1 John 4 - Testing the Spirits

Outbless Weekly

1 John 4 - Testing the Spirits

4 Beloved, 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. 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 have heard is coming, and now it is already in the world.

- Beloved (notice who this is addressed too)

o Do not believe every spirit (those who claim to be Christians)

o But (instead) test the spirits (Christians) to see whether they are from God

§ Because many false prophets (people act like prophets but they are not) have gone (past tense) out into the world (they are here already)

o By this you will know the Spirit of God

§ Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God

§ Every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God (they are false prophets)

§ This is the spirit of antichrist (like Christ but fake; false; liars)

o Which you have heard is coming (if you know the Word of God you know this)

§ And now is already in the world (antichrist is already among us)

4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world, therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. The one who knows God listens to us; the one who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

- You are from God, little children (simple, pure, faith; simple instruction)

o And have overcome them (who? The false prophets)

- Because greater is He who is in you (Christ in you, the Hope of Glory)

o Than he that is the world (the devil who was cast down)

- They are from the world

o Therefore they speak as from the world (crass, prideful, foul)

§ And the world listens to them (like people who listen to filthy rap music)

- We are from God

o The one who is not from God does not listen to us (worldly people won’t listen)

- By this we know the spirit of truth

o And the spirit of error

o You can know the difference by making this observation (who do they listen too)

God Is Love

7 Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

- Beloved (it’s a love letter to you)

o Let’s love one another (that is what you are called by God to do)

o For love is from God (it originates from God; this is where true love comes from)

§ So that we may live through Him (this was His purpose)

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