1Thessalonians 5:20-22
The Test of A Behavior
I. \\#1Thess 1:1-2\\ Introduction
II. \\#1Thess 1:3-10\\ Paul’s Knowledge of the Thessalonians
III. \\#1Thess 2:1-16\\ Paul’s Plan for the Thessalonians
IV. \\#1Thess 2:17-4:12\\ Paul’s Heart for the Thessalonians
V. \\#1Thess 4:13-5:10\\ Paul’s Message for the Thessalonians
VI. \\#1Thess 5:11-22\\ Paul’s Commands to the Thessalonians
1. \\#5:11-14\\ Commands to the body, about the body, for the body.
a. Commands for the whole body.
(1) \\#11\\ Comfort yourselves together.
(2) Edify one another.
(3) \\#12-13\\ Know those who admonish you and esteem them highly.
(4)\\#13\\ Be at peace among yourselves.
b. Commands for a subset of the body.
(1) \\#14\\ Warn the unruly.
(2) Comfort the feebleminded.
(3) Support the weak.
2. \\#5:14-15\\ Commands for within and without the body
a. \\#14\\Be patient toward all.
b. \\#15\\ Do not render evil for evil.
c. Follow after good.
3. \\#5:16-22\\ Commands to the body members.
a. \\#16\\ Rejoice evermore.
b. \\#17\\ Pray without ceasing.
c. \\#18\\ In everything, give thanks.
d. \\#19\\ Quench not the Holy Spirit.
e. \\#20\\ Despise not preaching.
f. \\#21\\ Test everything. Keep that which is good.
g. \\#22\\ Abstain from things which even look bad.
We are still in the section where Paul gives commands to the members for
themselves. By doing these things, we will have a healthy church body.
I. Commands to the Body Members
A. \\#20\\ Despise not prophesying.
1. Prophesying is a discourse originating from divine inspiration.
a. That discourse might relate to new revelation or to old; that is,
it could be a prophet speaking forth a new message or a sermon
like what we are having tonight.
b. Paul is commanding us to hear and heed the preached Word of God.
2. The Bible tells us there is power in the preached Word. Why?
1Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but
unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
3. There are a variety of possibilities and powers to consider.
a. A godly preacher gives the preached Word PRESENTABILITY POWER.
(1) Even the best meal when served in a dirty bowl has no appeal.
(2) So the preached Word of God needs to be presented in a clean
vessel.
b. The PREACHED Word gives the gospel AVAILABILITY POWER.
(1) Again, even the best meal, when hid out-of-sight, has no
appeal.
(2) Preaching puts the Word within the grasp of those who most
need it.
c. But it is the CONTENT OF THE WORD that gives the gospel DIVINE
POWER.
(1) The most important part of the meal is not the plate it is on
or the place it is set. It is the food.
(2) So the power of the preached Word is in the content.
(3) As long as the content is from God and not man, the message
has the potential to change the hearts of mankind.
4. Those who resist the preached Word are suffering from rebellion.
a. Strangely, rebellion is an oft admired characteristic.
b. Movie stars, musicians, and other personalities have made a
career out of being a rebel.
c. However, rebellion always hurts the rebel—always.
(1) You cannot stand up against God and His Word.
(2) The Word of God works.
(3) It is truth and power.
d. It makes more sense to stand against the rage of a tsunami than to
stand against the powerful Word of God.
5. The characteristic needed is submission, a very common characteristic.
a. With each of these commands, we have noticed that a Christian
characteristic is needed to obey it.
b. These characteristics are given by the Holy Spirit; hence, we must
be in a right relationship with Him to have a healthy church body.
B. \\#21\\ Prove all things. Hold fast that which is good.
1. I had mentioned earlier in this study that some of these commands might
be combined. I think these two naturally go together.
a. First, we are to prove or test everything.
(1) The need here is to realize that there are things in this
world which can hurt us, destroy our testimony, or hinder
our walk with God.
(2) Hence, we must be vigilant to test the things of this world.
b. Second, we must then keep the things which are proved good and
cast away the things which are proved bad.
(1) While this may sound tedious, tiresome, and depriving, it is
is the only course of action for the godly.
(2) In doing some study on the internet, I am both amazed and
disappointed with the world’s view of a fundamental,
independent, Baptist Christian.
(a) While I am not exactly sure that that is what I am, I am
pretty close to it.
(b) It seems that the world—both secular and saved—thinks
we are loony.
(c) They come to that conclusion because so much of what the
world deems normal, those who believe in and live by a
literal interpretation of the Bible deems questionable
if not out-and-out wrong.
(3) And yet, here we have a plain and clear teaching from
Scripture to test everything and cling to those things which
are good.
2. So what kind of tests are we to apply? The Bible gives us four tests.
a. Does it pass the test of Scripture?
(1) The test of Scripture is the "Is it sinful?" test.
