1 John 4:1-6

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

John’s greeting “Beloved” or “dear friends” once again has his love for his reader on display.

John warns them not to believe every spirit. [grk. pneuma] Said another way, John is telling the church that behind every statement and action is a spirit, but not every spirit is the Spirit of God.

John Stott once said, “Neither Christian believing nor Christian loving is to be indiscriminate. In particular, Christian faith is not to be mistaken with credulity [assurance]. True Faith examines its object before reposing confidence in it.”

Throughout history there have been many “so-called” prophets/preachers who claim to possess divine authority who have been responsible for leading people astray.

What are some examples of this?

Some of you probably remember the name “Jim Jones” and recall what happened in Guyana in the 1970s.

The cult leader thought revolutionary mass suicide would cause him to be remembered, and it did…have you ever heard or said “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid?” Now you know where it came from.

What about names like Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Paul and Jan Crouch and even Joel Osteen?

All of these figures promote “name-it-claim-it” or “word-faith” theology, which is also known as the “Word of Faith Movement.”

Basically this theology states that we [humans] were created in the literal, physical image of God as “little gods.”

As such we had the ability to call things into existence by using something known as the faith-force.

In short, when Adam and Eve sinned we lost the faith-force, so God sent Christ in a messed-up version of the Gospel to restore our status’ as “little gods” and our faith-force abilities.

Following this teaching, the believer has the ability to manipulate the faith-force to become prosperous in the different of life.

Meaning that things such as: Illness, financial hardship and/or failure are really just the consequences of a lack of faith but can be rectified by confessing and claiming God’s promise of prosperity into existence.

John says that we are to “test” meaning “to prove or examine” on a continual basis the influences that we allow into our lives.

Like coins that are tested for genuineness under consistent, continuous scrutiny we must filter everything that we allow into our lives against the control [The Word of God]; lest we be led astray.

2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

John not only gives the command to test but also the reason for the test… “By this you will know!” (v.2)

In Deuteronomy (13:1-5; 18:22), Moses gives clear guidance on how to determine a true prophet of God:

If what a prophet proclaims does not take place, then he does not speak for the Lord.

But if what a prophet speaks does take place but then leads the people to “follow other gods” then do not listen to him either.

John in verses 2-3 adds to this by recognizing that the legitimacy of every prophet, preacher, teacher and leader can be determined by the content of their message.

“The Christian Faith rises and falls on the incarnation of Jesus Christ. It is not secondary or optional - it is essential.”

If one does not confess Jesus for who He is - then you know that their message is driven by the spirit of the anti-christ. His presence was active in John’s day and remains active today as well.

The spirit of the anti-christ will continue until the end of the world as we know it and will end with the revelation and second coming of the God’s Christ.

4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

John affectionately reminds the church that they are the victors!

We may not be more intelligent or skilled than any false prophet, but we are indwelled by the One who is.

Because of this, the believer is able to experience continual victory in daily life against the forces of evil.

5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.

The word “world” [grk. kosmos] is used three times in just this verse:

The deceivers are “from the world” commanded by the prince of this world - Satan.

They “speak from the world” meaning the substance of their teaching is brawn from a godless world/cultural.

The “world listens to them” as their message is enticing and attractive to those who have made the world their home.

6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

John’s words echos the words of his gospel in John 8:47:

Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

It is a proven fact, that those who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit will gravitate to the teaching and confession of Christ.

So John reiterates that we can confidently discern between the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of falsehood.

First, by examining the confession of the leader and then by the character of their followers who give them credence.

Those who have been changed by the Truth of God’s Word will follow and give credence to Truth, and those who have not will affirm fallacy.

We are to be consistently and continuously vigilant concerning this assignment.