Testing The Spirits (1 John 4:1-6)

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Introduction

Have you ever met someone who either didn’t know what they were talking about or were intentionally misleading others? The motives don’t affect the impact that someone with authority has when they proclaim opinions as fact and lies as truth.

I once had a friend who insisted that he was a healthy & wellness expert. One thing I remember him telling a group was the necessity of carbo loading right before a game. Do you have any idea how hard it is to perform strenuous physical activity only a couple of hours after eating large plates of spaghetti? The results aren’t good. It often leads to poor performance because of the heaviness that remains in your stomach. Your digestive system is focused on breaking down the carbs and takes away energy from your muscles.

The Mayo Clinic says you should carbo load one week and one to three days prior to the event. My guy was wrong, but convinced in his own mind that he was God’s gift to physical fitness.

Some of you might know of Brian Williams and NBC Correspondent. In 2015 he was suspended for 6 months after exaggerating a story about his time as a wartime correspondent in Iraq. He had changed his story a couple of times. Each one making it seem as though he were in more danger than he really was while riding in a helicopter. These stories were refuted by multiple military personnel and witnesses who provided him helicopter transport..

This kind of deception is present in God’s Church today as there are many who hold authority and are either ill-prepared, ill-intentioned, or both. Either way the result is the same —God’s people fed spiritual garbage that weighs them down like endless spaghetti moments before a football game. What are we to do? We are to be discerning. God’s people should measure teachers against the truth of Christ to see if they are genuine.

MPS: God’s people should measure teachers against the truth of Christ to see if they are genuine.

Christians should measure teachers according to the Scriptures. (1-3)

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. 

Christians should not be gullible, but discerning. (1) We can often let our guards down when someone claims they follow Jesus. They might speak with authority and confidence regarding the Scriptures, so we simply take it at face value with very little critical thought. But the warning here reminds us of what Jesus says in Matthew 17:15, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

You might be hesitant to ask questions about the authenticity and validity of a teacher for a couple of reasons. (i) You don’t feel confidence in your own knowledge. (ii) You feel as though you’re judging another person in particular a self purported teacher of God’s Word. 

You will only be as confident in God’s Word as you spend time in it. And God calls you to judge teachers, that is discern who is from God and from Satan based on what He teaches. Do not believe every spirit without question that comes before you, that is every teacher and self-proclaimed Christian. Judge their character and message based on the Scriptures. Otherwise you are setting yourself up for deception.

If someone were to be hired as the next football coach of NC State you might get really excited. You’d look at their resume’ asking where they’ve coached, what their record is, and what their coaching philosophy is like. What happens when you find out that the new Football Coach was from England with a mixed record and that he was actually a soccer coach? Both countries use the term “football” but for different sports altogether. You’d be unhappy, skeptical, and believe “State” needs to look for someone else. Instead, we all too often look at flash, enjoy our tickled ears, and soon enough we have been entrapped and entranced by false teachers leading us away from God’s truth. Just because someone confesses Jesus with their mouth doesn’t mean they believe in their heart. Just because they use familiar terms doesn’t mean they have familiar definitions.

So by what measure or standard should we measure teachers? Christians should discern or measure truth according to Christ. (2-3) That’s what the issue is here within this local church that John is writing. The false teachers had denied or minimized that Jesus had taken on man’s flesh.

But what about those among us who simply say, “I just need Jesus, I don’t need to iron out any other beliefs.”? That’s okay, but understand that what you know about God leads you to right and proper worship of God. So that approach significantly impairs your ability to worship and follow Jesus. However, if one is to say “I just need Jesus” then the natural question is “Which Jesus?” or “What do you believe about Jesus?”. 

Mormons believe in Jesus. They believe that He became a god and that we all can. There are many who believe in Jesus, but one quite different that what we believe. Some believe that Jesus is calling you to give them all your money. Others believe that Jesus will heal you if you pay them in monthly installments. One very popular preacher believes Jesus heals all infirmities and afflictions or else you haven’t truly been saved.-meaning if you still have allergies, a broken leg, or depression then Christ hasn’t saved you. 

• What people believe about Jesus matters spiritually. He is the core of your entire faith. He is our Savior and Lord. He is the object of our worship and praise. What we believe about Him drives how we trust, pray, and worship Him.
• What people believe about Jesus matters practically.If you don’t believe Jesus is God then why would you worship a man? When He declares you forgiven how can you trust Him? Roman Catholics view Jesus as lacking compassion so they must pray to Mary so that she will pray to her Son on their behalf. Having a false view of Jesus entraps you into a life that doesn’t reap the full joy, rewards, and freedom that is accomplished on your behalf by Christ.