(2) The things that the Bible tells us are right, are pure; and
the things that the Bible tells us are wrong, are sinful.
Lu 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Matt 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I
will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat
upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
(3) Again, much of the world’s practice is inconsistent with the
Word.
(a) If we are going to call ourselves Christians and Bible
believers, we must adhere to the Word of God.
(b) This is not rocket science stuff!
(c) Some things contradict themselves so badly that they
simply cannot be paired together.
(d) A preacher or church that does not believe the Bible is
an example.
(e) You can reject the Bible and be a cult, a political
organization, or a social group; but not a God-called
preacher or a God-created church.
(4) So if we are partaking in those things which the Bible
forbids, we have crossed a line and need to get back on the
right side.
b. Does it pass the test of appearance?
1Thess 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
(1) This is the "Is it hurtful to your testimony?" test.
(a) It is interesting that one of the tests to be applied to
a worldly event is also our next commandment for a
healthy body.
(b) That should reinforce the importance of this test and
command.
(2) So God is telling us to avoid those things which even look
as though they may be wrong.
(a) This raises the standard of Christian living tremendously
high.
(b) Christians are not only to abstain from the things which
are wrong but from the things that might look wrong.
(3) In considering this test, we answer an Old Testament question
that was left unanswered.
Genesis 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said,
I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
(a) Cain was asking, "Am I responsible for my brother?"
(b) The answer is obviously "YES."
(c) Every Christian is responsible that they NOT put a
stumbling stone before their brother or sister.
Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that
no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
c. Does it pass the test of bondage?
Ga 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free,
and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all
things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
(1) This is the "Is it binding?" test.
(2) While the appearance test tells us that God is concerned
about more than just what sin will do to us, He is still
concerned about what sin does to us.
(3) One of the most dangerous effects of any behavior is the
bondage aspect it may have.
(a) This is a phenomena that is difficult to comprehend.
(b) Just how does an action become an uncontrollable habit?
(4) Researchers believe they have some answers.
(a) Some things cause a chemical dependency.
i. Apparently, your body can build a chemical
dependency on anything that you put inside it and
on some things that you just put on it.
ii. That includes alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
(b) And somehow, the brain can get addicted to actions
that stimulate its pleasure zones. (I suspect that is
how pornography, over eating, and other behaviors become
bondage to us.)
(5) But have you ever noticed how only those things which are
sinful or hurtful to us become addictive?
(a) Whoever heard of anyone being addicted to prayer, or
kindness, or doing good deeds?
(b) These bondages are addictions of the flesh toward some-
thing that displeases God or hurts the body.
(6) Anything that can produce a bondage must either be avoided
altogether (which is the correct course of actions in most
cases) or carefully monitored under limited use (such as
medicines).
d. Does it pass the test of doubt?
Romans 14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that
condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith:
for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
(1) This is the "Are you sure it is all right?" test.
(2) In addition to testing for sin, a hurtful testimony, or a
bondage-creating habit, we are to have it settled in our own
hearts that this action or behavior is right.
(3) We need to understand how this test works.
(a) Just because a thing passes the doubt test does not make
it right.
i. Some people are convinced that some gray areas are
all right simply because they feel it is.
ii. Gambling, drinking, marijuana, and others behaviors
that the Bible does not specifically address.
(b) However, anything that does not pass this test is
definitely wrong.
(c) By the way, that is true of all these tests.
(d) Passing one does not make a behavior wrong. but failing
one definitely makes it wrong.
(4) So what is the doubt test?
(a) Anything that we are not absolutely sure is right, is
automatically wrong for us.
(b) Even if when you get to heaven, God tells you it wasn’t
a sin; it will be a sin for you if you were not certain
it was right when you did it.
(5) Someone asks, "How can that be?"
(a) It falls under the category of "better safe than sorry."
(b) It should be our practice to set aside for the glory of
God anything that might be wrong.
(c) If we are not willing to do that, we are demonstrating
selfishness and so God will still hold us accountable
for it.
(6) This test opens us to the work of the Holy Spirit.
(a) The Holy Spirit does not always lead through Bible texts.
(b) Sometimes He leads through subtle feelings.
i. Sometimes a thing just doesn’t "feel" right.
ii. Perhaps you cannot express WHY it doesn’t feel right,
it just doesn’t.
iii. If you are not SURE it is right, don’t do it.
Some Christians will resist God’s test of a behavior. I have heard some
stubbornly determine to do what they want to do simply because "they don’t see the
harm in it." Of course, that kind of statement—if they are sincere—means that
they have their own test. If this action or behavior could harm them, they will
not do it.
It should not surprise us to learn that God’s standard is higher. God is concerned
with our well-being, but He is also concerned about right and wrong, testimony,
and conscience.
Dr. B.J. Miller once said, "It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives
us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing
it." (Today In The Word, November, 1989, p.11.)
Let’s make certain that our behaviors pass God’s tests.
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