Do Not Treat Prophecies With Contempt
1 Thessalonians 5v20-22
8th April 2022
Last time, we studied 1 Thessalonians 5:19, where Paul says, "Do not put out the Spirit's fire". Immediately afterwards, he says:
1 Thessalonians 5:20
Do not treat prophecies with contempt.
Since Paul puts these two ideas together, it shouldn't be controversial to say that anybody who denies the existence and validity of prophecy today is guilty of quenching the Holy Spirit. As I said last time, I'm aware that problems have arisen because people misuse spiritual gifts, including prophecy. Some people have been deeply damaged by false prophecy. But that doesn't give us an excuse for despising all prophecy.
I'd like to mention three ways in which we can treat prophecies with contempt.
Firstly: We can treat prophecies with contempt by refusing to speak them out. Some Christians have been given the gift of prophecy, and some haven't. If you haven't, please don't try to prophesy. But if you have been given this gift, please use it, as prompted by the Holy Spirit. I know this takes courage. I know that we worry that we might get it wrong, and we worry that even if we get it right, our brothers and sisters might judge us if they don't like the prophecy. Jeremiah had that problem, but it didn't stop him prophesying.
Secondly: We can treat prophecies with contempt by creating a church atmosphere which makes it very obvious that we don't want prophecy – or any other spiritual gift – in our church. This is great sin. It's not our church; it's Jesus's church! And Jesus inspired the words of the Bible, including these words: Do not treat prophecies with contempt. I understand that some of us have been hurt by people who used spiritual gifts insensitively. I understand that we'd prefer not to be hurt again. But there is no excuse for quenching the Holy Spirit.
Thirdly: we can treat prophecies with contempt by ignoring them when they come. "Oh, that's just so-and-so showing off". "That's not from God; that's just so-and-so saying what he thinks". "He's claiming false credibility by prefacing his own ideas with 'God says'". I've heard people showing off. I've heard people trying to manipulate churches and Christians by claiming to be prophesying when they're really not. I've heard people speaking when they think what they're saying is prophecy, but it isn't. But I've also heard genuine, valuable life-changing prophecy. We need that.
The next thing Paul says is:
1 Thessalonians 5:21a
Test everything.
We must not despise prophecy, but we must not naively accept that everybody who claims to be prophesying is prophesying. Some apparent prophecy is prophecy. Some isn't. Some is in part and isn't in part. Remember that 1 Corinthians 13:9 says that "we prophesy in part". This does make things complicated. But it assumes that we do prophesy.
Do not treat prophecies with contempt. Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. Instead, let's remember that together we are the body of Christ. We can test prophecies to see if they're genuine, or false, or part genuine and part false.
So let's not be too quick to believe a prophecy, and let's not be too quick to dismiss a prophecy. Let the hearers not be too judgemental. If we throw rocks at a person who brings what we think is a false prophecy, he won't bring a true prophesy next time. Let the hearers not be too naïve; just because we like a person, just because he was right last time, doesn't mean he's right this time. Let the speaker not be too precious. If we weigh your words and believe they're not prophecy, trust us that we're not trying to hurt you or dismiss you, we're just being faithful to our responsibility under Christ.
Let us test everything. Let us weigh prophecy together, and let us look to our pastor and elders to lead us in that exercise.
And that doesn't only apply to prophecy. It applies to everything. Test what is taught in sermons. Test what you hear on religious TV stations. Test what you read in religious books. I use the word "religious" here instead of "Christian" because what claims to be Christian often isn't. Test everything.
How do we test everything?
Firstly: we test things by comparing them to the Bible. Anything which is not consistent with the Bible is wrong. Plain and simple. If you disagree with the Bible, you're in error. Of course, we have to be careful, and we need a good understanding of the Bible. We wouldn't want to reject a prophecy because it disagrees with our false understanding of Scripture.
Secondly, we test things by examining the character of the people who bring those things.
Matthew 7:15-20
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly
are ravenous wolves.
You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes,
or figs from thistles?
So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."
If a person's life doesn't demonstrate repentance, kindness, faith and purity, then why would we imagine his words are from God?
Thirdly: we ask "Is the prophecy loving and encouraging?"
1 Corinthians 14:3
But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement
and comfort.
A prophecy that fails this test probably isn't from God.
Fourthly we test things by praying about them, of course.
Fifthly: some of us have a spiritual gift which 1 Corinthians 12:10 calls "the discernment of spirits". Some of us, but not all of us, can sense whether something is inspired by the Holy Spirit, or by a demon, or is not inspired at all. Again, those who exercise this gift must be cautious, because none of us is perfect, and none of us have perfect discernment.
Paul says:
1 Thessalonians 5:21b-22
Hold on to the good.
Avoid every kind of evil.
Common sense, isn't it? But we need to do it. Hold on to every good prophecy, every good idea, every act of kindness, everything that builds up and encourages. Avoid false prophecy, bad ideas, unkindness, everything that discourages and hurts.
Here's the bottom line. We should openly encourage spiritual gifts and human gifts, prophecies and human ideas. We should forgive those who sometimes get it wrong, and should encourage them to try again. We should test everything, and that testing is a corporate activity, not an individualistic one.
Above all, let us love one another, and treat each other with respect at all times.