How do I know if a preacher is teaching the truth?

There are thousands of preachers online and a church on every corner. A lot of them sound right. Some of them are teaching another gospel. Louis Scott, a Christian apologist with over a million followers, gives one simple test in “This is where I draw the line (The Hard Truth).”

Start with one question

When he wants to know if a pastor is worth listening to, he starts with one question: how does a sinner receive salvation? The answer tells you more about their teaching than anything else.

The right answer is the gospel: “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Paul says that’s the gospel “by which also ye are saved” (1 Corinthians 15:2). If someone adds a second part to it, Paul’s words are as strong as it gets: “though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

Louis asks two more questions, and the answer is the same every time:

• How does someone stay saved? They believe the gospel.

• How do you know if someone else is saved? They believe the gospel.

If the answer to any of these is spiced with something that adds to faith in Jesus Christ, you don’t need to hear anything else from that preacher.

You can’t outgrow the gospel

The same message that saves the sinner is the same message that establishes and strengthens the saint. A preacher can be wrong about small things and the people under him can still be saved. But if he twists the gospel, he misleads people about the one message God gave for their salvation. Louis says if a preacher isn’t clear on that, why trust him with anything else?

You can know where you stand: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

What to look for in a church

The gospel comes first. Not the music, not the programs, not the pastor’s personality. A healthy church may not be the biggest one in town, but it keeps the gospel at the center.

If you can’t find one yet, you’re not spiritually stranded. Open the Bible, study it, and find a few believers who love the true gospel, even if it’s just around the kitchen table. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Don’t confuse the building with the body of Christ.

The video opens with a clip of a chaotic service, people shouting that everyone is going to hell. One commenter quoted Paul: “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). Another wrote that when she was backslidden and doubting she was saved, his videos were the first ones God put in front of her.

How this site uses it

Every article here runs on that test. A channel that says Christians can never sin again (If you still struggle with sin, are you even saved?), a checklist that tells you to look inward to know you’re saved (I still fail. Am I even saved?), and a gospel with works added on (Do I have to do good works, or do I get to?) all fail the first question.

Say it like this

“Before I listen to anybody, I ask one question: how does a sinner get saved? If the answer is ‘believe that Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again,’ I’ll keep listening. If it’s ‘believe, plus’ anything, I’m done. Paul said if anyone preaches another gospel, even an angel, let him be accursed.”

Keep reading: How do I actually get saved? · Isn’t Christianity a cult? · Isn’t the Bible full of contradictions?