If anyone thinks they’re a prophet or that they have other gifts from the Spirit, they should agree that what I’m writing to you is the Lord’s command.
But we are from God, and whoever knows God listen to us. But whoever isn’t from God doesn’t listen to us. That’s how we can tell the difference between the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falseness.
You’re judging only by how things look on the surface. If someone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.
Some people plant to please their wrong desires, and from those desires they’ll harvest death. Others plant to please the Spirit, and from the Spirit they’ll harvest eternal life.
If someone comes to you and preaches about a Jesus who’s different from the Jesus we preached about, or a spirit different from the Spirit you received, or a version of the good news that’s different from the one you accepted, you put up with those kinds of things easily enough.
I’m not going to compare myself with those other people who praise themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they’re not being wise.
Now let me speak to those who are engaged. I don’t have a direct command from the Lord for you. But I’d like to give my opinion as someone who, by the Lord’s mercy, can be trusted.
By the grace that has been given to me, I say to every one of you, don’t think of yourself more highly than you should. Have a reasonable view of yourself, based on the faith God has given to each of you.
“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever does not accept you does not accept me. But whoever does not accept me does not accept the one who sent me.”
Brothers and sisters, I couldn’t speak to you as people who were led by the Holy Spirit. I had to speak to you as people who were still following their own wrong desires. You’re not growing as Christ wants you to. You’re still like babies.