Prove All Things

by Don McCord
"Prove all things, hold fast that which is good" --- what a divine, inspired imperative! What a motto for life's challenges, responsibilities, expectations! This is all-inclusive as to things --- "all things," nothing left out. This is all-inclusive as to persons --- no one left out. It is indeed possible to "prove all things," or Paul would not have so plainly enjoined: we are not dealing here with things impossible, rivers uncrossable, an exercise in futility. Indeed, we are concerned with a very practical and fruitful undertaking, though it may appear, and in reality is, an awesome one. I am reminded of Paul's admonition to the Philippians, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good" this down-to-earth, soul-satisfying, strengthening admonition is never out-dated, never obsolete. I do not know of a better, nobler way of spending life's little day down here; what better, more enduring eulogy would be given a person than "he/she spent his/her days down here proving all things, holding fast to that which is good." How much more pleasing to God would the church be if all the members did just that; so pursued and applied the kingdom of God could and would defeat the kingdoms of men.

Those choosing a title for a study such as this can do no better than lift it right out of the Scripture text itself. Our title of this study and this lesson is just that. The Amplified phrases it, "But test and prove all things until you can recognize what is good; to that hold fast." The New American Standard has it this way: "But examine everything carefully, hold fast to that which is good." The New International Version renders it, "Test everything . . . Hold on to the good." Marvin Vincent in his Word Studies of the New Testament says of our title, "a general exhortation not confined to prophesying." The interlinear says, "All things prove, the right hold fast." Dr. William Barclay in his translation has it this way: "Test everything, hold fast to the true thing."

The context of any text is so necessary if we are to understand and implement it properly. With this in mind I implore your patience while I read verses 12-28, with a brief exposition; listen, please --- what a compendium, brief though exhaustive, of what it is all about down here:

"And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you [beseech, that is, I beg you, please; he is, as it were, on his knees]; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded [discouraged], support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man: but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. [If you want to read the finest commentary on the "holy kiss" that I have read, you need Brother Irvin Barnes' booklet on the subject --- scriptural, logical, easy to apply.] I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."

It is my sincere conviction before God the Father, Christ the Son, the Holy Spirit and the angels, and you, that the Word of God provides for us guidelines, criteria whereby we may "prove all things." Surely, this is the case in view of the command itself. We are not left to wander in a maze of doubt and confusion as to this great undertaking; there is a way of doing what we are told to do. Here we tread cautiously, prayerfully, carefully. These scriptural criteria are as follows:

• Is the thing tested lawful?
• Is the thing tested lawfully expedient?
• Is the thing tested a matter of liberty, indifference?
• Is it a violation of the witness the Spirit bears with our spirit?
• Is the thing tested a violation of conscience?
• Is the thing tested a violation or disruption of unity?
• Is the thing tested a violation or disruption of fellowship?
• Is the thing tested a violation of the law of consistency?
• Is the thing tested a substitution for the divine pattern?
• Is the thing tested a violation of types and shadows?

Is the Thing Tested Lawful?There is indeed a law to govern us as we "prove all things." James assures us in James 1:25, the New International Version, "But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it --- he will be blessed in what he does." This must be the law of Christ. In Psalm 119, David speaks repeatedly, in this the longest psalm of them all, and the longest chapter in the whole Book, of "the law of the Lord," "His testimonies," "His ways,' "precepts," "statutes," "commandments," and "judgments," and how binding they are. When a thing tested is contrary to the law of Christ, it cannot be right. Example: Baptism --- immersion, sprinkling, pouring? Tested by the law, we determine that baptism is immersion, and not sprinkling or pouring: we "hold fast that which is good," therefore. A divine pattern sanctioned by law cannot be set aside, ignored; commandments, as part of law, are to be kept; binding examples, as part and parcel of law, are to be followed. Any practice when tested by law that comes up short is not right. There is a reason why we list being lawful as the first criterion for testing things in religion; a thing, a practice, has to be lawful of necessity. This will be amplified as we proceed.

Is the Thing Tested Lawfully Expedient? There are indeed expedient things, but they can never impinge upon law in our testing, we must ever bear this in mind. Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language, College Edition says of "expedient:' "Useful for effecting a desired result; advantageous, convenient." W. E. Vine in An Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words says: "Intransitively, to be an advantage, profitable, not merely convenient." Example: At the Lord's Table, age-old arguments have been made, some are good, and some an not. The plate for the loaf is an expedient matter. No law is impinged upon there is no interference with the divine pattern --- and there is a pattern. Some who apparently do not understand lawful and expedient things, get confused --- it is argued by them that both the plate and the cup are expedient Not so, simply because the cup comes under law, commandment, binding example, and cannot therefore be expedient. The plate for convenience, an expedient, is used; the cup, as a matter of law, is used --- to do otherwise is to violate law. This meeting house is a matter of expediency; the church must have a meeting place, be it a building like this, a private home, an "upper room," a rented facility --- no law is hereby infringed upon.

