John Stott’s comments on this verse are particularly relevant in today’s climate: ‘There is an urgent need for discernment among Christians. We are often too gullible, and exhibit a naive readiness to credit messages and teachings which purport to come from the spirit-world. There is such a thing, however, as a misguided charity and tolerance towards false doctrine.’

A W Pink calls ‘the birthmarks by which the true subjects of his kingdom may be identified

Guy Appéré writes, ‘The Christian is conscious more than anyone else of the plight of the world in which, behind men’s physical and moral troubles, he sees their spiritual ruin.’

Walk in His Shoes, John Stott says, ‘Naturally if we had to choose between evangelism and compassionate service, we would have to agree that the spiritual and the eternal have a higher priority than the material and the temporal. But we don’t have to choose, or very seldom.’