Two Principles to Remember as we Grow in Blessed Assurance

Two Principles to Remember as we Grow in Blessed Assurance

1 John 4:1–6 NLT

1 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. 2 This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. 4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 5 Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

I- WE MUST BE CAREFUL WHO WE LISTEN TO ().

A- There are false teachers and prophets who desire to deceive people. ()

1 John 4:1 NLT

1 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.

1- Believers must not be gullible - not every preacher or teacher is of God.

(μη παντι πνευματι πιστευετε)

“Stop believing,” as some were clearly carried away by the spirits of error rampant among them, both Docetic and Cerinthian Gnostics. Credulity means gullibility and some believers fall easy victims to the latest fads in spiritualistic humbuggery

(; , ; )

μη παντι πνευματι πιστευετε)

Matthew 7:15 NLT

15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.

Matthew 24:11 NLT

11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.

Matthew 24:24 NLT

24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.

Mark 13:22 NLT

22 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.

2- Every teacher and his teaching should be tested

Word Pictures in the New Testament 1 John 4:1

(δοκιμαζετε τα πνευματα [dokimazete ta pneumata])

3- There are false

(δοκιμαζετε τα πνευματα= test (scrutinize) the spirits

The Apostles were faced with false prophets and false teachers. ()

(δοκιμαζετε τα πνευματα [dokimazete ta pneumata])

Acts 13:6 NLT

6 Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus.

(BAR-JESUS (PERSON) (Βαριησου̂ς)]. A magician, also called a “Jewish false prophet” (), in the court of Sergius Paulus, proconsul of Cyprus at Paphos. When Sergius Paulus requested to hear Paul and Barnabas, Bar-Jesus opposed them, which resulted in his being struck blind at Paul’s denouncement. He is called a false prophet because of his opposition to the message of Paul and Barnabas rather than his association with the practice of magic. In his denunciation, Paul called Bar-Jesus “son of the devil,” a play on his name, “son of Jesus.”

BAR-JESUS (PERSON) [Gk Bariēsoûs (Βαριησου̂ς)]. A magician, also called a “Jewish false prophet” (), in the court of Sergius Paulus, proconsul of Cyprus at Paphos. When Sergius Paulus requested to hear Paul and Barnabas, Bar-Jesus opposed them, which resulted in his being struck blind at Paul’s denouncement. He is called a false prophet because of his opposition to the message of Paul and Barnabas rather than his association with the practice of magic. In his denunciation, Paul called Bar-Jesus “son of the devil,” a play on his name, “son of Jesus.”

B- All teachers and prophets must pass a scriptural test before we accept their teaching. ()

1 John 4:2–3 NLT

2 This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. 3 But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here.

1- A true prophet will teach and preach the true gospel.

()

1 Corinthians 12:3 NLT

3 So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

()

Romans 10:6–10 NLT

6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says, “The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart.” And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

a. The teachings must be evaluated by God’s Word.

In Context

Consistent with the Organic teaching of Scripture.

2- A false prophet will teach and preach a false Gospel.

a. Notice the warnings of the apostles:

2- A false prophet will teach and preach a false Gospel.

()

2 Peter 2:1 NLT

1 But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.

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2 Timothy 4:3 NLT

3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

b. Paul called the Galatians to reject the heresies of false prophets.

()

Galatians 1:6–10 NLT

6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. 8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed. 10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

II- WE MUST STAY TUNED IN TO THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT ().

A- The believer is assured of victory over the world because of the indwelling Holy Spirit. ()

1 John 4:4 NLT

4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.

1- The believer belongs to God.

2- The believer has already won a victory over the world and false prophets, because of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

()

John 14:17 NLT

17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

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John 16:33 NLT

33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

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1 John 2:13 NLT

13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one.

B- The believer must not be discouraged when the world is swayed by false teachers and prophets. ()

1 John 4:5 NLT

5 Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them.

1- False prophets are motivated by unholy motives. ()

Titus 1:11 NLT

11 They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money.

2- The world listens to false prophets because they speak of things that the world wants to hear.

()

1 Timothy 4:1 NLT

1 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.

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2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT

4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

C- The believer must remained focused on his mission of sharing the true gospel. ()

1 John 4:6 NLT

6 But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.

1- We speak the true gospel message because we belong to God.

2- We and our message will be received by those who truly know or want to know God.

3- The line between truth and error is clear.

()

1 John 2:18 NLT

18 Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come.

CONCLUSION: