How to be Certain that What You Believe is True

The room buzzed with conversation punctuated with laughter as forty college students practiced a snooty new word I’d just taught them. They practiced using it in a sentence any pseudo-intellectual would gladly add to their repertoire.

The word? Weltanschauung, which is German for “worldview.” The sentence? “Well, it all depends on your Weltanschauung, am I right?”

(Now laugh in a condescending manner. Very good!)

Our church’s college group Regenerate. led by my son Sam and his wife Jamé, has affectionately come to know the Apostle John as “Papa John.” In 1 John 4:1-6, Papa John offers critical, timeless insight about truth.

The Spirit of truth has given us ammunition against false doctrines in any era.

At Regenerate, we talked about the invisible spiritual reality behind the scenes of our everyday life, and that not all spirits are from God.

We discussed how the ideas we accept shape our worldview, and our worldview shapes our values, which in turn shape our actions. Our actions then influence others, and round we go.

Ideas come at us all day long. And it’s not all good.

As John Stonestreet of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview says,

Ideas have consequences for real people.

That’s because ideas are promoted by spirits, and not all spirits are from God. The Apostle John warns us how to distinguish which messages/ideas/concepts are from God:

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,  and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. –1 John 4:3

Test #1: Does the idea agree with the truth that Jesus came as the Christ in the flesh, fully human and fully divine?

This is always the dividing line between Christianity and other religions or cults. Other beliefs may pay some respect to Jesus, but fall short of accepting that he is both fully human and fully divine.

When you encounter an idea that sounds kind of Christian-y but you’re not sure about it, ask yourself:

• Does it agree with the Word of God and the gospel message?
• Does it point to Christ alone for redemption and hope?
• Does the Bible teach this doctrine?

Moving on, John exercises apostolic authority:

They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.  We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. — 1 John 4:5-6

Test #2: Who else believes the idea — Christians, or the world?

• Do the people who believe this idea trust their feelings to discover truth?
• With whom do they hang out – who influences them?
• Do they study the Scriptures to find out what is true?

Now let’s try this out. Here’s an idea which is gaining popularity:

“When my best friend (or Grandma or whoever) died, I believe he/she became a guardian angel who watches over me and gives me comfort and guidance.”

Sounds Christian, right? I mean, angels, comfort and guidance and all?

Now apply the two test “idea filter” provided by the Apostle John. (It’s less awkward and far more helpful than the fireman helmet visual we used at Regenerate.) Feel free to use my additional questions and/or add your own.

After thinking it through, what conclusion did you come to?

It’s super important not to believe everything you hear. Not everything comes from God. Not everything is true.

Keep Papa John’s two-test idea filter handy. You’ll be surprised how many false ideas are commonly accepted in our culture — and how quickly God’s truth exposes them.

It all depends on your Weltanschauung — am I right?