IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL TRUTH SEEKERS
“You are of your Father The devil, and the desires of your Father You want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is A liar and the Father of it.” John 8:44 (NKJV)
Those who are not of God would fight the truth, speak against it, and resist It. Whilst, whoever is potentially of God would want to hear the truth and embrace it: "We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:6 NKJV).
One would know those who are of the devil, through their attitude to the truth. In this passage, the religious leaders who were against Jesus, though they claimed to know the law, the Scriptures, but they hated the truth; thus, they were easily identified that they were not of God (John 8:42-47). Whoever is of God, even if the person is yet to come to the full knowledge of God, he or she would not vehemently resist the Truth; such would have a soft spot for the truth, the Word of God—because the potential of being changed or transformed is in him or her.
Another Important thing to note is those who are heretical, who teach erroneous doctrine, are received or welcomed in many quarters. In fact, a larger percentage of the people of the world; carnal believers, so-called believers, and Unbelievers welcomed the teaching of such. This is referred to in the Bible: "They are of the world. Therefore, they speak as of the world, and the world hears them" (1 John 4:5 NKJV).
Amplified version of the Bible rendered the verse thus: "They [who teach twisted doctrine] are of the world and belong to it; therefore they speak from the [viewpoint of the] world [with its immoral freedom and baseless theories—demanding compliance with their opinions and ridiculing the values of the upright], and the [gullible one of the]
World listens closely and pays attention to them" (1 John 4:5 Amps).
Whoever is of God would want to hear the truth. If someone is vehemently against the truth, even If he or she claims to be of God, like the Pharisees and Sadducees claimed; such should not be taken for real, he or she is of the world and the devil: "But we are children of God; that is why only those who have walked and talked with God will listen to us. Others won't. That is another way to know whether A message is really from God; for if it is, the world won't listen to it" (1 John 4:6 the Living Bible).
"But we come from God and belong to God. Anyone who knows God understands us and listens. The person who has nothing to do with God will, of course, not listen to us. This is another test for telling [to perceive a difference or distinguishing] the spirit of truth from the spirit of deception." 1 John 4:6 (the Message)
Are you among the believers who picked quarrels with a preacher or teacher of God's Word whose messages resonated or conformed or harmonized not with their own ideas or viewpoints? If you are, repent today, and if you are adamant, It suggests that you are not of God.
Peace.