1 John 4:1-6 says,...
Today we venture into chapter 4 of 1 John. Verses 1-6 read,
v.1 - Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
John tells us that there are "other" spirits and that there are "false" prophets. Those spirits we are to "test" (examine, prove, scrutinize) to see if they come from God. Behind false teachers are false spirits and we have the Scriptures to show us what is right and true.
v.2, 3 - But this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
The litmus test is the question of who Jesus is. Does this teacher or teaching believe that Jesus was fully man(physically) and fully God(deity) and sent by God? Jesus is no less than that statement. His physical sacrifice happened and He was sent from God and has returned to God until His return.
The "spirit of the antichrist" is already in the world. It is easy to read this and think that John is saying the antichrist is already here but he is saying that the "spirit" or the "essence" or the "teaching direction" of the antichrist is at work in the world to deny who Christ is. Satan's lies about Jesus Christ is being taught in our world.
v.4 - You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
What a verse! Just as Jesus is from God, we who believe on Jesus through faith, are from God and have overcome the schemes of the devil. God is greater than the devil. Fact. John wants these new Christians to know that there is not something "better or bigger" out there than God.
v.5, 6 - They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Another litmus test is that the true teacher speaks from God's word. Where are they getting their information from, the world or from God's word? John is telling his readers that the information that they are giving them is from God, from what Jesus said and did.
The two tests here for the "spirits" or the "false teachers" is who do they say Jesus is and where to they did their information from. These two tests could keep us out of a lot of trouble if we followed them. Last thought: stop looking from something in this world that is better than God and start looking at God.
"Lord, I sing this morning: You are great, You do miracles so great, There is no one else like You, There is no one else like You. You deserve the glory, You deserve the honor, So I lift my hands to worship, As I lift Your holy name. So I give You all the glory, I give You all the honor, I give You all the praises, You are worthy of all praise. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.1 - Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
John tells us that there are "other" spirits and that there are "false" prophets. Those spirits we are to "test" (examine, prove, scrutinize) to see if they come from God. Behind false teachers are false spirits and we have the Scriptures to show us what is right and true.
v.2, 3 - But this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
The litmus test is the question of who Jesus is. Does this teacher or teaching believe that Jesus was fully man(physically) and fully God(deity) and sent by God? Jesus is no less than that statement. His physical sacrifice happened and He was sent from God and has returned to God until His return.
The "spirit of the antichrist" is already in the world. It is easy to read this and think that John is saying the antichrist is already here but he is saying that the "spirit" or the "essence" or the "teaching direction" of the antichrist is at work in the world to deny who Christ is. Satan's lies about Jesus Christ is being taught in our world.
v.4 - You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
What a verse! Just as Jesus is from God, we who believe on Jesus through faith, are from God and have overcome the schemes of the devil. God is greater than the devil. Fact. John wants these new Christians to know that there is not something "better or bigger" out there than God.
v.5, 6 - They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Another litmus test is that the true teacher speaks from God's word. Where are they getting their information from, the world or from God's word? John is telling his readers that the information that they are giving them is from God, from what Jesus said and did.
The two tests here for the "spirits" or the "false teachers" is who do they say Jesus is and where to they did their information from. These two tests could keep us out of a lot of trouble if we followed them. Last thought: stop looking from something in this world that is better than God and start looking at God.
"Lord, I sing this morning: You are great, You do miracles so great, There is no one else like You, There is no one else like You. You deserve the glory, You deserve the honor, So I lift my hands to worship, As I lift Your holy name. So I give You all the glory, I give You all the honor, I give You all the praises, You are worthy of all praise. Amen."
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