How can you tell if another person has genuine faith unless your own faith is genuine? You can only compare it to your own beliefs, but if what you believe is false, then you will only agree with those who think like you. If you think you’re genuine even though you’re not, other impostors will also appear genuine to you.
Luke 6:39-40 “Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “CAN ONE BLIND PERSON LEAD ANOTHER? WON’T THEY BOTH FALL INTO A DITCH? Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become LIKE THE TEACHER.”
First, you need to be open to a possibility of being wrong, which is rare in the world of inflated egos. It’s a difference between ignorance and arrogance. The latter can’t be taught.
Acts 17:11 “And the people of Berea were more OPEN-MINDED than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. THEY SEARCHED THE SCRIPTURES DAY AFTER DAY TO SEE IF PAUL AND SILAS WERE TEACHING THE TRUTH.”
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- Read the Bible yourself! If all you know about the Bible comes from your favorite false teacher whom you cannot discern, then what can you possibly know?
UNDERSTANDING AND DISCERNMENT ARE THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
So unless you have received the Holy Spirit or know and trust another person who has received those gifts to share with you freely; accurate understanding and discerning would not be possible. Unless it’s painfully obvious, like watching Kenneth Copeland—but even he has millions of followers worldwide! It’s not so obvious to them, for they are blind. That’s why most people in this world are deceived. (yes, sadly—most)
1 Timothy 6:3-5 “Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. THESE TEACHINGS PROMOTE A GODLY LIFE. Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on THE TRUTH. TO THEM, A SHOW OF GODLINESS IS JUST A WAY TO BECOME WEALTHY.”
The receiving of the Holy Spirit is not something you can schedule, like water baptism, or believe yourself to have received it when it never really happened (I know many who do). It’s a once in a lifetime event, and it’s witnessed with eyes (not imagination); Jesus Christ reveals Himself in the Glory of God, changes a person’s heart and make them born-again by giving them His Glory = the Holy Spirit. Testimony follows it. Christ possesses the person and lives in them, their life changes, and they do God’s will. It’s a complete transformation. God tells them what to do, what to say, and how.
John 6:43-45
“But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘THEY WILL ALL BE TAUGHT BY GOD.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.”
John 14:26 “But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, THE HOLY SPIRIT—HE WILL TEACH YOU EVERYTHING AND WILL REMIND YOU OF EVERYTHING I HAVE TOLD YOU.”
1 John 2:27 “BUT YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND HE LIVES WITHIN YOU, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. FOR THE SPIRIT TEACHES YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW, AND WHAT HE TEACHES IS TRUE—it is not a lie. SO JUST AS HE HAS TAUGHT YOU, REMAIN IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST.”
Luke 24:45 “THEN HE OPENED THEIR MINDS TO UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES.”
The world is full of false teachers who use human wisdom, or consult with demons.
THIS IS THE MAIN DISTINCTION: They DO NOT have a testimony about how Jesus Christ changed their hearts, which means they do not have The Holy Spirit within them.
Jude 17-19 “But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE GOD’S SPIRIT IN THEM.”
If you’re offended by what I said here—because you just self-reflected and realized that you also have no testimony and your heart and life have not been transformed; hear me: it’s a good sign to self-reflect, a necessary step toward Salvation; unless you deny it. If you’re not willing to discern yourself, what right would you have to discern others? Hypocrites do that.
In the link below I list more steps that would help you discern. (and what gives me the right you might ask? The Holy Spirit, my Teacher. Read my Testimony if you haven’t already.)