Part 14 of the sermon series on the Letters of John
The apostle explained that the Holy Spirit leads the believer to believe in Christ and to love one another. Such is made possible by the Holy Spirit’s work. Those who are in the light fellowship with the Father, Son, and Spirit (1 Jn 3:23-24). John proceeds to warn believers to exercise spiritual discernment. They should test the spirits, because there are many false prophets. Believers can take comfort in knowing that they are from God and have overcome the false teachings of these teachers. The Spirit who dwells in the believer is greater than the one who is in the world. False teachers speak from a worldly perspective and are accepted by the world, but those who are from God listen to the apostolic message. This is how believers can distinguish between the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Test Every Teaching
The apostle instructed the readers to “test every spirit.” Some translations say, “test every teaching.” It comes from the following verses, where John wrote about listening to them. Another way to put it is “test every wind.” Or, “test everything.” Why test? Because not everything, not every spirit, or teaching is from God.
1 John 4:1-3: 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.
The apostle addressed the false teaching, saying that Jesus, the man, is not from God. It was an early form of Gnostic teaching, which believes that all humanity or flesh is evil, and that is why Jesus cannot be God because he is human. The apostle witnessed both the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ. Christ and Jesus cannot be separated.
Overcome Deception
John encouraged those who remained in the apostles’ doctrine, that Jesus Christ is both human and divine. While the others who fell for the false teachers left the fellowship, those who remained must take courage. Because they continued to believe in the right doctrine, John said that they were victorious. The reason is that the Holy Spirit, who is greater than the world.
1 John 4:4: 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.
There is a spiritual battle, and it is a battle of the Spirit of God against false teaching. Every believer must hold on to the truth of the witness of the apostles as revealed in the Holy Scriptures. The writer makes a solid connection between the Holy Spirit and the truth that the apostles taught.
Spirit of Truth
The early form of Gnosticism accepts that the flesh is sinful. It is normal, but John refutes this. In Christ, it is not right to love the world, which is the desires of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life. Those who listened to the false teachers were of the world, and they were not from God.
1 John 4:5-6: 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.
John 16:13-14: When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
The apostle claimed that he was from God and that all who believe in the apostle’s teaching. Those who believe in the clear teachings of God’s word have the Spirit of truth. One must note that the Spirit of God and the Truth of His word cannot be separated.
Application
1. We must test every form of preaching, podcast, sermon, discussion, book, article, or any other medium. Everything that does not align with who Christ is and his teachings as revealed in God’s word should be rejected.
2. The Holy Spirit, who is greater than all, makes us overcome false teaching. He leads us to understand the Holy Scriptures, and He does not contradict the teachings of Jesus Christ, for they are of one essence.
3. Those who belong to God will listen to those who teach the Word of God accurately. All of us who believe in the gospel as revealed in Scripture must proclaim the gospel. We are confident that the Holy Spirit will do His work in salvation.
Poem
TESTING EVERY WIND by Ed Pilapil Jr Test every spirit, that’s teaching There is wind in every preaching Discern between error and truth Only truth can the soul be soothed Beware of all false miracles False teaching spreads like tentacles But God’s Spirit is much greater He will make us overcomers What does that mean, overcomers? Through the Spirit who is greater Untouched by evil tentacles Not allured by false miracles The Spirit of Truth, us to soothe Let’s be one with the Word of Truth Cautious when we will be preaching Testing every wind and teaching
Study Guide
1. Why should we test every spirit? What does that mean?
2. John mentioned that the greater One who lives in every believer. Explain what he means.
3. How can one discern between the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error?
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