Fool’s Gold

INTRODUCTION

A Grand Rapids, Michigan man discovered that just because it glitters it does not mean it is gold.

While walking by a Grand Rapids flooring company named “Old to Gold Hardwood Floors” a man glanced in the window and saw a shocking sight.

He saw a large number of gold bars glittering on a table inside the store.

Giving in to the temptation, he picked up a rock and tossed it through the window clearing his path to the gleaming golden bars.

The next morning the store owner, Randy Lapham, arrived at his burglarized business to find his window shattered and the gold-colored foam rubbers bars he used to advertise his company strewn about the showroom.

An employee said the squeezable gold color foam bars are for stress relief and reflect the company’s motto of stress free flooring.

In an interview the store owner said he didn’t like to judge someone’s intelligence, but that you would have to be pretty stupid to think the gold-colored foam bars were real gold.

The burglar committed a crime and risked his freedom to steal fake gold.

Many people allow “fool’s gold” to lead them astray.

All that glitters is not gold.

Not every claim of spiritual truth is valid.

In 1 John 4:1-6 the apostle John warns the church at Ephesus, and us, to be on guard against false teachers.

1 John 4:1–6 ESV

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

In these verses John warns us to not be gullible but to realize that false prophets, energized by evil spirits, seek to deceive people.

They want to prevent unbelievers from coming to faith in Christ.

They desire to lead believers away from Christ.

Jesus himself warned us that in the last days many will turn away from the faith (Matt. 24:11):

Matthew 24:11 ESV

11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

Jesus then says (Matt. 24:13):

Matthew 24:13 ESV

13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

A great deal of spiritual “fool’s gold” exists in our world.

It glitters and gleams.

It offers happiness and hope.

It looks wonderful and pleasant.

But it is worthless, no, it is worse than worthless.

Spiritual fool’s gold distracts people from the true riches of God’s grace and leads them away from God and into hell.

Jesus told us of two roads—one leading to eternal life and one leading to eternal death (Matthew 7:13-14).

Matthew 7:13–14 NIV

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Proponents of each of these paths proclaim their virtue.

Christians who hold to the truth of God’s Word proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and point people to the narrow road that leads to life.

False prophets and deceiving spirits point people to the broad road and wide gate proclaiming its ease and lying about its ultimate destination.

We must be sure the deceiving spirits and those speaking for them do not deceive us!

You must test every message you hear against the truth of God’s Word.

BODY

You must not believe everything and everyone you hear (1 John 4:1).

1 John 4:1 NIV

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

Likely you have seen an old commercial that featured a young lady saying she had used the internet to arrange a date with a good looking French model.

The guy shows up and and awkwardly says “bon jour” but his is obviously not a French model.

He is obese.

His clothes are a wreck.

He looks awful.

But she goes merrily away with him because if it is on the internet it must be true!

Many people in our world believe things they should not believe:

“If a celebrity said it, it must be true.”

“If its on CNN or NBC or other mass media news say it, it must be true.”

“If its written in a book or news article, it must be true.”

“If its about the Bible and its on the History Channel it must be true.”

Or even, “If it’s said behind a pulpit, it must be true.”

We cannot afford to blindly accept the many messages the world sends our way!

John wrote, “Do not believe every spirit but test the spirits.”

Later in the verse he mentions “false prophets”

These are in sense the same thing—false spirits energize the false prophets.

They work for the same goal—leading people away from Christ.

Jesus said (Matt. 7:15-16):

Matthew 7:15–16 NIV

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?

John said that “many false prophets have gone out into the world” (4:1).

We usually think of false prophets who work in the church.

We need to see that there are many false prophets in our world.

Those who participate in and proclaim the virtues of other religions are false prophets.

Professors who stand in college and university classes teaching humanism, secularism, evolution, and even atheism are false prophets.

Celebrities who promote abortion or new age religion and many other immoral and unbiblical issues are false prophets.

Preachers who ignore the Word of God, or, worse, who twist it in order to preach heresy are false prophets.

A cornered, wounded animal, will fight its fiercest the closer it gets to the end.

On His cross Christ crushed satan.

Soon Christ will come to fully enforce His victory.

Satan knows this and is desperately fighting to turn souls away or keep souls away from Christ.

He sends many false prophets to deceive the world.

It is our responsibility, your responsibility, to test, examine, and inspect every message for truth.

Jesus said (Matt. 24:24):

Matthew 24:24 NIV

24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Let us diligently guard against such deceit.

We must put every message to the test!

We see the need to test the spirits and uncover false prophets, but what is the test?

1 John 4:2-3 gives us the test:

1 John 4:2–3 ESV

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.

The confession of Christ is the test!

But this creates a problem for us (Piper).

We know that there are people who can say true things about Jesus who are not really Christians (Piper).

We could call some one off the street and if we paid him enough he could say the right things and confess Christ in front of the whole church, but that would not mean he belonged to God (Piper).

