Test the Spirits
The Apostle John writing to believers in Christ Jesus said,
“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.
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” 1 John 4:1-3.
Here John is clearly speaking to believers in Christ. He is warning against people claiming to be believers in Christ that are not. This points back to what he had earlier said in this same letter where he noted,
“Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” 1 John 2:18,19.
What John calls antichrists are those who sat under the disciples teaching but now deny that Jesus is divine, the Son of God the saviour of mankind.
There are such people around today who call themselves believers in Christ Jesus who deny his deity.
The fact is you cannot deny the divinity of Jesus and the fact that He is the Son of God the Saviour of mankind and be a Christian.
John makes things clear who Jesus is when referring to Jesus as “The Word”, he wrote,
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,” John 11:25,26,27.
The apostle Paul speaking of his own faith in Christ noted,
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”Galatians 2:20.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father’” ?
Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son” ?
And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire.”
But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. Hebrews 1:1-8.
The facts are simple in order to be a true believer in Christ you must believe in the divinity of Jesus.
That being said as in the days of the apostle John there are many teachers and preachers out there claiming to be believers in Christ Jesus who are not. That is why we must heed the warning of the apostle John who said,
“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. 1John 4:1.
Please think about it.
The Apostle John writing to believers in Christ Jesus said,
“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.
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.” 1 John 4:1-3.
Here John is clearly speaking to believers in Christ. He is warning against people claiming to be believers in Christ that are not. This points back to what he had earlier said in this same letter where he noted,
“Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” 1 John 2:18,19.
What John calls antichrists are those who sat under the disciples teaching but now deny that Jesus is divine, the Son of God the saviour of mankind.
There are such people around today who call themselves believers in Christ Jesus who deny his deity.
The fact is you cannot deny the divinity of Jesus and the fact that He is the Son of God the Saviour of mankind and be a Christian.
John makes things clear who Jesus is when referring to Jesus as “The Word”, he wrote,
“In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life,
and that life was the light of men....
He came to that which was his own,
but his own did not receive him.
Yet to all who received him,
to those who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God—
children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will,
but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory,
the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father,
full of grace and truth.”
John 1:1-4, 11-14.
Jesus speaking to Martha said,“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,” John 11:25,26,27.
The apostle Paul speaking of his own faith in Christ noted,
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”Galatians 2:20.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.
For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father’” ?
Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son” ?
And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.” In speaking of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, his servants flames of fire.”
But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever, and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom. Hebrews 1:1-8.
The facts are simple in order to be a true believer in Christ you must believe in the divinity of Jesus.
That being said as in the days of the apostle John there are many teachers and preachers out there claiming to be believers in Christ Jesus who are not. That is why we must heed the warning of the apostle John who said,
“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. 1John 4:1.
Please think about it.
