(1 John 4:1-6)
“Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because
many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit
that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard
that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome
them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 5They are of the world: therefore speak they of the
world, and the world heareth them. 6We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he
that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the
spirit of error.”
I. TEST THE SPIRITS!
A. "DO NOT BELIEVE EVERY SPIRIT"
1. I.e., don't believe everything you hear, or
everyone who
claims to be from God
2. How foolish it would be to do so should be
obvious...
a. We would be in a constant state of confusion
(believing one
thing one moment, and another thing the next)
b. We would be easily misled by those teaching
error
B. "TEST THE SPIRITS, WHETHER THEY ARE OF
GOD"
1. The word "test" ("try",
KJV) means...
a. To examine
b. To see whether a thing is genuine or not
2. So don't just accept what some teacher or
preacher is saying;
Examine (reading word of God) what is being
taught
3. Those who have this attitude are highly commended
in the
Scriptures
a. The Bereans
“These were more noble than those in
Thessalonica, in that they received the word of all readiness of mind, and
searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
b. The Ephesians
“I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy
patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou has tried
them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.”
C. "BECAUSE MANY FALSE PROPHETS HAVE GONE
OUT INTO THE WORLD"
1. This is the reason we must "test the
spirits"
2. Others have also warned us of this fact...
a. Jesus
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in
sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
c. Peter
“But there were false prophets also among the
people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall
bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring
upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways;
by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through
covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment
now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”
d. Paul
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan
himself is transformed into an angle of light. Therefore it is no great thing
if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose
end shall be according to their works.”
II. THE TESTS (2-3, 6)
A. DO THEY CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS COME IN
THE FLESH?
1. Verses 2-3 are best understood in
light of the Gnostic-like
errors that were prevalent at that time...
a. In which some denied Jesus Christ actually
came in the
flesh
“For many deceivers are entered into the world,
who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and
an antichrist.”
b. Whose doctrine was leading many astray,
possibly because
the false teachers claimed inspiration by the
Spirit
2. But those who would teach such falsehood are
not led by the
Spirit of God, but possess the spirit of the
Antichrist! -
B. DO THEY LISTEN TO THE APOSTLES OF CHRIST?
1. Verse 6 reveals how we can distinguish
between "the spirit of
truth" and "the spirit of error"
a. Those who truly know God listen to the
apostles
b. Those who are not of God will reject them
2. I.e., does the teaching agree with what the
apostles teach?
a. For Jesus taught that to receive them was to
receive Him
and God
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that
receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth
him that sent me.”
b. Thus the early church continued steadfastly
in the
apostles' doctrine
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
c. For they recognized their words as the
commands of the Lord
“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or
spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the
commandments of the Lord.”
d. And even the apostles recognized their
fellow-apostles'
writings as equivalent to inspired scriptures
“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord
is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom
given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in
them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which
they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other
scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
-- Therefore, those who are of God will heed the
apostles, and
agree with their teaching!
3. This is a test that we can easily apply today
on virtually
every issue!
a. But it implies knowledge and understanding of
the apostles'
doctrine on our part
b. Yet that should not be a problem if we follow
the example
of the first church in Jerusalem
Acts 2:42
““And they continued stedfastly in the
apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
C. THOUGH NOT MENTIONED BY JOHN, HERE ARE TWO
MORE "TESTS"...
1. The test of
“And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we
know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the
name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing
which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously:
thou shalt not be afraid of him.”
a. To be used when a person claims to be a
prophet of God
b. If their prophecy fails, they are shown to be
a false
prophet
2. The test of
“If there arise among you a prophet, or a
dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the
wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other
gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken
unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your
God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him,
and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and
cleave unto him.”
a. To be used when wonders are performed, and
prophecies seem
to be fulfilled
b. If their doctrine contradicts what God has
already
revealed, they are to be rejected (this is akin
to what
John wrote)
**If you would like to give your heart to Jesus today, repeat these words
below:
'Dear Heavenly Father,i come
to in the name of Jesus; Forgive me a sinner and wash me in your precious
blood. Make this heart of stone to be made flesh, so that your word may be sown
in it. Any addictions that i may have, remove them now in Jesus name! I've
accepted Jesus Christ as my savior and believe that He died and rose from the
dead! And from this day forward, i commit my life to you and seek for guidance
and understanding in your word, as i walk in your path of righteousness, In
Jesus name I pray, AMEN!!!'
If you have recited these words and meant them in your heart, you are saved
and if the Lord would come today, you will be ready to go to Heaven!! I will
keep you all in prayer, to continue to walk in the ways of Jesus Christ our
Lord. READ, PRAY, SEEK and TRUST in Him and you will overcome this wicked
world! **
I have also provided a link to the Full Gospel Holiness Church below, where
you will find sermons from the word of God (no comprising to sin) but the Full
truth to the Word of God! You can also view our contact information to email us
or call us for prayer. May God bless you!
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