Jesus said (Matt. 7:21):

Matthew 7:21 ESV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

So this confession of Christ must mean more than mere words.

When John says the evidence of salvation is confessing that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, he does not mean mere words or thoughts stand as sufficient evidence (Piper).

Instead he means that confession is supported by evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in a person’s life.

They will certainly speak the truth of God’s Word holding correct doctrine.

There will be fruit beyond mere words.

There will be the evidence of genuine conversion in ones words and actions.

John speaks more of this in 1 John 3:23-24:

1 John 3:23–24 ESV

23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

Notice here that both believing in Christ, keeping His commands, and loving one another stands as evidence of true conversion.

John 14:23 ESV

23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

These are the ones who abide in God.

So, then, every messenger who does not genuinely love Christ as evidenced by keeping His commands and love the brothers and sisters of the church is to be rejected as a false prophet.

These false prophets speak the words of the antichrist.

There are many such.

Some openly speak in the spirit of the antichrist.

Others stand robed in preacher’s garments and slyly speak the message of the antichrist.

Yet any that do not truly confess Christ and show it with their lives must have their message rejected.

If you refuse to be deceived you will be an overcomer!

John promises victory to those who profess and hold to the truth of Christ (1 John 4:4).

1 John 4:4 ESV

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.

This was one of my favorite memory verses when I was a kid.

We should never escape its truth!

The Spirit of Christ dwelling in us is greater than the evil spirits and false prophets of this world.

Notice that it is the Spirit that is in us that makes us overcomers!

On our own we are not overcomers—there is nothing about our natural self that gives us victory.

It is not our confession of faith, as great as that is, that makes us overcomers.

It is the Christ of our confession, dwelling in our lives, that is greater than he who is in the world!

Zechariah 4:6 reflects this truth:

Zechariah 4:6 NIV

6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

Dear friends let us--

Confess Christ.

Walk in Christ.

Walk in His anointing.

Produce the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

Walk in the fulness of the Holy Spirit.

When we trust Christ and walk in the Spirit of Christ we can be sure that “Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.”

The evils spirits and false prophets are of the world and the world listens to them (1 John 4:5).

1 John 4:5 NIV

5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

The word “world” as it is used here does not refer to the planet, but to the evil world system headed by satan and supported by evil spirits, false prophets, and servants of evil.

When the false prophets, moved by evil spirits, speak they find a ready audience—the people of the world hear them, agree with them, and follow them.

That is why you see large crowds holding signs and marching for the so-called right of abortion.

That is why billions flock to the false religions of the world.

That is why many of America’s universities turn out people opposed to Christ and His church.

That is why false teachers in the church can deceive many with heretical teaching.

That is why the people of the world en masse will follow the antichrist—his spirit is already in the world drawing people into sin and error.

The false prophets find ready listeners and followers among the unconverted people of the world.

But God’s people will refuse to listen to them!

God’s people only hear the voice of the Spirit of truth! (1 John 4:6).

1 John 4:6 ESV

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.

Those who know Christ and walk in His saving power will reject the message of the world and hold to the message of God and His Word.

This is the difference between the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error (deceit, falsehood).

We need to draw near to the Lord through Scripture and prayer so we will be familiar with Him and His message—that we will truly know Him!

If we know Him and His message we will not be deceived.

Jesus said (John 10:27):

John 10:27 NIV

27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

I implore you brothers and sisters to get to know Christ and to know Him well:

Know His Word.

Know His teaching.

Know His voice

No what it is to be led by His Spirit.

Know Him so that you will not be led astray!

Those who reject false teaching, confess Christ, and follow His voice are overcomers and will be overcomers—for greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

IN CONCLUSION

Today’s passage warns us against gullibility.

We must not believe everything we hear.

We must put every message and messenger to the test.

If we cling to the truth of Christ we are overcomers.

What does this mean for believers?

Guard your heart against heresy and untruth.

When threatened by and deception of satan—any temptation, discouragement, fear, or falsehood remind yourself that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

Trust in the indwelling Holy Spirit to give you victory over the world!

Don’t boast in this, but realize that the Holy Spirit, and not we ourselves, is the source of our victory.

What does this mean for unbelievers?

You are following the message of the antichrist, his evil spirits, and his false prophets.

They point you to a broad way and a wide gate that leads to eternal destruction.

The spirit of antichrist has a firm grip on your heart.

You need to seek the power of the Holy Spirit.

You need to admit that without Him your ears will remain plugged, your heart will remain hard, and you will not confess Christ (Piper).

Pray that the Spirit will open your eyes.

Plead with Him to take away the hardness of your heart.

Ask Him to put within the the joyful and true confession that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.

Yesterday as I walked through a cemetery my heart was disturbed when I saw many headstones with a date of birth younger than mine—many people born when I was or after, are already dead.

A sobering thought.

It reminds me of the urgency of the hour and your need for Christ.