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 the spirit of error. 1 John 4:1-6
Beloved, consider (a) the source and (b) content of what is being taught. Make this a habit to so ask yourself or you risk being swept away by lies.
1 John 4 affirms just as 2 John 1:7
- That spirits (voices) will come, through false prophets, and
- We are commanded not to believe every such spirit but to test them
These spirits who operate through false prophets have gone into the world, the question is discerning from where their inspiration came! The basis of tests must be clearly understood because even false spirits confess that Jesus came to the world but also deny that He came in the flesh!
Equally important is it to understand the use of the word “world” (kosmos) which is used more than 104 times by John. It conveys the concept of the world system or world order. It could also be described as the world order in sharp contrast to the WORD OF GOD! These spirits came from the deceiver, Satan, expressing themselves openly in society, promoting publicly the present world order that has only one objective, deny and defile God’s order. In this 1 John 4 affirms just as 2 John 1:7.
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 2 John 1:7
To deny that He came in the flesh is to deny (i) that He died for our sin (ii) that there is no resurrection; if there is no resurrection then these following scriptures don’t hold:
You can see the implication for our faith if the doctrine that Jesus came but not in the flesh, He did not share in human nature; how then can He have the feeling of sins, and exercise victory over sin and death, and transfer the same grace to us. Beware brethren what and how you hear and what you follow. The atmosphere is so rife with dangerous utterances that you need be in relationship with the GREAT SHEPHERD AND BISHOP OF OUR SOUL. Selah.
Pastor Afolabi Oladele
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