March 4, 2012
Morning Service

John’s message to us in Chapter 3 was encouraging and also challenging.

1Jo 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God. Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

 

1Jo 3:3 And everyone who has this hope on him purifies himself, even as that One is pure.

 

1Jo 3:18 My children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

 

1Jo 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not accuse us, we have confidence toward God.

 

 

1Jo 4:1  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

 

One of John’s main objectives in this letter was to warn us against these “false prophets.”  Here in chapter 4 he tells us how to recognize and discern these prophets by the spirit in which they speak.

 

The early church meetings were far different than they are now.  There were traveling prophets who would come into the community with a message to share.  Paul wrote of this excitement (or confusion) to the Corinthian church.

 

1Co 14:26-33 Then how is it, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be for building up.  (27)  If one speaks in a language, let it be by two, or at the most three, and in succession. And let one interpret.  (28)  But if there is no interpreter, let him be silent in a church; and let him speak to himself and to God.  (29)  And if there are two or three prophets, let them speak, and let the others judge.  (30)  If a revelation is revealed to another sitting by, let the first be silent.  (31)  For you may all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be comforted.  (32)  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.  (33)  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

 

It must have been a very exciting service with two or three speaking in tongues, someone interpreting the meaning of their words and then two or three prophets would speak words of truth or revelation.  This atmosphere also set a stage by which “false” prophets could speak, not being guided by the Holy Spirit but other spirits.  This is what John was speaking of in verse 1.

 

1Jo 4:2-3 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God;  (3)  and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the antichrist you heard is coming, and even now is already in the world.

 

Here is our formula to “test” the spirits.  A true prophet cannot deny Jesus’ deity (He is the Christ) or His incarnation (He was flesh and bone).

 

 Joh 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth.

 

 

 

John makes this statement of fact a basis for us to worship with other believers.  If they deny either of these truths, then we are not to worship with them.  If they confess Jesus came in the flesh then we can worship with them.  We aren’t affiliated with any denomination, but we are an inter denomination church. We believe teaching the unity of the church is in God’s will.

 

 2Pe 1:3 according as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue,

 

1Co 12:3-11 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says Jesus is a curse, and that no one can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Spirit.  (4)  But there are differences of gifts, but the same Spirit.  (5)  And there are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.  (6)  And there are differences of workings, but it is the same God working all things in all.  (7)  But to each one is given the showing forth of the Spirit to our profit.  (8)  For through the Spirit is given to one a word of wisdom; and to another a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit;  (9)  and to another faith by the same Spirit; and to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;  (10)  and to another workings of powers, to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; and to another kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues.  (11)  But the one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing separately to each one as He desires.

 

God has provided us with spiritual gifts to help us grow as a church and as individuals.  One of those gifts is the “discerning of spirits.”  That is ability to know the true source of something spoken or determine if the speaker is sincere in his profession.  It is a gift we can each pray for and receive into our lives.  Notice it is the same Spirit giving these gifts

 

1Jo 2:27 But the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and no lie, and as He has taught you, abide in Him.

 

1Jo 4:4-6 You are of God, little children, and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.  (5)  They are of the world, therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them.  (6)  We are of God. He who knows God hears us. The one who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

 

That anointing John spoke of is the Holy Spirit which dwells within us.  He now tells us that because of that Spirit we share in the power that has overcome evil once and for all.  The powers of evil took their best shot and nailed Jesus to that cross, but three days later HE AROSE!  We are on the winning side.  The battles may wage on, but the war has been won!

 

There is a separation between believers and non believers.  Non believers speak of worldly wisdom and choose to ignore what truth God has given us.  Believers, followers of Christ, those who have that true relationship with Him, hear and follow the teaching of the apostles (Verse 6 hears us).  True believers will listen to and align their lives to follow the teaching of the Word. 

 

This gives us a second test to try the spirits by; do they listen to and follow the Bible as the true Word of God or rather chooses to follow man’s teaching.  This becomes our guideline for fellowship. We can worship with anyone confessing Christ, but we can only sit under the authority of a church that teaches the Bible as the absolute, only, and final truth.

 

 Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed.