commands designed by God to help us make choices that will honour the Lord.

Prove All Things

  1. To prove is to test
    1. Thayer’s Greek Dictionary defines the word translated “prove”: 1. to test, examine, prove, scrutinise (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals. 2. to recognise as genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy.
    2. It is a test that examines for quality.
      1. I have often used the illustration of examining a jar of food that got neglected in the refrigerator. You examine the use-by date. You examine its appearance. You examine the sound when you open the jar. You examine the colour. You examine the smell. If you are brave, you examine the taste. If it passes all these tests, you may assume it is still good to eat. If it fails one of these tests, it may not be wise to eat.
      2. Another illustration is a garden sifter, used to sift stones and sticks from the soil. All that goes through the sifter is good, and all that does not go through is bad.
    3. As you ladies test food in the fridge, each of you will have different testing standards. Some of you will be more particular than others. Soil sifter standards differ. One sifter may have large holes another may have small holes. In matters of godly conduct, what is to be our testing standard? It is the Bible. The Bible is to be our standard because it is God’s book. “The Bible is God’s mind concerning everything we need to know.” (2 Timothy 3:16) “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.” Our standard must not be our opinions, things we like, things that are popular or things that other Christians are doing. Our standard is not social approval. Our standard is the Bible.
    4. Since the Bible is to be our standard “testing sifter” for life, the better you know the Bible, the more accurate your test results will be. You should study the Bible daily. Meditate on the principles found in the Bible. Learn from the mistakes of Bible characters. Note carefully how God responds to good and bad choices of Bible characters. Consider carefully God’s holiness. Choose to make the Bible your authority in every area of life.
    5. Using the Bible as our authority, here are some questions we should use to test life’s choices.
      1. Does God’s Word address this choice?
      2. What Bible principles deal with this choice?
        1. Could doing this be a bad testimony? (Association)
        2. Could doing this cause some to stumble? (Offence)
        3. Could this make it easier for me to sin? (Wedge)
        4. Is it doubtful that this will please God? (Doubt)
        5. Will this build me up or tear me down? (Edification)
        6. Is this the best choice for me to make? (Best Choice)
        7. Will this keep me from being distinct? (Distinction)
        8. Will doing this glorify God? (Glorification)
    6. It may not be easy to determine God’s mind on some difficult choices in life, this is why we must ask Him for wisdom. (James 1:5) “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” If you truly want to know God’s will, He will give you the needed wisdom if you will ask Him. Learn to communicate with the Lord about your choices.
  2. We are to test ALL things
    1. God commands that we test ALL things. That little word “all” does not leave room for any exceptions. It simply means every single thing we do.
    2. Let’s do something I don’t usually do on Sunday morning. Give me your thoughts. What would you say are some things in life that we must test? __ TV shows, videos, music, reading material, Internet sites, activities, clothing, words we use, friends, places we go, attitudes, type of job we choose, doubtful things, doctrine …

Hold Fast That Which is Good

  1. The “good” is all that passes the Bible test
    1. It includes all the things that pass careful examination with the Bible. God does not forbid it.
    2. Good includes all the things that pass careful examination of Bible principles (i.e., association, offence, wedge, doubt, edification, best choice, distinction, glorification).
    3. We must be careful with this. God condemns those who call good evil and evil good, so be sure you have tested all things accurately. (Isaiah 5:20) “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
  2. We must hold fast the good
    1. The word translated “hold fast” simply means hold on tightly or keep firm possession of.
    2. The devil wants us to let go of all that God calls good.
    3. Often peer pressure or worldly fashions make it difficult to keep doing good.
    4. Our sinful nature makes it a challenge to hold good firmly.
    5. (1 Corinthians 15:58) “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” As a preacher of years gone by said, “Do right till the stars fall”.

Abstain From All Appearance of Evil

  1. All that appears evil fails the Bible test
    1. If the external or outward appearance of something even looks evil, it does not pass the Bible test.
    2. Sometimes Christians say, “I don’t care what people think of what I do. God knows my heart.” Those who say that are ignoring this verse. God says here that if something I want to do even LOOKS like it might be evil, it fails the Bible test.
  2. We must abstain from all that appears evil
    1. The word “abstain” means to hold one’s self off or to refrain. It simply means, “Don’t do it!”
    2. Satan wants you to make excuses. He wants you to be like everyone else. He will tell you that “just once won’t hurt.” Your carnal feelings may tell you the same thing. To all these temptations, God says ABSTAIN! (Proverbs 14:16) “A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.”
    3. The principle “If in doubt, don’t”, is a good principle to follow.

Conclusion

Why do we often fail to prove all things? Sometimes we doubt that our desire will pass God’s test so you do not test it. Other times we twist the Bible test with our own opinions. We may not think to test before we choose. We may have a poor knowledge of the Bible. No matter what the reason, if we are not proving all things we are disobeying God.

If you have not been testing your choices with the Bible before you act, it is time that you begin. Stop being careless or lazy! Begin obeying these three commands God has given us: 1) Prove all things; 2) Hold fast that which is good. 3) Abstain from all appearance of evil.

If you get stuck on a difficult choice, come and see me and I will help you find some Bible verses or principles that will help you.

Song: Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord – 337
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The Bible Test
26 June 2016 AM – 1Thessalonians 5:21-22 – 1Th2016 – Scott Childs