Test the Spirits 1 John 4:1-6

Introduction

There is a war going on every day that we cannot see. It is a war between the Spirit of God and the spirit of antichrist.

As believers we need to discern between these two spirits so we make sure we are following the right one. There are only two spirits that we can follow, the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Lets look at John’s warning here in 1 John 4:1-6.

Verse 1

Beloved

Here John is speaking to believers, and he is going to give them a warning, that was necessary for his day, but I believe is even more necessary for our day.

Warning #1 Believe not every spirit

Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 24 to take heed (pay attention, be careful) so no man would deceive them.

If false spirit were around when Jesus was around, how much more we must worry about them 2000 years removed from Jesus’ time on earth.

Its important though to understand the context of when this book was written and why John is hitting this topic again like he did in the first chapter of this book.

Just like today there were all kind of cults and beliefs that were against the Bible. Like today most cults and beliefs that go against what the Bible teaches come form taking one verse or phrase from the Bible and taking it out of context and running with it.

If we don’t read the Bible in the context of when it was written and what the original author wanted us to get, we can make the Bible prove anything we want it to.

So here John is telling them, just because someone says they are a believer or even a pastor we shouldn’t just believe them because of their title, but we should trust them because they are filled with the Holy Spirit.

You’ll notice that sometimes when John gives a warning, he gives them a solution as well.

He tells them don’t believe every spirit, BUT, try the spirits whether they be of God.

The word try here means “To prove by a test”

What test do they have to pass? Does what they say line up with the Word of God. This book (The Bible) is the filter that we should pass all preaching and teaching through.

Just as the oil filter on your car keeps debris from getting into your engine the word of God keeps false spirits from getting into your life.

Every person who you listen too that claims to speak authoritatively on scripture and seeks to influence us in spiritual matters should be examined through the lens of scripture. If what they are saying goes against the Bible, we should not allow it as an influence in our lives

Stephen Anderson example. Solid KJV Documentary, went to look up other things about him, and found out he is antisemitic. Wants to see the Jews destroyed and a few other things that he believes that clearly go against the word of God, so now I no longer listen to anything by him. I tried the Spirit and found out he was of the spirit of error.

Then he tells them why they should try every spirit

Because many false prophets have gone out into the world

Even in John’s time there were many false prophets, false apostles and false teachers were infiltrating the churches. Both Paul and Peter addressed it as well and Jesus warned about it as well.

2 Corinthians 11:13 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.”

2 Peter 2:1 “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.”

Matthew 24:5 “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

The Bible tells us that in the last day’s it will continue to get worse

2 Timothy 3:13 “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

2 Timothy 4:3–4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

Just as in John’s day it is vitally important that we discern between true and false teachers.

In verse two we will find a test that we can use to help us!

Verse 2

Here he gives us an easy test to find out which spirit they are of

How to know if they are of the Spirit of God?

They confesses (proclaim) that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.

To understand why that was the test that John gave them, you have to understand one of the biggest enemies of the church at that time.

Gnosticism had crept into the church and was causing people to stumble. \

Gnostics taught these things;

Knowledge is superior to virtue

The nonliteral sense of Scripture is correct and can be understood only by a select few

evil in the world precludes God as being the only creator

The incarnation is not credible, because deity cannot unite itself with material, such as a body

There is no ressurection in the flesh

John reminded the believers he was writing to that Jesus truly did come as flesh. He was 100% God and 100% man. He didn’t cease being God when he came to earth, but like the Christmas song say he was veiled in flesh.

To truly be of the Spirit they had to believe that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh.

This is the supreme test of spirts and the teachers they influence.

If Jesus wouldn’t have been 100% God while being 100% man He could not have died for the sins of the world. Unless Jesus Christ was the perfect man he could not have died for our sins. Unless he was God he could not defeat death and thus never could have saved us.

In verse two John tells us how to know if they are of the right spirit and in verse three he tells us how to know if they are of the spirit of antichrist.

Verse 3

In verse two he told us if you believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh you are of God and here in verse 3 he tells us if they don’t believe that they are not of God, but rather of the Spirit of antichrist

Antichrist-A great adversary of Christ; the man of sin

Throughout the Bible we are told about the antichrist, by other names, like man of sin and Christ called him the abomination of desolation in Matt 24.

While here in vers 3 he is not calling them the antichrist that believe that Jesus isn’t the Son of God, he is saying they are of that same spirit.

Verse 4

They were of God because they had believed the Gospel, how Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again to pay the penalty of our sins and because of that they were overcomers.

They didn’t overcome them (the spirit of antichrist) in their own power, but their power came from who was living inside of them.

John reminds them that “greater is he living inside of you, than he that is in the world.

Jesus Christ is an overcomer and because of him we are overcomers as well.

One commentary said this “The devil may be the “god of this world” and have a multitude of demonic spirits under his control, but the Holy Spirit who lives indwells every believer is the omnipotent God. Therefore we can take great comfort in knowing we can overcome the wicked one through the Holy Spirit who indwells us”

Verse 5

Because they are of the world when they speak the world listens

John 3:31 “He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.”

John 15:19 “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

John 17:14 “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.”

Verse 6

He tells them because they are of God, those who are of God will hear, but those that aren’t of God will not.

And this is how we know what spirit they are of either the spirit of truth or the spirit of error

1 Corinthians 2:12–16 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

Conclusion

Be careful of who you allow to influence you, but especially in spiritual things. Test everything you learn through the lens of scripture.

The Holy Spirit will never lead you to do something that is contrary to the word of God

Psalm 33:4“For the word of the Lord is right; And all his works are done in truth.”

John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

The spirit of error will try to blind you to the things of God

2 Corinthians 4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”