How to Test the Spirit of Truth

As believers we have the Holy Spirit in us. So when we read Scripture, which is inspired by the Holy Spirit, it's really like the Holy Spirit is reading to itself. Right?

I call this line of thinking a partial logical fallacy. There is some truth to that statement, however, taking it to the extreme has had serious consequences. John Calvin introduced this ideology in the sixteenth century and compared the Holy Spirit to, "spectacles to help us read", as an analogy:

"For as the aged, or those whose sight is defective, when any book, however fair, is set before them, though they perceive that there is something written, are scarcely able to make out two consecutive words, but, when aided by glasses, begin to read distinctly, so Scripture, gathering together the impressions of Deity, which, till then, lay confused in our minds, dissipates the darkness, and shows us the true God clearly." - John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Chapter 6.

I remember a certain unnamed, well respected worship leader and songwriter, explaining how he is given many songs to listen to from budding and amateur songwriters, ALL of the writers claiming that the Holy Spirit inspired them to write the song... His response was perfect, "does the Holy Spirit only know three guitar chords??". You'd think if the God of the universe inspired this masterpiece it would sound... better. Perhaps some of the message got lost in transmission (on our end).

This happens to many modern day Christians with regard to Biblical interpretations. I was just recently attending a small multi-denominational faith group where someone was claiming there is no eternal Hell, and cited Matt 25:41 as a proof text. However, this passage clearly states:

“Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:41)

Different faith communities can read the same passage and come up with opposing doctrines. I've seen churches vote on all different kinds of teachings. When this happens, the congregation divides. Half of the congregation stays, the other half creates a new church down the street with their new doctrine...

Calvin influenced many with his mentality of, "the Holy Spirit will interpret the Bible for you". The problem is in the proof. Since this ideology was introduced in the sixteenth century, Christianity has gone from essentially two schisms (which is still too many) into 40,000+ denominations. We must conclude that either the Holy Spirit isn't doing a very good job in leading us into truth, or this isn't the way God intended us to know truth. We must have a baseline outside of ourselves to authenticate truth. Even Martin Luther eventually came this to understanding:

“There are almost as many sects and beliefs as there are heads; this one will not admit Baptism; that one rejects the Sacrament of the altar; another places another world between the present one and the day of judgment; some teach that Jesus Christ is not God.  There is not an individual, however clownish he may be, who does not claim to be inspired by the Holy Ghost, and who does not put forth as prophecies his ravings and dreams.” - Martin Luther, (cited in Leslie Rumble, Bible Quizzes to A Street Preacher [Rockford, Ill.: Tan Books, 1976], 22).

I'm not saying that the Holy Spirit doesn't guide us today, because He surely does. Sacred Scripture reassures us of this:

"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come" (John 16:13)

Some might argue, "Well, those other churches aren't REALLY being guided by the Holy Spirit". How do we know? How do we test that?

If two churches teach opposing doctrines they can both be wrong, but cannot both be right. For example, one can state that Baptism is salvific, another can state that it's just an outward expression, but doesn't do anything. Both can be wrong, but both cannot be right. How do we know what truth is? How do you know that the confidence you exert and the tingly sensation you have in your belly when you "hear the word of truth", isn't just indigestion?? Or worse, moral relativism, gratifying your guilty conscience?

What does Scripture tell us is the way to know truth?

“Test all things, hold fast to what is good" (1 Thes. 5:21)

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (I John 4:1)

We need to test each spirit, but what is our criteria for testing? Many people naturally accept what is fitting within our morality. For example, if someone is recognizing the guilt of previously having an abortion, they might tend towards a church that teaches there's nothing wrong it. So how do we determine what the fullness of truth is? If we continue further in this passage, the answer is clearly outlined:

"We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." (I John 4: 6)

Who is the "we"? The apostles. We don't need to keep interpreting, and reinterpreting the Bible, constantly coming up with new interpretations and new doctrines. Why? Because the fullness of truth has already been revealed to the church, once and for all, it's unchanging:

"I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3).

All we need to do is go back to the beginning. We need the teachings of the apostles and the first Christians. This is how we test the spirit of truth. The early church fathers will reaffirm the faith we read accounted in Scripture. Whether it's baptism, salvation, morality, works, etc. that we need an answer for, our question should be, "what did the first Christians practice?". There is no new doctrine since Christ revealed the fullness of revelation in himself. Some doctrines have developed, been elaborated upon, and been more fully fleshed out. However, truth does not change.

If we are not practicing today, what the first Christians, the Apostles and successors, did back then, then why not? Who changed it? Who had the authority to change the faith that Christ delivered to us once and for all? I would trust the people who lived and breathed the same air as Jesus and the apostles, who learned from their feet, who were there when the faith was once and for all given, over some "Bible teacher", however sincere, 2000 years removed, who is, "reading the Bible through the spectacles of the Holy Spirit". I tend to sadly agree with Martin Luther as he identified very early on in the practice of this ideology, "There is not an individual, however clownish he may be, who does not claim to be inspired by the Holy Ghost". Instead of 40,000+ denominations, we have potentially closer to 8 billion.