Testing the Spirits

A church sign I saw one day read, “Come in and have your answers questioned,” certainly a departure from our more usual expectation that the church is the place to have our questions answered.

It is quite true that many of our human assumptions about God need to be challenged, surrounded as we are by widespread biblical ignorance in a secular society. There are many who would lead us astray, well-intentioned though they may often be. I have sometimes suggested to my parishioners that they should listen very critically to my sermons to ensure that I am telling them the truth, and there is nothing I like better than to engage in serious discussion about theology and matters of faith.

The reality that “many false prophets have gone out into the world” calls us to careful and continuing study of God’s word, preferably in the community of our fellow believers. Here God the Holy Spirit is at work to teach us, to make believers of us and to keep us in the faith.

Make us eager to hear, read and study your word, O God, so that you may keep us firm in our faith in you. Amen. — DLK

Contributed by Testing the Spirits

A church sign I saw one day read, "Come in and have your answers questioned," certainly a departure from our more usual expectation that the church is the place to have our questions answered. It is quite true that many of our human assumptions about God need to be challenged, surrounded as we are by widespread biblical ignorance in a secular society. There are many who would lead us astray, well-intentioned though they may often be. I have sometimes suggested to my parishioners that they should listen very critically to my sermons to ensure that I am telling them the truth, and there is nothing I like better than to engage in serious discussion about theology and matters of faith. The reality that "many false prophets have gone out into the world" calls us to careful and continuing study of God's word, preferably in the community of our fellow believers. Here God the Holy Spirit is at work to teach us, to make believers of us and to keep us in the faith.
Eternity for Today