What does it mean to test everything (1 Thessalonians 5:21)?

Answer

As Paul concludes his first letter to the Thessalonians, he offers various ethical instructions, including advising his readers to test everything: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and to hold on to what is good. While this principle is important on its own, it appears that Paul had a more specific intention, as these words immediately follow his instruction not to despise prophetic utterances: “Despise not prophesyings.” (1 Thessalonians 5:20). John also provides valuable insight as he urges his readers not to believe every spirit but to test them to discern if they are from God, due to the presence of many false prophets in the world: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1).

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians around AD 51, a time when God used the gift of prophecy to convey His Word until His revelation would be completed by the apostles. In 1 Corinthians 13:10, Paul suggests that there would be an end to these revelatory gifts, as when the complete comes (to telion), the partial would cease. Peter adds that God inspired specific men to speak on His behalf (2 Peter 1:20-21). While there is not unanimous agreement on whether 1 Corinthians 13:10 refers to the completion of God’s revealed Word to humanity, many concur that at least Paul is alluding to a time when God would no longer utilize special gifts to communicate His Word. When Paul writes iIn the mid-first century, and John a couple of decades later, it is evident that those revelatory gifts are still in play. Both Paul and John caution their readers to test everything: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Particularly, believers were to test prophecies and spirits of prophecy: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1) to see whether the message and the messenger were indeed from God. The first century required a unique kind of discernment because God’s revealed Word (the Bible) was not completed until nearly the end of the first century when John penned the book of Revelation between AD 85 and 95.

Even though believers can now read the Bible and have confidence that they are reading God’s completed Word, there is still a need for discernment. Paul’s instruction to test everything: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) is still pertinent today. There are still many alleged applications of Scripture that need to be examined and tested to see if they arise from the Author’s intended meaning or if they are contrivances of those who are not handling the Bible well. Many claim to speak for God today. One must test these claims in light of the Scriptures.

Paul and John gave significant attention to guarding and protecting believers from false teaching, as they knew of the existence of influential counterfeits and false teachers. Paul warns Timothy to be on guard against falsehood (1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 4:15).

4:15). John warns his readers to be on guard against idols «Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.», (1 John 5:21). Peter adds that believers should be on guard so they are not carried away by error «Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. », (2 Peter 3:17). Testing everything and holding fast to what is good «Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. », (1 Thessalonians 5:21) remains an important discipline for every believer, in all eras.