Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and he spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. - 1 John 4:1-13
It is essential for us as believers to be discerning and not simply believe everything we hear. The world is full of false prophets, and we must be careful not to be led astray. We need to test the spirits and discern whether they are from God.
Imagine walking through a busy marketplace and coming across vendors selling fruit. Some may look attractive and appealing on the surface, but they may not be genuine. We must examine the spirit before embracing it, just like inspecting the fruit before buying. We need to choose the genuine Spirit of God over the false ones, even though the false ones may be appealing on the surface.
The key to discerning the spirits is to look for those who confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. This is the Spirit of God at work, clearly indicating that someone is following Christ. Those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh are not of God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, and we need to be aware of it.
The author of 1 John wrote to a community of Christians facing various challenges, including false teachings about Jesus Christ. Some people denied that Jesus had come in the flesh, a belief known as Docetism. This belief held that Jesus was not a real human being but only appeared to be one.
The author of 1 John believed that this belief was a severe error and that it was important for Christians to affirm that Jesus was fully human and divine. In the passage mentioned, the author emphasizes the importance of testing the spirits to discern whether they are from God. Those who confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh are said to be from God, while those who do not confess this are said to be of the spirit of the antichrist.
John uses the term "antichrist" to refer to anyone who denies the true nature of Jesus Christ rather than a specific figure or entity. By emphasizing the importance of confessing that Jesus has come in the flesh, the author warns his readers against false teachings that could lead them astray from the truth of the Gospel.
As believers, we are of God and have overcome the false prophets and the spirit of the antichrist. We can do this because the One in us is greater than the one in the world. Yet the importance of discernment remains, which cannot be overstated. In a world where information is easily accessible, and opinions are readily shared, it can be difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood, especially regarding matters of faith. Like in the early church, many voices claim to have the truth, but not all of them are rooted in the teachings of Jesus.
However, just like responsible bankers who study and understand real money, not fake, we need to study and understand the truth of God's Word. We need to know the actual teachings of Jesus so we can quickly identify and remove any false teachings or beliefs that may deceive us or others.
Let us discern and study the truth of God's Word to live according to His will and protect ourselves and others from false teachings and beliefs.
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