Anchor My Faith

How to Know If a Teaching is True

Scripture: John 7:17-19

We ended the previous lesson with the people marveling over the teaching of Jesus. He reacts to this marveling by explaining that his message is not his but is from his Father and that he was sent by him to deliver it to them. Jesus then explains how one can know if his teaching is from God or if he is speaking on his own authority.

Jesus said, ^{Jn 7:17} “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. ¹⁸ The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.”

Jesus gives a condition followed by a result. The condition concerns our obedience in doing the will of God. To know that will we must walk with Jesus and as we walk with him, as we are through these lessons, we see that he is the way and the truth and the life, that no one can come to the Father except through Jesus. When we submit to Jesus in humble obedience and believe that he has purchased our salvation through his death and resurrection, then we will receive eternal life and the Holy Spirit who will give us spiritual understanding about the things Jesus is teaching. By this we will know that what he is teaching is from God.

We are to also look at the person bringing the message. Is he seeking glory for himself from those who listen to him, or is he seeking glory from God who given the message? Is the person teaching us willing to teach the whole truth even if people walk away from him? To seek glory from the Father and not his own glory is an indicator that he is teaching the truth and there is no falsehood in him. This is totally true with Jesus, but because of our fallen nature there could be some lack of understanding that results in some falsehood. I must be on guard all the time as I write these lessons and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

Jesus adds one more thing that condemns those listening to him teach: ^{Jn 7:19} “Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” Through Moses, God gave them the law, but they do not keep it and as a result they do not accept the message Jesus brings as coming from God. Instead, they see the message as being false and see Jesus as a deceiver and a blasphemer and seek to kill him.

How people respond to those presenting the gospel today in many parts of the world is no different than how they responded to Jesus. As the gospel is being shared or as we are identified with the gospel, we are persecuted against and even killed for supposedly being an enemy.

Conclusion

To the charge of their desire to kill him, how do you suppose the people responded? If the past is any indicator, Jesus will speak even more truth about them and make them even more upset. He will continue to do this until they get so upset they will have him nailed to a cross to die. Thinking they got rid of him, the seed that died came to life and is producing much fruit that is spreading around the world over the centuries.