Wednesday, August 19, 2009
1 John 4:1 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.
FOR THE LOVE OF FELLOWSHIP: TEST THE MEAT
Humans need food. Billions of pounds of meat are eaten every year. Don't agree? Think about how many quarter-pound burgers are being sold each day. What happens when the food inspectors fail to properly inspect the meat? Millions of pounds of meat are recalled! People are furious and angry that the inspections were not done properly and that stricter testing was not followed.
Is it any different from how we are to handle God’s Word? When it comes to meat inspection we're talking about life threatening viruses. When it comes to the improper handling of God's Word we're talking about viruses that threaten our eternal life.
Our fellowship with our Savior Jesus Christ is the most important priority in our lives. The nourishment we get from His word of forgiveness is what sustains our spiritual lives. Like our favorite dish or meal, how much do we love and savor our relationship with our Lord? Jesus even appeals to our spiritual taste buds and calls Himself "the Bread of Life" (John 6:35).
Maybe we don't see a lot of people protesting an improper handling of God's Word these days, but let's not wait for a recall. Rather, by God's grace let's joyfully test what is being fed to us on a daily basis like the Bereans (Acts 17:11) out of love for that one and only Savior, our Bread of Life.
