Learn How to Test Teaching Against Scripture
Christians are called to discernment in every generation—not from fear of deception, but from confidence in God’s faithfulness and the sufficiency of His Word.
To support that calling, we’ve created a Scripture Testing Guide designed to help believers learn how to evaluate teaching for themselves using the Bible.
This tool is not meant to replace personal study, prayer, or the shepherding care of faithful pastors and church leaders. Instead, it acts like a coach—walking alongside you as you learn how to slow down, ask better questions, read Scripture in context, and examine whether a teaching truly aligns with the whole counsel of God.
What This Tool Is (and What It Isn’t)
This guide is:
- A learning tool for biblical discernment
- A guide that models how to test teaching using Scripture
- A way to practice reading both the Old and New Testaments together
- A support for working through difficult or confusing teachings
This guide is not:
- A final authority
- A replacement for your Bible, your church, or your pastor
- A judge of teachers or ministries
- A tool for arguments, speculation, or fear-driven analysis
The goal is not to tell you what to think, but to help you learn how to test what you hear, so you grow more confident in Scripture itself.
How It Works
The guide follows a simple, repeatable discernment checklist rooted in Scripture. Depending on how you choose to use it, the tool can:
- Coach you step by step, asking questions and helping you practice discernment on your own
- Model the process, demonstrating how Scripture informs careful evaluation
Throughout the conversation, the guide will regularly point you back to specific Bible passages and invite you to read them for yourself. You’re encouraged to “test the tester” by opening the Bible and examining whether the conclusions hold.
Discernment Within the Life of the Church
God never intended discernment to be practiced in isolation. Scripture consistently presents wisdom and testing as something that grows best within the community of faith.
As you work through questions using this tool, we encourage you to:
- Bring your conclusions to your pastor, elders, or trusted church leaders
- Ask for their perspective and guidance, especially on complex or weighty matters
- Remain rooted in the life, teaching, and fellowship of your local church
This tool is meant to support that process—not replace it.
An Important Reminder
This guide is designed to assist learning, not to serve as a final authority.
The Word of God remains the ultimate authority, and faithful discernment grows as believers read Scripture in context, pray for wisdom, and seek counsel—especially from the pastors and leaders God has given to shepherd His people.
If your desire is to grow in clarity, confidence, and faithfulness—learning to listen carefully and hold fast to what is true—this tool is here to help you practice that skill as part of a healthy, Scripture-shaped life in the church.