It’s not always a sign of virtue to know about God and to invoke the Lord’s name — the demons do that in the gospels. A man with the spirit of an unclean demon cried out in a loud voice … “I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” This should give us pause in the current political environment when certain politicians try to wrap themselves in a cloak of religion. Just because someone calls on the name of God does not guarantee that they are actually in touch with the divine. St. Paul warns us about this danger. Who knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God. What we should look for in anyone who claims to be from God are the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, gentleness and self-control. “By their fruits you shall know them” so anyone who doesn’t exhibit these fruits does not truly speak for God.
