How Can We Tell?

A comment on a recent blog asked the question: "How can we tell God when He comes?"

We can tell by the ultimate effects of the experience.

Jesus said, "'each tree is known by its own fruit.'"  Luke 6:44a (NRSV)
"'No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit'"  Luke 6:43 (NRSV)

So if a spiritual experience has bad or damaging effects then the chances are it is coming from an evil source, perhaps even an evil source disguised as good.

But if the effects of the experience are all good then it is coming from God.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

Photo Credit: Arnolds Auziņš via Compfight cc