Is the Thing Tested a Matter of Liberty or Indifference?Matters of liberty cannot, must not, go counter to law; in practice, matters of liberty must not violate a divine pattern. Let us observe the chart:

The Divine Pattern Vs. Liberty in Four Particulars

PatternBaptism -(immersion) (burial)
Mark 16:16; Romans 6:4

Music — singing;
Ephesians 5:19; Colosians 3:16

Communion — cup, loaf, fruit of the vine;
Matthew 26, Mark 14; Luke 22; 1 Corinthians 11

Teaching — one assembly, one man
at a time, women silent;
1 Corinthians 14LibertyBaptism - baptistry, river, outside, inside, lake, river, ocean

Music — books, notes, directing, number of songs

Communion — material, size, time, plate, cloths

Teaching — blackboard, notes, pulpit, meeting
house, pews

Is the Thing Tested a Violation of the Witness ---
the Spirit Bears With Our Spirit? Paul says in Romans 8:16, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God"; this is the King James Version. The Amplified says: "The Spirit Himself thus testifies together with our spirit, assuring us that we are the children of God." The New International Version says, "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." Paul says in Ephesians 6:17, "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Surely, His Spirit witnesses with our spirit through the Word. In 1 Corinthians 2:11, Paul observes, "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."

Bearing Witness: Romans 8:16; Ephesians 6:17; 1 Corinthians 2:11

Is the Thing Tested a Violation of Conscience?The word "conscience" appears in something like thirty-one New Testament verses, it does not appear in the Old Testament. Conscience is defineth as that faculty by which we apprehend the will of God; that process of thought which distinguishes what it considers morally good or morally bad, commending the good, condemning the evil. Paul speaks of a "good conscience" (Acts 23:1); a "pure conscience" to Timothy, and "a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men"(Acts 24:16) He warns, when we wound a brother's weak conscience, we sin against Christ. Surely when a thing tested is found to violate the conscience, it cannot be the "good."

Is the Thing Tested a Violation or Disruption of Unity?"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity," the Psalmist said (Psalm 133:1). "He that soweth discord among brethren" is to the Lord abominable (ProverbS 6:19). Surely, the thing tested that would cause division, disunity in the Lord's church cannot be good. There is surely a ground of unity upon which all can unite.

Is the Thing Tested a Violation or Disruption of Fellowship?If so, the thing tested cannot be right.

Is the Thing Tested a Violation of the Law of Consistency?Again, if so, the thing tested cannot be right. Example: The use of the instrument to accompany singing in the assembly has been tested, and found time and time again to be wrong. The law of consistency demands that if the instrument is wrong in the church, such innovations as the Sunday School, individual cups are also wrong; they all stand or fall together. Tested, they fall; the use of all three is not good. One cannot be wrong and the others right. God's plan is always consistent.

Is the Thing Tested a Substitution for the Divine Pattern?Note again the chart, "The Divine Pattern vs. Liberty in four particulars."

Is the Thing Tested a Violation of Types and Shadows?Paul writes in Hebrews 9:24, "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true . . ." This is the King James Version. The New International Version says, "only a copy of the true one;" the Amplified says, "only a copy, and pattern and type of the true one." The church must be under consideration; the old tabernacle must have been a type of it, a mere shadow. Example: In the tabernacle there was the table of shewbread, a type of the Lord's table. On the table of shewbread were twelve loaves of unleavened bread. There was a sane, sensible reason for twelve—there were twelve families or tribes of the Lord's chosen; so, on the Lord's Table one loaf of unleavened bread. There is a same, sensible reason for one, not twelve or two, but one --- there was one lamb to a house, a type of the loaf, one loaf to a house of worship. The blood of the one lamb to the one house was caught in one basin. Interestingly, the Hebrew word from which we get "basin" can be translated "cup." No wonder on the Lord's Table in one congregation of believers there is one loaf of bread, and one cup of the fruit of the vine. The thing tested must not violate types and shadows, when they are evident.

ConclusionMatthew Henry, in commenting on "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good," has this to say:

"This is a needful caution, to prove all things: for, though we must put a value on preaching, we must not take things upon trust from the preacher, but try them by the law and the testimony. We must search the scriptures, whether what they say be true or not. We must not believe every spirit, but must try the spirits. But we must not always be trying, always unsettled: no, at length we must be settled, and hold fast to that which is good. When we are satisfied that any thing is right, and true, and good, we must hold it fast, and not let it go, whatever opposition or whatever persecution we meet with for the sake thereof."
Box 1773, Covina, California 91722


Please Contact me, Dennis Crawford, at BibleTruthsToU@gmail.com or 253-396-0290 (cell)for comments, questions, further Bible information, or for the location of a congregation belonging to Jesus Christ near you.