You must also ask yourself this, “Is your Jesus the real Jesus?” Have you tested the spirits that have come into your life? Are these teachers those who proclaim Christ and His glory or themselves and their own? Has your view of Christ been influenced by false teachers or, have you discerned those who were from God and those who aren’t? Jesus is fully God, fully man, sinless, died, raised, and praying for His people as we sit here this morning.

Christians have overcome Satan and the evil of false teachers. (4-6)

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.

The good news given by John is that Christians have overcome Satan through the Holy Spirit. (4) I. Howard Marshall comments here “False belief is as much a sin as unrighteous behavior or lack of love.Victory over it, however, is not due to any innate strength of believers but rather to the fact that the One who lives in them is greater.”

There is a stark difference between those who are from the world and those who are from God. The world distorts, denies, and deflects the truth. Christians have the Spirit who confirms the truth. (5-6) Jesus says in John 15:19 “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

In keeping with the world’s character they won’t listen to those who are truly of Christ. The world finds what we have to say to be repugnant and repulsive. That’s why John here says, “Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us.” I shared several weeks ago how Todd White, a prosperity Gospel preacher and false teacher, after being confronted longingly by brothers in Christ, repented of his sin. He still has errors in his teaching, but God is working to restore Him. 

Those who aren’t in Christ will reject Him. They might say that Jesus was a good teacher or had good morals, but that lacks a full understanding of who He is. He is God who has come into the world to save for Himself a people that worship Him for eternity.

So, How do we know if something or a teacher is from God?* 

First, Scripture references aren’t always proof. Some teachers will litter their work Scripture references, but never give you the Scripture. This is common practice in theological works and is very effective to keep such works relatively brief while providing sources. However, it can be misused as people might look at such a reference and accepting what the author has to say without seeing if the reference is a proper source.

Second, Is the teacher misusing the Bible? I can’t tell you how common it is for teacher’s of God’s Word, both ill and well intentioned take the Bible out of context on purpose and accidentally. It is absolutely appropriate to quote the Bible, but we should do so carefully, within context, and according to its intended meaning.

Jesus says, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” (John 21:6) So if I used that to give you fishing advice you’d think I lost my mind. It was an odd enough command in the first century never mind today. Instead this verse speaks to trust and obedience in Christ. 

Lastly, Are they pointing you to Christ or something else? There are a number of teachers that will point you to yourself, pop psychology, or themselves. It can be incredibly encouraging and uplifting for someone to tell you that you can achieve all your goals if only you try hard enough and believe in yourself. It can change your life to have someone tell you to put yourself first and forget about the needs of others in your life.

No matter how satisfying that seems it ultimately leads to spiritual death. They are leading you astray and down a path of self-centered living that keeps God in the background. Instead Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mt. 16:24) He says that we are to love our neighbors, enemies, and husbands are to love their wives. Paul writes, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Gal. 5:13)

Teachers should be pointing us to Christ and that is how we can know they are from God. In pointing us to Christ they point us to what He commands in His Word. Holy Spirit led and indwelt teachers will point us away from ourselves and towards the complete work of God.

Conclusion

How can you guard against spiritual abuse and false teachers? How can you put up a spiritual force field that will protect you, your family, and the church? Here are some next steps that you can do right now:

Next Steps

Your first next step is to Prepare yourself for discernment. Jesus says, “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect.” (Mark 13:22) He warns that they are coming and have come. We must get in the right frame of mind.

Secondly we should Assess teaching based on God’s Word. We don’t base a teaching’s or teacher’s value on anything other than it’s clarity in revealing God’s Word. If someone looks good and sounds good but their content isn’t biblical then neither are they. If you aren’t in the Word then you will be deceived. You’re an easy target. You’re already a marked man because you follow Christ. Without knowing the Word you’ll have no idea who is trying to lead you astray. You’ll not know if you’ve been led astray. You’ll be lost in the woods without a flashlight, compass, map, food, water, or shelter. 

“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.” (2 Peter 3:17-18)

Lastly, Seek wisdom, grace, and humility from God.Wisdom is knowledge applied rightly. Grace is unmerited favor. Humility is to not think too highly of ourselves. Knowledge in the hands of the unwise is a dangerous thing. It is this reason why, when guarding against false teaching and teachers we must seek grace and humility. Not all who proclaim falsehoods are false teachers, many are just misinformed. We need to be slow to bash heads and quick to give the benefit of the doubt. But once the benefit of the doubt has been exhausted and the teacher has been approached with gentle correction, if they reject the truth then they themselves must be rejected. Because as John says, “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.”