But, here's what's said to God's beloved. It's something we ought not to do.
Don't believe every spirit, or do not believe everything you hear, and every teacher that you hear, but test them, to see if they are of God or not. ( note: these false prophets were being influenced by demonic spirits. See 1st Timothy 4:1 )
The reason for this not believing, and testing, is because there are many false prophets that have gone out into the world.
Earlier, twice in fact, John had mentioned his concern about those who were trying to deceive them. So, false teaching, through false teachers, was and is, a serious concern, as it ought to be today.
The way to not be deceived is given to us right here, and even they youngest christian can apply this wisdom. Here it is. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit ( teacher ) that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. And, every spirit ( teacher ) that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And, this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
So, that's what's to be done in an effort to not be deceived. It has to do with the teaching about Jesus Christ. And, means, that those who teach that the man Jesus Christ, was indeed the Messiah, God come in the flesh, they are of God, and those who deny that the man Jesus Christ was God, they are not of God, and they are of the Antichrist.
Satan, who has sinned from the start, either lies about what God has said, or tries to dissuade people from believing in Jesus Christ, and or deny's outright that Jesus Christ is in fact, the only way of salvation, and that He is not truly the king of kings, and lord of lords. They do not want to promote the knowledge of Jesus Christ, but rather deny that knowledge, and offer something different then the true Biblical teaching concerning Jesus Christ.
Later this week, we will look at why this is fundamentally, and absolutely important to the Christian Faith. But, for now, we can see that this is the main point of John's concern. Who is Jesus? That's the primary issue here. And that there are people who preach and teach the true Jesus, and there are those who do not. There are indeed false teachers, and there are lying demonic spirits at work, and the believer needs to beware of them, and know how to identify them.
In closing here, John tells us who we are, and what has happened to us, and why it has happened.
1John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
John, then goes on to give further explanation.
1John 4:5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.
Finally, John declares who we are, and about those who hear us, and, about those who do not hear us.
1John 4:16 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
This is how we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
