“Test everything?”

Whenever I encounter and challenge those who begin to "reject Jesus," one of the first things they will say is what the woman in the meme below wrote. They will always insist they “have studied this out” for themselves and didn’t just blindly start following counter-missionaries; rather, they’re “testing everything.” (Never mind that SOMEBODY along the way encouraged them in that direction, because they surely didn’t just one day wake up and decide Jesus and the NT are a lie....)

What people don’t seem to realize is that – while we ARE to test everything MAN wrote or said, we are NOT to “test everything” that YHWH commanded or what Y’shua taught! As humans with limited mindsets, we don’t get to “test” God. The ONLY situation we see in Scripture where God says to “test” Him can be found in Malachi 3:10, concerning tithes and offerings.

Not to mention, “testing” is totally unacceptable when the test is rooted in doubt. It is imperative to remember that you’re treading on thin ice if you’re testing ELOHIM himself! Take a look at just one example on what YHWH has to say on this issue:

Deuteronomy 6:16 Do not put ADONAI your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah [testing].17 Observe diligently the mitzvot of ADONAI your God, and his instructions and laws which he has given you. (CJB) (See Exodus 17. By the way, the Hebrew word for “test” in, is nacah, which means “to put to the test, try, or tempt.”)

Also unacceptable when it comes to testing is when doubt leads us to demand something of YHWH to “prove” Himself to us. For instance, in Matthew 4:7-10, Y’shua quoted Deuteronomy 6:16 in the wilderness, in response to one of Satan’s temptations. Truth is, we are to accept YHWH’s Word by faith, without demanding a sign (Luke 11:29).

It is evil to manipulate situations in an attempt to coerce Him into fulfilling His promises! (Also interesting to note is that Y'shua, i the above example, didn't try to fight or argue with Satan; he simply responded by using Torah - the Words of YHWH as written down by Moshe!)

The bottom line is: It's all about FAITH! Hebrews 11:1 says: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see”

When true faith is present, obedience follows; simple as that. It’s a “package deal.” When we are faithful, He is faithful. However, when we view God through the lenses of doubt and demand something of Him as a way of determining whether or not He can be trusted, we’re in danger of testing Him (see Mark 8:11–12).

Anyone who suggests they're "testing everything" when it comes to Scripture, had better be referring to the things MAN said, and not Scripture itself! Scripture contains everything we need to know about God and His Word, from Genesis to Revelation. While Scripture isn't always crystal clear, that does not give us permission to pick and choose or dismiss ANYTHING from the Bible.

Nobody has a right to "reject Y'shua" just because, for instance, the writings of Paul don't make sense to them. If you would consult the Ruach haKodesh instead of your friends or your limited human understanding, you WOULD eventually recognize that Paul's writings, read in context - while hard to understand - NEVER, EVER contradicted what Y'shua said or what YHWH commanded.

So, "test" at your own peril, and be sure you recognize WHOM you are testing BEFORE you head down that road!