November 18
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world,” 1 John 4:1-3.
The apostle John addresses the subject of antichristian teachers. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit.” As Christians, we should not be spiritually gullible. We should not fall hook, line, and sinker for every teaching of every religious teacher who appears on the scene. With all of the technology and the various means of communication we have today, we can easily be led astray in spiritual matters.
This is a call to be spiritually wide awake and alert, and to be well-versed in what is clearly revealed in Holy Scripture for the sake of our salvation. We are called upon to “test the spirits, whether they are of God.” How should we test the religious teachers? Take what they teach and place their teachings side by side with what is taught in Holy Scripture.
Remember that the Bible is the only source for everything that is to be taught in the church. Through the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord says, “‘He who has My word, let him speak My Word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?’ says the Lord,” Jeremiah 23:28. In all matters that deal with salvation, and when speaking about sin and the Savior, the Bible is the only source for the truth. The psalmist wrote, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path,” Psalm 119:105. People’s opinions are nothing more than sentimental chaff which is spiritually worthless, comfortless, and hopeless and should be thrown into the fire.
The Lord also spoke through Jeremiah and said, “‘Behold, I am against the prophets,’ says the Lord, ‘who use their tongues and say, “He says,”’” Jeremiah 23:31. If the Lord is against the false prophets, how would we dare to be for them? We are called to expose them for what they are – false teachers and false prophets, who try to attribute to God all of their false opinions! They use their tongues and say, “God is speaking!” They are in the service of the devil, who is the father of lies.
The apostle John speaks of one big lie in particular: “Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.” Every true religious teacher will proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who also became the Son of Man to be the Savior of all people. He conquered sin, death, and the devil for us by His suffering, death, and resurrection. The big lie of false teachers is that Jesus could not be God and Man in one Person and that He is not the only Savior.
Observe that John wrote, “Many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Those words were written before the year 100 A.D. The situation has not improved with the passing of the years. In fact, it is worse today than it was in John’s day! There are many antichrists. Let us heed Paul’s words to the Ephesians: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil . . . Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand . . . Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one . . . Take the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,” Ephesians 6:11, 13, 16-17.
“We have a sure prophetic Word,
By inspiration of the Lord;
And tho’ assailed on ev’ry hand,
Jehovah’s Word shall ever stand.
Abiding, steadfast, firm, and sure,
The teachings of the Word endure.
Blest he who trusts this steadfast Word;
His anchor holds in Christ, the Lord.” Amen.